Australia’s government opened a fourth round of its mobile black spot programme and released the guidelines for the national initiative designed to improve mobile coverage in rural and remote regions.

The federal government in June committed AUD25 million ($19 million) for the new round of funding under the programme.

To support round four, the government recently re-opened the national mobile black spot database for nominations from local, state and territory governments, federal senators and federal members of parliament, the Department of Communications and the Arts said in a statement.

Mobile operators and infrastructure providers have until 10 December to submit applications.

Over the first three rounds, the government committed a total investment of more than AUD680 million, including funding from state and local governments and mobile operators. The government said in June the programme is more than halfway towards its goal of delivering 867 base stations nationwide by June 2019.