While the all-important details of the $43 billion NBN project were being worked out, the mobile telecommunications industry was “getting on with the job” of meeting consumer demand for advanced mobile technologies, such as mobile broadband, AMTA Chief Executive Officer, Chris Althaus, said.

He said the industry’s ability to “get on with the job” of meeting surging consumer demand for mobile broadband was contingent on access to the right amount and type of spectrum, which would influence performance and service level.

He spoke at an AMTA Members Forum at Ericsson Australia in Melbourne on Thursday.

Mr Althaus said: “While there is much discussion surrounding the NBN project and major issues to be sorted out we should not lose sight of the fact that the mobile telecommunications industry is getting on with the job of delivering mobile broadband to consumers.

“We are very interested in the NBN, which is expected to deliver fibre-to-the-home to 90% of Australians over the next eight years, however, the fact is that we are dealing with very strong consumer demand right now.”

Mr Althaus said despite the economic slowdown, mobile broadband new subscribers tripled in the first half of this financial year, according to Goldman Sachs JB Were figures released in April.

“Just as FTTH is the Government’s chosen infrastructure model to support the future of fixed broadband services in Australia so the allocation of spectrum is the key infrastructure element to fully exploiting the potential of mobile broadband,” he said.

“AMTA looks forward to working with the Government on relevant aspects of the NBN project and related implications for the mobile telecommunications sector.

"The NBN project will be a major component of Australia's digital economy in partnership with latest generation mobile telecommunications networks and applications. The core needs of society are, and will increasingly demand the productivity, connectivity and mobility benefits to be provided by a mix of fixed and mobile broadband. 

“I think the Government can be assured that the mobile carriers are and will be meeting consumer demand right across Australia, particularly given that Australia’s terrestrial mobile networks cover up to 98% of the population,” he said.