Correspondence between Optus and the Department relating to Mobile Blackspot Round 7 between 11 December 2023 and 23 April 2026

Written by Claude Haiku 5.5 from the extracted text on 14 Oct 2026. It can miss or misread redacted and scanned pages. Check the source before relying on it.

This FOI release comprises email correspondence between the Department and Optus concerning Round 7 of the Mobile Black Spot Program (MBSP), dated from December 2023 to April 2026. The Department sought an indicative rollout schedule for Optus-funded solutions, with asset completion dates in MM/YYYY format, to inform the grant agreement and budget, assuming execution by end March 2024. The attachment lists sites including Brewarrina and Wilcannia in New South Wales. Optus repeatedly deferred providing timing, with the Department chasing responses through 2024 and 2025. Later material covers the Round 7 Grant Deed, a funding agreement follow-up, meeting agendas and minutes on rollout state of play, frustrated or replacement sites, variations, and an 18-month replacement policy deadline listed as "to be negotiated" in contract dates from 2025. Draft minutes from February 2026 are also included. Dates for contract completion remain unconfirmed in the excerpts.