Technology
Cairns Tech Firms Launch Apps and Hardware to Combat Spam, Improve Mobility
Local developers are preparing a series of app releases and hardware trials that target spam reduction and short-haul mobility across the Far North.
How we reported this
Cairns-based developers at two firms will roll out new anti-spam calling software and an autonomous shuttle booking app in the final quarter of 2026.
The timing aligns with fresh federal guidance issued this week that directs autonomous vehicle operators to improve coordination with emergency services. Cairns operators see the rules as an opening to test their systems on local roads before national standards tighten further.
Local testing sites and partners
Early trials of the shuttle app are scheduled along the Esplanade and at the Smithfield campus of James Cook University. The software will also link to booking kiosks inside Cairns Central shopping centre. Both locations were chosen because they already host council-supported digital pilots that began in March 2025.
One of the participating groups operates from an office on Lake Street and works with Cairns Regional Council on data-sharing agreements. The second group runs its server rack from a small facility near Trinity Beach and supplies call-filtering code to the same council program.
Numbers behind the plans
Internal documents show the spam-filter product reached 12,400 active users during a June pilot that covered 4,800 households in the CBD. The company expects to charge $1.49 per month once the full version launches on 15 October. The shuttle app has logged 2,300 test rides since April, with an average fare of $4.20 on routes between the airport and the city centre.
Both projects rely on the same 5G small-cell network the council activated along the waterfront in late 2025. Engineers say the network handled 87 terabytes of data last month, a figure that will guide capacity upgrades planned for November.
Residents who want early access can register at the Cairns Library branch on Abbott Street starting next Monday. The library will run two information sessions on 20 July and 27 July for anyone who wants to test the apps on personal devices before the public release.