According to reports, the community will also have their own say on how to spend the money allocated for Pump.

The $20 million funding is part of a $39.1 million commitment in the Federal Budget. Another round of the programme is yet to come.

"We want to make sure that industry, the community and state and territory governments have an opportunity to have their say on the draft grant opportunity guidelines for Round 2 before they are finalised and the round is opened for applications," read the announcement of the Department of Infrastructure government website.

The Infrastructure website also said comments will "help finalise grant opportunity guidelins for the peri-urban Mobile Programme Round 2."

Local media reported that Telstra, Optus, and TPG divided $28.2 million of the Pump programme last year.

Ballarat, Bendigo, Cairns, Canberra and Queanbeyan, the NSW Central Coast, Darwin, the Sunshine Coast, Tweed Heads, Toowoomba, Townsville, and Wollongong will be covered for future Pump support.

The consultation is open until 16 August.

This first appeared in the subscription newsletter CommsWire on 07 July 2023.