Moving to the Central West comes with plenty of wonderful changes, less traffic, more space, friendly communities and a very different pace of life. One thing that may also take a little getting used to, particularly if you are moving from a capital city, overseas or a larger regional centre, is telecommunications.

While mobile and internet connectivity across the region continues to improve, coverage can be quite different to what you may be used to. A little preparation before you arrive can make the world of difference.

Which network should I choose for best mobile coverage?

Australia has three main mobile networks: Telstra, Optus and Vodafone/TPG. Many other mobile providers use one of these networks rather than operating their own infrastructure.

For people living and travelling throughout the Central West, Telstra generally provides the broadest geographical mobile coverage and is a good starting point if coverage is your main priority. Telstra’s network covers approximately 3 million square kilometres and reaches 99.7% of Australia’s population.

That doesn’t mean Telstra will necessarily provide the strongest signal at every address. Optus and Vodafone can also provide good coverage in many Central West towns, so it is worth checking the coverage maps for your home, workplace and the routes you expect to travel regularly before choosing a provider.

This is particularly important if you will be working across several towns or travelling through rural areas.

Be prepared for mobile black spots

One of the biggest differences newcomers may notice is that continuous mobile coverage can’t always be taken for granted.

You may have excellent 4G or 5G coverage in town and then lose reception while travelling between communities. Hills, trees, buildings, distance from mobile towers and the device you are using can all affect reception.

This is simply part of living and travelling in regional Australia, and you soon become accustomed to knowing where the black spots are on your regular routes!

A few useful tips include downloading maps or important information before longer trips, letting someone know where you are going when travelling into more remote areas and checking your provider’s coverage map before heading somewhere unfamiliar.

If your work involves significant travel through rural areas, you may also want to consider a dual-SIM phone using two different mobile networks. This won’t eliminate black spots, but it can provide another option where one network has coverage, and another doesn’t.

A helpful change to mobile coverage maps

Since June 2026, Australia’s mobile network operators have been required to use a standardised system when displaying their coverage maps.

Coverage is now shown as Good, Moderate, Basic or No Coverage, making it easier to compare networks when looking at your new home, workplace or regular travel routes.

It is important to remember that these maps show predicted outdoor coverage. Your actual reception can vary, particularly inside buildings or vehicles.

Before committing to a provider, check your address and surrounding area on the coverage maps for:

Telstra

Optus

Vodafone

What about internet at home?

The good news is that reliable home broadband is available throughout much of the Central West, although the type of connection available will depend on exactly where you live.

The NBN uses several different technologies across regional Australia.

Fixed-line NBN is common in established towns and connects your home through physical telecommunications infrastructure. The exact technology available varies by address and can include fibre-based connections.

NBN Fixed Wireless is commonly used on the outskirts of towns and throughout rural areas where running fixed-line infrastructure to individual properties is less practical. Rather than relying on your mobile phone network, Fixed Wireless uses an outdoor antenna installed at your property to communicate with an NBN transmission tower.

NBN Sky Muster satellite provides broadband to more remote properties where fixed-line and Fixed Wireless connections aren’t available.

So, two homes only a few kilometres apart can sometimes have completely different types of internet connection.

Check before you move

If internet access is particularly important to you, for example, if you or your partner work from home, study online or regularly use video conferencing, check the connection available at a property before signing a lease or purchasing a home. Your Local Connector can help with this for you.

The NBN address checker will tell you which NBN technology is available at a particular address. You can then compare plans from different internet providers.

If you are renting, it is also worth asking the real estate agent or property manager what internet connection is already installed at the property.

Rural property? Don’t assume you can’t get good internet

Living out of town doesn’t necessarily mean living with slow internet.

NBN has significantly upgraded its Fixed Wireless network across regional Australia, with around 800,000 homes and businesses gaining access to faster services through its recent Fixed Wireless upgrade program. More than 120,000 premises that were previously within the Sky Muster satellite footprint have also gained access to Fixed Wireless.

Satellite technology is continuing to evolve too, with NBN preparing its next generation Low Earth Orbit satellite service for regional and remote Australia.

The important thing is to check your particular address rather than assuming that being outside town means you won’t have access to a good home internet connection.

Need some help working it out?

Telecommunications can be confusing when you are new to regional Australia, particularly when you’re trying to compare networks, NBN technologies and internet providers.

Your Local Connector can help point you in the right direction as you settle into your new Central West home.

Welcome to regional life, where you may occasionally lose phone reception between towns, but you might also gain a much better view out the window!

These tips have been developed by The Welcome Experience Central West Local Connector Team, learn more about the program here.