Rural lobby groups are wary of the impact a senate inquiry will have on the connectivity gaps left by the closure of the 3G network.

This comes after the Federal Government was called on take specific action, by the Senate Committee looking into the shutdown.

Recommendations include:

• Establishing a program to help customers that have lost mobile phone coverage since the 3G shutoff, for example, by providing subsidies for boosters, Starlink connections, and replacing equipment that is no longer functional following the shutdown

• Federal government and the telecommunications accelerate the introduction of mobile services via Starlink 

• Increasing the scope of the National Audit Coverage to include off-road areas, such as private properties.

Several organisations say the recommendations are months behind. 

"While the recommendations are welcome, I'm not sure if they will go far enough to address how bad the issues are," Country Women's Association CEO Danica Leys said. 

"What we're hearing is areas where people were previously able to make a successful call, are no longer able to. These are the areas we are fighting for," she said.

"ICPA NSW supports all of the recommendations but they should have been brought three months ago," ICPA NSW Secretary Libby McPhee said. 

"There's a huge land mass in NSW that's unable to have connectivity since 3G was shut down. It impacts the education of our children in some cases, and providing emergency services in rural and remote areas. 

"If you can't make a call to somebody in an emergency, it's an exacerbating problem," Ms McPhee said.

She said poor network coverage impacts farm businesses. "If they aren't able to make calls in time to seal contracts, sell livestock, or access their internet banking. 

"A lot of us were able to make those calls with 3G and after the shutdown, all of a sudden, there was a huge number of people that couldn't make a connection," Ms McPhee said. 

Libby McPhee ICPA NSW Secretary. Photo: ICPA

This response was echoed by NSW Farmers. 

"This 3G switch off has affected the mobile phones and data accessibility we rely on to conduct our businesses," NSW Farmers Rural Affairs Committee Member Sarah Thompson said. 

“Farmers have also had to make expensive upgrades to water monitors, tractors, irrigation rigs and much more to enable continuity of business.”

A survey by the Isolated Children and Parents Association (ICPA) showed that 88 percent of respondents had experienced difficulties establishing a network connection. 

Ms McPhee said that Starlink and some of the boosters have been successful in improving the connection, but not everyone has access to them yet. 

"We need to expedite the process and we need to assist people in rural and remote areas with getting that sort of coverage." 

Ms Leys said part of the government's job should be to make telecommunication companies find a solution to the problem. 

"It's not all government's responsibility, a large part of it is that they need to compel the telecommunication providers to step up as well in this space.

"Government and telcos need to work together to address the issue and they need to do it rather urgently."