Australian Senator Hails Satellite Contribution
[Satellite TODAY 08-06-09] Satellite technology is playing a key role in boosting emergency services for Australian regional governments, said Australian Senator Stephen Conroy, the Minister for broadband, communications and the digital economy, in a statement issued August 5.
“Mobile communication can be a life-saver and improvements to the Australian government’s satellite phone subsidy mean better access to these services across Australia. The satellite phone subsidy is now more accessible for regional health and emergency service organizations and for Australians living, working and traveling outside of handheld terrestrial mobile coverage,” said Conroy.
Australia has been of the most progressive countries in using satellites to bring communications services to rural and remote parts of the country. Improvements to the satellite phone subsidy are part of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s initial response to the Glasson review of regional telecommunications, announced earlier this year.
These changes include: a subsidy increase to 85 per cent of handset cost, up from the previous 60 per cent, including for the replacement of handsets purchased more than three years ago, as well as additional individual handset subsidies for health and emergency service organizations, up from the previous limit of two.
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