The Australian Telco Market in 2026: Investment, Transformation and Workforce Demand

Australia’s telecommunications sector is entering a sustained phase of infrastructure investment, network modernisation, and regulatory change.

According to the ACCC’s Mobile Infrastructure Report 2025, Australia’s three major carriers collectively operate approximately 26,000 mobile sites. Of those, around 190 net new sites were added between late 2024 and late 2025.

Infrastructure is also being used differently. The shutdown of 3G networks is enabling spectrum to be repurposed into 4G and 5G services, increasing capacity and improving network performance.

Fixed network infrastructure is also being upgraded. nbn’s national roadmap outlines a continued shift towards fibre and higher-speed services, including the introduction of multi-gigabit wholesale products. 

Regulatory expectations are also increasing. Telecommunications providers are now subject to strengthened critical infrastructure and security obligations, following reforms that came into force in 2025 under the Security of Critical Infrastructure framework. 

These changes are affecting both the scale of network investment and how networks are delivered.

Network expansion continues to drive skill demand across mobile and fixed infrastructure. At the same time, delivery is shifting towards software-defined networks, cloud-native architecture, and embedded security as standard components of modern telecommunications environments. These capabilities are also now extending beyond traditional telecommunications environments, with similar skillsets now being deployed across transport, mining, and data centre infrastructure.

For hiring leaders, this has two immediate implications. The first is that demand for specialised skills is widening across both network and technology functions. The second is that competition for those skills is no longer limited to other telecommunications providers. 

2) Technology Transformation Within Telecommunications

• 5G Advanced, Open RAN and programmable networks
• Cloud, automation and AI in network operations

The Australian telco market

1) Infrastructure Investment Shaping the Telco Market

• Mobile network expansion and 5G coverage
• Fixed network investment and the nbn upgrade cycle

3) Regulation, Resilience and Security

• Telecommunications security obligations and SOCI reforms
• Network resilience and operational risk

4) Where Telco Skill Demand is Expanding Beyond the Telco Industry

• Private 5G and industrial wireless
• Rail transformation: 5G and FRMCS
• Data centres and the infrastructure ecosystem

These shifts are then reflected in salary pressure and hiring demand across network and technology roles. Each section highlights the implications for hiring, allowing network and technology leaders to focus on the areas most relevant to their teams.

Mobile network expansion and 5G coverage

Mobile network investment is being delivered across both metro and regional networks, with operators balancing capacity demands in dense urban areas alongside continued coverage expansion.

This is driven by a combination of government funding and structural changes in how networks are deployed. Programs such as the Mobile Black Spot Program have committed over $1 billion to improve regional coverage, while network sharing arrangements are changing how expansion is delivered. TPG Telecom’s access to an additional 1,938 sites through its regional agreement with Optus shows how operators are extending coverage without equivalent new build investment.

ACCC data highlights this distribution. Between 2018 and 2025, mobile site growth in major cities increased by around 17%, compared to 45–50% across regional and remote areas.

Investment is also shifting towards upgrading existing infrastructure. Nokia’s 2025 partnership with Optus reflects this, focusing on modernising existing 5G sites to increase capacity and coverage. The refarming of 3G spectrum into 4G and 5G services is also enabling improved performance without relying on additional site construction. 

New delivery models are also emerging, including Telstra’s satellite-based direct-to-device (D2D) services, which extend coverage into remote areas without relying on terrestrial infrastructure.

What this means for hiring (network)

Demand is increasingly focused on upgrade, optimisation, and regional deployment activity. This requires:

• RF engineers to design, optimise, and upgrade radio networks
• Field engineers and technicians to support rollout, integration, and maintenance, particularly across regional programs
• Network optimisation specialists to manage performance as networks become denser and capacity demands increase

Fixed network investment and the nbn upgrade cycle

Fixed network investment continues to be driven by increasing data consumption, higher speed adoption, and the limitations of legacy infrastructure.

nbn’s roadmap outlines a continued shift towards fibre, with upgrades expanding Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) access and introducing multi-gigabit wholesale speed tiers, including services capable of up to 2 Gbps.

This is reflected in network usage. Average monthly data consumption per premises on the nbn network increased from 460GB to 508GB in the 12 months to June 2025, and is expected to exceed 1,100GB per month over the next decade. At the same time, 34.8% of services are already operating on plans of 100 Mbps or above.

Fibre upgrades are also addressing performance limitations in legacy copper connections, enabling more consistent delivery of higher-speed services.

These changes are increasing the requirement for network capacity.

What this means for hiring (network)

Demand is being driven by network upgrades, capacity management, and performance delivery. This requires:

• Fibre engineers to support FTTP rollout, upgrades, and network design
• Capacity planning specialists to manage increasing data demand and network throughput
• Service assurance leadership to maintain performance, reliability, and customer experience across upgraded networks

Technology Transformation Within Telecommunications

5G Advanced, Open RAN and programmable networks

Network architecture in Australian telecommunications is shifting towards more programmable, software-driven environments as operators invest in next-generation 5G capabilities.

Ericsson’s four-year partnership with Telstra provides a clear example. The agreement will upgrade Telstra’s radio access network with Open RAN-ready hardware, 5G Advanced software, and AI-driven automation, enabling more flexible and programmable network operations.

Network modernisation is increasingly tied to software, automation, and platform capability, rather than physical infrastructure alone.

Programs of work now require capability across both network engineering and software, with vendor-led upgrades introducing automation, orchestration, and platform layers into core network environments.

What this means for hiring (network + tech)

Demand is increasing for roles that combine telecommunications and software capability. This requires:

• Network automation engineers to support CI/CD, observability, and automated network operations
• Platform and Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) capability to manage network services at scale
• Engineers with both telecommunications and software experience to support cloud-native network functions, orchestration, and integration

Cloud, automation and AI in network operations

Changes in network architecture are also affecting how networks are operated and supported.

The introduction of 5G Advanced, Open RAN-ready infrastructure, and vendor-led automation is bringing orchestration, observability, and CI/CD practices into core network environments. These capabilities are now being delivered as part of network platforms, rather than standalone tooling.

The introduction of 5G Advanced, Open RAN-ready infrastructure, and vendor-led automation is bringing orchestration, observability, and CI/CD practices into core network environments. These capabilities are now being delivered as part of network platforms, rather than standalone tooling.

Performance management, fault detection, and optimisation are increasingly integrated into software and platform layers, requiring closer alignment between network, cloud, and engineering teams.

What this means for hiring (tech)

Demand is focused on capability that can operate across cloud, software, and network environments. This requires:

• Cloud engineers with experience in telecommunications environments
• DevOps and SRE capability to support deployment, orchestration, and observability
• Data and AI capability applied to network performance and optimisation

Regulation, Resilience and Security

Telecommunications security obligations and SOCI reforms

Regulatory requirements within the telecommunications sector have increased following the full implementation of the Security of Critical Infrastructure (SOCI) framework.

This sits within a broader push to modernise Australia’s telecommunications framework, with AMTA highlighting the need to update regulation to reflect current technologies and service models, and the ACMA moving to strengthen consumer protections through enforceable standards.

All components of the Enhanced Regulatory Powers (ERP) under the SOCI Act came into force in April 2025, formalising obligations for organisations operating critical infrastructure assets. This includes mandatory risk management programs, incident reporting requirements, and increased oversight of third-party and supply chain risk.

The Security of Critical Infrastructure Rules 2025 define how these obligations must be implemented and maintained across critical infrastructure sectors, including telecommunications.

These requirements move security and risk management from project-based activity to ongoing operational responsibility, with formal accountability for how risks are identified, managed, and reported.

What this means for hiring (tech)

Demand is being driven by regulatory compliance and ongoing risk management obligations. This requires:

• Cyber security engineers aligned to critical infrastructure environments
• GRC specialists to implement and manage risk management programs
• Risk and compliance professionals supporting regulatory reporting and assurance
• Security architects to embed controls within network and infrastructure design

Network resilience and operational risk

Network resilience and operational risk have become a greater focus across the telecommunications sector, driven by increased regulatory scrutiny and the critical role networks play in essential services.

Operators are placing more emphasis on reliability, redundancy, and incident response capability, with resilience now treated as a core requirement in network design and operation. This includes strengthening failover mechanisms, improving visibility across network environments, and formalising response processes for service disruptions.

Security expectations are also shifting. Government-led security frameworks are placing greater emphasis on models such as Zero Trust, increasing focus on identity, access control, and verification across systems. For telecommunications providers, this adds complexity, particularly where these requirements need to be applied across both legacy infrastructure and newer 5G and cloud-based environments.

What this means for hiring (network + tech)

Demand is being driven by the need to improve reliability, manage risk, and meet regulatory expectations. This requires:

• Service assurance and network reliability specialists to maintain performance and availability
• Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) capability to support resilient, software-driven network environments
• Incident and operational risk leaders to manage response and recovery across critical infrastructure
• Security engineers and architects aligned to identity, access, and infrastructure protection

Where Telco Skill Demand is Expanding Beyond the Telco Industry

Private 5G and industrial wireless

Private 5G networks are moving from trial to deployment across industrial environments, extending telecommunications capability into sectors such as mining, energy, ports, and defence.

Newmont’s Cadia mine, for example, has deployed a private 5G network to support teleremote operations, enabling real-time control of equipment in a live production environment.

In Australia, private 5G initiatives and pilot programs are being explored across multiple industries, including government-led innovation projects.

What this means for hiring (network + tech)

Demand is increasing for roles that can operate at the intersection of telecommunications and industrial environments. This requires:

• Private LTE/5G architects to design and deploy dedicated network environments
• OT networking specialists to integrate wireless networks with operational systems
• Wireless engineers with experience in industrial coverage and performance requirements
• Solution engineers bridging telecommunications capability with enterprise and industrial use cases

💡 These roles are required both within telecommunications providers and within the industries adopting private networks, increasing competition for the same talent pools.

Rail transformation: 5G and FRMCS

Rail infrastructure is undergoing a transition from legacy GSM-R (2G) communications systems to FRMCS, a 5G-based standard designed to support next-generation rail operations.

This shift is being delivered through large-scale, multi-year infrastructure programs across Australia, including major projects such as METRONET in Western Australia and the Metro Tunnel in Victoria. These programs require end-to-end telecommunications capability, from network design and deployment through to integration, testing, and ongoing operations.

FRMCS aligns rail communications more closely with modern telecommunications environments, supporting higher capacity, lower latency, and real-time data use cases. For telecommunications professionals, this creates a clear pathway into rail. The underlying capability—mobile network design, RF engineering, and systems integration—is directly transferable.

What this means for hiring (network + tech)

Demand is increasing for telecommunications skillsets within rail infrastructure programs. This requires:

• RF engineers and mobile network specialists to support design, deployment, and optimisation
• Systems and integration engineers to deliver end-to-end communications capability
• Program and delivery professionals to support large-scale, multi-year infrastructure projects

💡 Rail operators and infrastructure programs are drawing from the same talent pools as telecommunications providers, increasing competition for mobile network and delivery capability.

Data centres and the infrastructure ecosystem

Sydney and Melbourne are positioning Australia as a regional hub for cloud and AI infrastructure.

Investment in hyperscale and enterprise data centres is accelerating, supported by demand for AI workloads, cloud services, and data storage. This is driving continued expansion of capacity, alongside constraints such as power availability and land, which are influencing where and how new facilities are developed.

This growth is closely linked to telecommunications infrastructure. Data centres rely on high-capacity fibre, backhaul, and interconnection with carrier networks, placing additional demand on network capability and integration between cloud and telecommunications environments.

As cloud and infrastructure operators draw on the same network and engineering talent pools, this represents both an adjacent growth area and a source of competition for telco providers.

What this means for hiring (network + tech)

Demand is increasing for network and infrastructure capability across data centre, cloud, and telecommunications environments. This requires:

• Network engineers with experience in data centre and high-capacity network environments
• Cloud and network hybrid roles supporting interconnectivity and platform integration
• Engineers focused on fibre, backhaul, and edge network design
• Program delivery capability to support large-scale infrastructure build and expansion

💡 This is a highly competitive area, with telecommunications providers, hyperscale cloud organisations, and infrastructure operators all drawing from the same talent pools.

Salary Insights - Networks and Tech

Network investment and upgrade activity is driving the demand across core infrastructure roles, particularly in mobile, fibre, and capacity-focused environments.

At the same time, the shift towards software-defined networks, automation, and cloud-integrated infrastructure is increasing competition for engineers with combined network and software capability. These same roles are now being hired into private 5G, rail infrastructure, and data centre environments, drawing from the same talent pools as telecommunications.

The result is sustained pressure on a defined set of roles. These are typically positions where capability is both specialised and transferable, making them harder to secure, slower to hire, and more sensitive to competing offers across industries.

What This Means for Telco Hiring Leaders in 2026 in Beyond

Demand for telecommunications capability is no longer contained within the telco sector. Mobile network, cloud, and infrastructure skillsets are now being deployed across rail, mining, energy, and data centre environments, while hyperscale and infrastructure operators are competing for the same engineers. At the same time, within telco, demand is shifting towards automation, software, security, and platform capability alongside traditional network roles. This is creating pressure on both sides: deeper competition externally, and changing requirements internally.

For hiring leaders, this requires a more deliberate approach to workforce planning. Hiring needs to be aligned to project cycles and upgrade programs rather than reactive demand, particularly across network modernisation, private 5G, and infrastructure delivery. Talent pools need to be expanded beyond traditional telco backgrounds to include adjacent industries and transferable skillsets. At the same time, critical roles—particularly in automation, security, and cloud-integrated network environments—need to be identified and secured early, as these capabilities are now shared across multiple industries.

Organisations that continue to hire within traditional telco boundaries, or rely on reactive hiring models, will find it increasingly difficult to secure the capability required to deliver network and infrastructure programs.

Launch was founded as a telco expert in 2006. Our depth of telco expertise across Australia is unparalleled. For the insights, people and strategies you need to deliver, contact our team today.