Regional health and emergency service organisations and Australians in areas outside handheld mobile phone coverage now have better access to the Satellite Phone Subsidy.

"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 Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy said.

"The Satellite Phone Subsidy is now more accessible for regional health and emergency service organisations and for Australians living, working and travelling outside of handheld terrestrial mobile coverage."

Improvements to the Satellite Phone Subsidy are part of the Rudd Government’s initial response to the Glasson review of regional telecommunications, as announced in March 2009.

"The Glasson Review identified that access to mobile communications is critical for the health, safety and economic participation of regional Australia. Improvements to the Satellite Phone Subsidy will help address this need."

Improvements to the Satellite Phone Subsidy:

All people, health and emergency services organisations outside of handheld mobile coverage are now eligible. Previously, the subsidy was only available outside of mobile coverage enhanced by an external antenna.

Removed red-tape for health and emergency service applications.

These changes supplement enhancements announced on 5 March 2009:

Additional individual handset subsidies for health and emergency service organisations, up from the previous limit of two.

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.

More information on the Satellite Phone Subsidy Scheme is available online at www.dbcde.gov.au/satphone or by calling 1800 674 058 (free call).