Australia - Mobile Communications - Spectrum Overview

Synopsis

The Australian Government sought public comment on the benefits and costs of maximising what has become known as Australia’s ‘digital dividend’, the term used to describe the radio frequency spectrum made available as a result of the switchover to digital-only television, and in doing so has announced it will release a contiguous block of spectrum between 694MHz and 820MHz to be freed-up from switchover.

The government has established a target of 126MHz of contiguous ultra-high-frequency spectrum. In its latest report, the Australian Communications and Media Authority has flagged spectrum shortages and makes recommendations to secure extra bandwidth. Ultra-high-frequency spectrum block is expected to be available at the end of 2013. While other frequencies in the 700MHz and 2.5GHz frequencies ranges are to be reallocated across the 2011-2016 time frame.

In this report we provide an overview of information relating to the radio spectrum used to provide wireless and mobile telephony services in Australia. It provides selected details of spectrum ownership and its usage by network operators, and gives an overview of the regulatory authority and related developments with respect to services using radio spectrum based on GSM, WiMAX and Ultra-Wideband technologies. BuddeComm covers spectrum auctions and older developments in our other reports.

Technologies mentioned

Ultra-Wideband (UWB), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), 2G, 3G, 4G. Long-term evolution (LTE), fibre-to-the-premises (FttP), Ngara.

Companied mentioned

Companied mentioned in this report include – PayPal, BPAY, Telstra, Optus, AUSTAR, unwired, NBC Co, VHA.

Table of Contents

• 1. Synopsis
• 2. Overview
• 3. Spectrum regulations
  • 3.1 Overview
  • 3.2 Australian Radiofrequency Plan
  • 3.3 ACMA five-year outlook, 2010
    • 3.3.1 Spectrum demand
    • 3.3.2 700MHz band spectrum
    • 3.3.3 2.5GHz band spectrum
  • 3.4 Towards 2020 – Future spectrum requirements
    • 3.4.1 Spectrum shortage
  • 3.5 Regulatory issues
  • 3.6 Fifteen-year spectrum licence pathway
  • 3.7 ACMA takes steps to improve spectrum trading arrangements
  • 3.8 Spectrum issue – more to it than meets the eye (analysis)
• 4. Spectrum-based services
  • 4.1 Background information
  • 4.2 Mobile services
    • 4.2.1 Background information
    • 4.2.2 LTE services
  • 4.3 WiMAX wireless services
    • 4.3.1 Overview of networks
    • 4.3.2 National Broadband Network (NBN)
  • 4.4 Ultra-Wideband services (UWB)
  • 4.5 Mobile satellite services
  • 4.6 DECT services
  • 4.7 New broadband wireless technology
• 5. Spectrum ownership and licences
  • 5.1 Mobile spectrum
  • 5.2 Apparatus licences
  • 5.3 Unlicensed spectrum (IMS)
• 6. Spectrum auctions (separate report)
• 7. Related reports

• Exhibit 1 – Proposed 700MHz reallocation – 2011 - 2014
• Exhibit 2 – Digital dividend spectrum
• Exhibit 3 – Proposed 2.5GHz reallocation – 2011 - 2016
• Exhibit 4 – Allocations for wireless access services (WAS) – 2009
• Exhibit 5 – Mobile spectrum by operator in capital city and regional area
• Exhibit 6 – GSM services by operator
• Exhibit 7 – WCDMA services by operator
• Exhibit 8 – Ownership of selected frequencies for WiMAX services