Australians are increasingly defaulting to mobile data for everyday smartphone use, and that shift has a direct impact on buildings.
In Opensignal’s latest Asia-Pacific analysis, the region is described as splitting into two paths, not converging on one connectivity model. Some markets are moving toward more Wi-Fi as fixed infrastructure expands. But mature markets like Australia are gravitating toward mobile, driven by 5G improvements that make cellular connectivity “good enough” for day-to-day tasks.
Opensignal's research showed that Wi-Fi use fell 20% between Q4 2022 and Q4 2025.
What’s driving Australia’s shift toward mobile?
Opensignal attributes the move toward mobile in mature markets to:
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improved mobile performance and reliability (particularly with 5G)
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increased capacity, including mid-band 5G deployments
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the growing availability of more generous mobile plans and falling costs in mature markets
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reduced reliance on public Wi-Fi, which can be inconvenient or inconsistent
In other words: when mobile works well, people stop hunting for Wi-Fi.
The building reality: indoor mobile coverage becomes essential
The challenge is that many of the places people rely on their phone the most are also the hardest for mobile signals to reach:
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basements and underground carparks
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lifts and stairwells
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internal corridors and back-of-house areas
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hospitals, aged care facilities, shopping centres and warehouses
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large venues with heavy building materials or complex layouts
When indoor signal is poor, it becomes a real operational issue, not a minor inconvenience. It can affect staff communications, visitor experience, safety expectations, and the performance of mobile-dependent apps and services.
The takeaway for property and facilities teams
If Australia is relying more on mobile, then in-building mobile coverage needs to be treated like a core building utility: planned, designed, and delivered intentionally.
How Madison Connectivity helps
Madison Connectivity works with building owners, facility teams and stakeholders to identify indoor mobile blackspots and deliver solutions that improve coverage and consistency throughout the site.
Depending on your building type, carrier environment and coverage needs, this can include:
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site surveys and coverage assessment
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system design for in-building mobile coverage
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deployment options suited to the venue (from targeted solutions for problem areas through to broader in-building systems for large footprints)
If you’re hearing “no signal in the basement”, “calls drop in the lift”, or “data doesn’t work in parts of the building”, we can help you fix it.
Speak to Madison Connectivity to discuss your site and the right approach for reliable indoor mobile performance.
Source & attribution: Opensignal Thought Leadership, One region, two paths: the opposing forces in data consumption across Asia Pacific (Feb 3, 2026).
