Incredible new feature set to transform Aussie campsites: 'Definitely beneficial'

Outdoor-loving Aussies have welcomed news of Telstra's recent announcement it's joining forces with Elon Musk's Space X Starlink to offer satellite-to-mobile technology.

Outback Mike (left) and a Australian campsite set to be revolutionised by Starlink (right).
Starlink's satellite-to-mobile-technology is set to have 'definite' benefits for Aussie campers. Source: TikTok/Getty

As more and more Aussies pack their cars with camping gear, lace up their hiking boots and venture into the great outdoors, a recent string of lost hiker incidents has exposed that some of us may not be as prepared to go off-grid as we should be. That could soon change following a recent announcement that innovative new technology for communicating off-grid will soon hit Aussie shores.

Camping enthusiasts and outback adventurers have welcomed news of Telstra's new collaboration with Elon Musk's Space X Starlink company to offer satellite-to-mobile technology in Australia. Survivalist Mike Atkinson, known as Outback Mike, told Yahoo News Australia that it will "definitely be beneficial" to Aussies.

The initiative, which is still in its testing and refining stage, will give Aussies in remote locations — like some of the many incredible off-grid campsites and 4WD tracks the country has to offer — the ability to send text messages and, eventually, voice and low rates of data, without having to buy a specific compatible phone.

Starlink on a table near a beach.
People can now work from anywhere, including a secret beach, thanks to Starlink satellites. Source: Facebook

Starlink, which provides internet connectivity via constellations of low-Earth orbit satellites, has already transformed the way that Aussies work and travel. The devices have been spotted taking over campsites, caravans, 4WDs, cars and even cruise ships as Aussies explore the furthest parts of the country.

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One Queensland dad even runs his software company from the road, something he says would not be possible without the help of his Starlink.

Mike told Yahoo he believes that the new technology will especially help those in trouble in remote areas. "They'll be able to text and say, 'Hey, I'm in a bit of trouble here and need help',' he said. "It just means you're never going to be out of full phone coverage so you've always got that working device."

Though, he warns, there is one drawback. "Your phone can still go flat,' he said. Mike was prompted to speak out about the risks of being unprepared in the outback after several cases of missing hikers, with three deaths on Aussie trails in less than a week.

The search and rescue mission of 23-year-old hiker Hadi Nazari also got national attention after he was found alive and well after being lost in the NSW Snowy Mountains for 13 days.

"Hadi had a flat battery when he was lost, so that's why ideally you want to take something separate instead," he said, suggesting that those who hit the trails alone take an emergency personal locator beacon (PLB) with them.

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"If you're drifting on a life raft or in a life jacket it will certainly help a lot," he said of the Telsra-Starlink collaboration, adding: "It can make the difference."

Satellite-to-Mobile technology currently only allows Aussies to send messages in case of an emergency when they are outside of their carrier's mobile coverage. But this partnership means the extension of that capability will be a priority.

It's expected that satellite-to-mobile technology will be available across most outdoor areas in mainland Australia and Tasmania, where users have direct line of sight to the sky.

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"Australia’s landmass is vast and there will always be large areas where mobile and fixed networks do not reach, and this is where satellite technology will play a complementary role to our existing networks,” Shailin Sehgal, group executive global networks and tech at Telstra said.

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