Affordability is an increasing barrier to internet access in remote Australia, despite access to services improving.
The latest RMIT University Mapping the Digital Gap report found a 12 percent increase in internet access and an 18 percent increase in regular internet usage, over the past two years, in the country’s “remote and very remote communities”.
Lead investigator Daniel Featherstone said despite improvements in access, the survey found cost remained a barrier to greater digital inclusion.
Dr Featherstone said more than two-thirds of First Nations people surveyed in those communities were struggling to afford internet, while over half the communities and homelands still didn’t have mobile access.
He said close to 70 percent of survey respondents reported they had made sacrifices or cut back on essential costs to afford internet, up from 40 percent in 2022.
“The study also found 99 percent of mobile phone users rely on prepaid credit recharges, with low and unreliable incomes limiting uptake of better value monthly plans.”
Dr Featherstone said out of Australia’s 1505 remote and very remote communities and homelands, about 796 didn’t have access to mobile services.
He said while the gap in digital inclusion in remote First Nations communities is showing signs of narrowing, some striking inequalities remain.
“As access to mobile technology slowly improves, we’re finding affordability is still a critical barrier to digital inclusion.”
Dr Featherstone said there had been significant developments aimed at improving digital inclusion between 2022 and 2024, particularly in terms of Wi-Fi and mobile infrastructure to enable access.
He said there had been a six percent increase in regular internet users in remote First Nations communities since 2022.
“More than 60 percent of people we surveyed are now using the internet several times a day or more,” he said.
“It’s an improvement, but there’s still 14 percent of non-internet users and many sites still struggle with patchy, slow and unreliable services.”
View the full report: Mapping the digital gap: 2024 outcomes report.
