You can count on your mobile in the vicinity of a regional town or highway but the next bend will have you without one. While Telstra, Optus and Vodafone have large networks, none will vouch for service in every backcountry track, valley, gorge or national park.
Hikers would do well to follow a straightforward approach: review the coverage maps prior to your trip, check the trail signal status, take any forecasted signal with a grain of salt and for the more isolated routes make sure you have an emergency device that is not your phone. The latter is good to have but it does not make for a rescue plan. I am Isla Whitmore and in my time planning itineraries and getting about Western Australia I have come to know that reception has a way of vanishing at the very moment someone opines “we should get a bar up there”.
What Reception Entails
On an Australian trail your phone’s ability to handle a voice call, data or an emergency link is subject to the terrain, weather, the network and how far off you are from a tower. A map is no assurance that your campsite will be well served.
The three national operators, Telstra, Optus and Vodafone, have overlapping footprints in some regions and very little in common in others. Do not mistake a phone that puts up a bar and then cannot get a message through for a dependable connection.
Uses For Your Signal
Outside of the big cities 4G is generally where you will find the best compromise of data and calls. 5G is swifter but you will only find it in urban centres or along certain transport corridors; do not let the 5G icon convince you a remote track is within range.
Then there is the matter of the handset itself. An old imported model will not hold a candle to a modern one sold in Australia with current software, but a new phone is not a panacea for every location.
Making A Choice Of Network
It is the route that should dictate whether you go with Telstra, Optus or Vodafone, not allegiance to a brand. What serves you in the city will not be fit for purpose around the Pilbara, Red Centre or Kimberley. Put aside the national advertising and put a question to the rangers, tour operators or those running accommodation as to what works at the trailhead; they will have had recent cause to know, particularly if there has been storm damage or maintenance on a tower.
| Network | Where It May Help | What To Check |
|---|---|---|
| Telstra | Regional towns, highways and the like | See if the access road or campground is included |
| Optus | Urban and regional areas | Make sure the whole route is covered, not just the town |
| Vodafone | Cities and some regional spots | You may find remote sections are beyond their footprint |
| Any network | Provided you have a line of sight to a tower | Factor in congestion, outages and the terrain |
These are patterns to be expected, not a given. One long-distance route may see stronger Telstra, another might be better suited to Optus in regional Australia; with Vodafone one is often limited once away from a settlement. Consult the provider’s map before you set off.
Take In The Landscape
A few kilometres from a tower means nothing if you are at the bottom of a gorge. Yet on an open ridge you might pick up a faint signal. Cliffs, escarpments and thick forest in a national park will attenuate or block radio waves. You could have reception at a lookout, none in a creek bed and then it is back near the road. Even flat country is not a sure thing; there are parts of the Stuart Highway where a traveller would be unwise to expect uninterrupted service.
Difficult Terrain Will Leave Gaps
In the Top End the wet season storms can throw a spanner in the works for your plans and access points regardless of the network. Cyclone alerts in northern WA from November to April have been known to alter evacuation protocols or shut roads. The dry season brings its own hazards with dusty tracks and fuel stops far apart. And on the Gibb River Road, just because there is a signal at the roadhouse is no indication you will have it over every crossing. The lesson of my first fording of the Gibb in May had nothing to do with where one might find a signal. It was the matter of how expeditiously a simple plan can be thrown into disarray by a flat tyre, a delayed crossing or an uncooperative road.
Walking: check your coverage
An Australian mobile coverage map from the various networks is a good planning aid, but it is only a prediction and will not make allowances for a tree or cliff face, a device that has given up or the spot you put down for lunch. Put the route up against an offline topographic map and what the park authority has to say on access.
Before you are out of the regional towns, have your maps, permits, accommodation and any emergency data downloaded. Note the trailhead and return coordinates. Make sure someone you trust knows your destination, when you will be back and the procedure should you fail to check in.
A departure checklist
- Run through the Telstra, Optus and Vodafone maps for the whole of the route.
- Download offline maps and record trailhead, campsite and exit coordinates.
- Put aside time to confirm matters of road and parking access, any closures, permits and Aboriginal land requirements.
- Inquire as to seasonal hazards, be they tides, heat, cyclones, wildlife or bushfire restrictions.
- Test the phone, charger and emergency gear while you are still in service.
- Make sure someone you trust knows your destination, return deadline and vehicle details.
Do not let a small area of colour on the map dictate your plans; if there are hours of walking ahead past the last service you can rely on, make ready for no signal at all.
Blackspots and gaps
One would be hard pressed to think mobile blackspots are confined to the far north-west. They can be found on well trodden tracks where local capacity is overtaxed, in valleys near a town or alongside a regional highway. At a popular trailhead, too many phones latching onto a single tower will cause congestion.
There are government initiatives like the Regional Connectivity and Mobile Black Spot Program to put in new infrastructure in areas that need it, under the watch of the ACMA, but it is not something that happens overnight and not every track will be covered. Service can also be at the mercy of a power outage, tower works or flooding. A word from a ranger or operator on recent conditions is always worth having, map or no map.
What to do when the signal is gone
If the route and the going permit it, get to some open ground at a higher elevation. But do not put the group at odds or leave the track to putter about on a cliff for the sake of a bar. The phone will run through its battery in short order if left to hunt for service. A text is better than making call after call. Stand still and clear of rock or thick undergrowth and let it try to connect. “Emergency Calls Only” is not a guarantee of a connection right where you are. For anything life-threatening in Australia and with a network to hand, dial 000. The Emergency+ app information will give you GPS co-ordinates but it is no substitute for a beacon and will not conjure reception.
Have an emergency plan
In the event of an injury, heat illness or a member of the party who cannot go on, halt and see what you are dealing with. Administer first aid, put them in the shade with water and save your strength. Only despatch someone for help if he is up to it, the way is known and the rest of the group is provisioned to wait.
Rescuers will want your GPS co-ordinates but of little use if you can not put them over. Jot the location down; in the remoteness of Australia a piece of paper is impervious to a dead battery.
Backup options
On a remote hike in Australia you need more than a mobile for your communications. A satellite messenger will handle two-way traffic. For a PLB you have a means of putting out a distress signal via the national search and rescue system. AusSAR handles such responses here in Australia. Register the device and keep the particulars up to date and observe the maker’s instructions on testing and batteries. A PLB is for serious emergencies, not for the odd update.
Messenger Or Beacon
With the right model, subscription and a view of the sky, one can rely on a Garmin inReach or SPOT for satellite messaging and to share or track location. A PLB is of a more straightforward nature: in a true emergency you put it to work and let it do its transmitting while you attend to the instructions.
For the sort of thing as notifying family of a delay, altering an itinerary or making a check-in as planned, a satellite messenger has its uses. Provided the user is familiar with it and there are charged batteries, it will serve well enough; thick canyon walls or dense foliage and poor positioning will see to it that performance is not what it should be.
As for cost, this will be a function of the device, how it is registered, the retailer and your subscription. Put some money aside for the whole system, not just the hardware. When hiring, make sure you know who is on the end of the line for messages, the ins and outs of the tracking and the procedure for late returns.
Make Your Battery Last Longer
It is better to conserve battery before coverage is gone. In the remotest parts where service is intermittent, a phone will expend energy looking for a network. And heat is hard on a battery, so do not have the phone lying in the sun or on a hot dashboard.
Put it on flight mode if you are out of range and turn it off again at an exposed spot or when you have arranged to check in. Have a power bank in a waterproof pouch with a cable you have put to the test; otherwise it is nothing but dead weight in your lunchbox.
- Prior to leaving, get your maps, music and documents downloaded.
- Dim the screen and set the timeout to run short.
- Shut down any apps you do not need and background updates.
- Location services are fine for navigation but there is no call for live tracking all the time unless you must have it.
- Tuck the phone away in a dry pocket out of the dust and shade.
Check The Exact Route
When you are ascertaining the signal status of a trail, look up the access road, the name of the trail, any campsites in the vicinity and the way back. You may find reception at the car park but none on the walking section. Note every point where communication is feasible, from a high ridge to a station or roadhouse.
On a one-day outing it is wise to opt for a shorter stretch near a staffed facility or access road. This goes for solo walkers and novices alike, and those without a PLB or in extreme heat. A wrong turn or a fall can make of a day trip an overnight affair. Do not neglect transport either: is parking allowed, will you need a shuttle or two cars to get back from a one-way? What seems a short route on paper can be another matter once you factor in the sand, steep steps, creek crossings and the like.
Frequently Asked Questions
How To Get Reception In Remote Areas?
Have a look at a few coverage maps, find some open ground and attempt a text in lieu of putting in call after call. For anything you want to be sure of, a satellite messenger or PLB is preferable to a mobile.
What Is The Best Hiking App For Australia?
There is no one app for all routes. Go with one that has GPS coordinates, track recording and downloadable maps, then verify with the park authority. It is no substitute for a paper map or the odd closure notice.
What Is The Best Mobile Phone For Rural Coverage?
The logo is of less consequence than the terrain and the network. A current Australian market handset with good battery, water and dust protection and the right band support is what you want. Give it a try on a regional excursion first.
Where Can I Find A Mobile Coverage Map?
Compare the official information for the trail with the latest from Telstra, Optus or Vodafone. All three are worth checking since a route could be in one provider’s domain and not another’s.
Can I Call 000 Without Reception?
Not without a compatible connection on the mobile, the call will not go through. On a remote trail where a delay in getting help is hazardous, have a PLB or satellite messenger.
Plan For The Quiet Sections
One does best to assume there will be gaps in coverage on an Australian trail and plan for them. Check your maps and leave an itinerary, download what you need and have a means of communication that is not at the mercy of a tower.
Reception is something of a bonus, not an excuse to head into the bush unprepared. With the proper checks and a modicum of respect for the distance, there is no need to wait for a solitary bar to come to the rescue.