On July 12, 2023, Optus published a media article highlighting their partnership with SpaceX to expand their existing coverage. This collaboration aims to address the lack of mobile coverage in 60% of Australia’s land mass, even though Optus’ 3G and 4G mobile network already reaches 98.5% of the Australian population.
As per the Optus media article, the SMS service is scheduled to commence in late 2024, while voice and data services are expected to be available by late 2025, covering the entirety of Australia, except for the Australian Radio Quiet Zone and Remote Offshore Territories and Islands. More details will be disclosed at the service launch.