The Albanese government has issued a sweeping mandate that will force Telstra (ASX:TLS) to strip 1km2 from its advertised coverage maps, following a crackdown on how telecommunications giants calculate and promote network reach.
The new regulations, set to be announced by Communications Minister Anika Wells, aim to rectify what the government describes as a "mess" of inconsistent and potentially misleading data that has historically hindered emergency service planning.
Under the new industry guidelines established by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, telcos must now categorise signal strength using strict decibel-milliwatts thresholds.
A "good" signal is defined as stronger than -95dBm, "moderate" falls between -95 and 105dBm, and "basic" coverage terminates at -115dBm.
Any area failing to meet the technical benchmarks must be explicitly marked as having "no coverage."
The regulatory shift follows years of industry friction, including a 2025 report where Vodafone accused Telstra of overstating its mobile footprint by a margin equivalent to the size of South Australia.
Optus and TPG Telecom (ASX:TPG) have similarly challenged Telstra’s claims, arguing that inflated maps create a false sense of security for rural residents and triple-zero callers.
Starting June 30, all providers will be required to update these standardised maps every three months.
At the time of reporting, Telstra's share price was $5.34.