Communities in areas at risk of bushfires on the fringes of major towns will split $20 million in funding to upgrade mobile coverage as Australians brace for a summer of natural disasters. 

The second round of the peri-urban mobile program provides funding to mobile network operators and infrastructure providers to upgrade services in areas that suffer from longstanding coverage and reception issues.

Infrastructure sharing between operators is being encouraged to ensure Australians have better coverage as widely as possible. 

Geelong, the Gold Coast, Newcastle and the edges of major cities where the bush meets the suburbs are all included in the round of funding. 

Reliable mobile coverage was an essential part of life, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said. 

“I encourage telcos, communities and other interested parties to work together to submit applications that will deliver new or improved mobile coverage in these areas,” she said. 

Australians is preparing for the worst blazes since the Black Summer fires in 2019/20 as conditions dry out bushland and heatwaves are predicted across the country.

Queensland is also battling ravaging floods that have isolated entire communities.