Around her property between Walgett and Collarenebri, Victoria Smith had been able to make calls before Telstra shut its 3G network in late October.

She had what is called 'fortuitous coverage,' meaning mobile service that the telco didn't guarantee on its official map but reached her area anyway. 

The household pays $140 a month for a Starlink subscription - plus $1000 for installation - although mobile signal no longer covers her beyond the house.

She fears what could happen if there's an accident or emergency.

"What if the Starlink gets hit by lightning?" Victoria said in early December.

"There was a fire on properties where we are a fortnight ago, and when my mother-in-law went to phone triple zero to get the fire brigade out here, it wouldn't go through.

"What price do we need to pay for them to understand just how dire this situation is?"

A screenshot of Telstra's 4G coverage map between Walgett and Collarenebri.

Victoria is one of "countless" residents and businesses the NSW Country Women's Association (CWA) and NSW Isolated Children's Parents' Association (ICPA) cite as facing challenges with service since the shutdown.

In a joint statement released this month, the organisations said they were concerned that residents would not be able to call for help.

They are calling for telcos and governments to "restore and improve" services, and create a contingency plan where 4G doesn't meet need in rural areas.

The peak bodies also want government rebates to offset costs for upgrading equipment and switching to alternatives like Starlink.

"For families that are on nbn, if they haven't got the WiFi connections, or if the power goes off and they don't have access to their Starlink, then they're not able to access their school lesson," ICPA NSW president Tanya Mitchell said.

"There's some families that have successfully had mobile service around their homes, including boosters.

"But even with 4G boosters they're not able to get that service anymore, and they've been told that that was just fortuitous service that they weren't listed as having 3d service in the first place."

"The telcos don't feel that they have to provide those people with service, and that it was just their good luck that they'd had service," Mrs Mitchell said.

When approached for response to the call for rebates and a government contingency plan, a spokesperson for federal Minister of Communications Michelle Rowland said customers experiencing reduced coverage should speak to their provider.

"Telstra and Optus have each committed to maintain equivalent or greater mobile coverage following the 3G switchover."

"Telcos will investigate any complaints of reduced coverage following its 3G network switchover," Ms Rowland said.

"Areas that were previously within published 3G coverage maps are expected to receive improved 4G and 5G services with higher speeds and greater functionality once the spectrum previously used for 3G is redeployed."