The Australian telecoms and broadcast regulator has issued a consultation document addressing the issue of non-compliance with the country's current Earth receive station licensing requirements. The document identifies areas of non-compliance and addresses potential solutions before providing an analysis of the ACMA's preferred approach against its "Principles of Spectrum Management".… Read more...

The Australian regulator is seeking comment on a discussion paper it has issued on technical and policy issues associated with the reallocation of the 700 MHz band of digital dividend spectrum. The paper provides both a roadmap setting out the ACMA's planned process for reallocation of the band once digital… Read more...

The Australian Department of Communications has issued another consultation as part of its "Spectrum Review" programme. The new paper concerns reform principles and 11 reform proposals that have been identified by the Departments of Communications in its ongoing review into spectrum policy. These proposals include measures to improve transparency in Australian spectrum policy.… Read more...

As part of its move towards spectrum-efficient technologies, the Australian regulator is consulting on its proposals to allow mobile operators to deploy femtocells using existing apparatus licences which authorise use of  specific devices.  Femtocells have been deployed in spectrum-licensed areas, usually covering urban areas, at 2.1 GHz since 2011. The… Read more...

The Australian regulator has issued a consultation on how to change its policy towards the 3.5 GHz band in order to accommodate international trends in the band's use. ACMA's preliminary view is that apparatus licensing in the 3.5 GHz band should be extended in order to achieve regulatory flexibility. However, the document also… Read more...

Following a ministerial decision to convert apparatus licences held by broadcasters in the mid gap of the 2.5/2.6 GHz band (2570-2620 MHz) to spectrum licences, the Australian regulator is consulting on how this should be done. The Australian Media and Communications Authority has published a consultation document and is seeking… Read more...

The Australian regulator has published a set of draft rules for the biggest spectrum auction scheduled in the country for more than ten years. The rules consist of two parts, the allocation instruments and the technical instruments. The allocation instruments, which will provide the legal basis of the auction, consist… Read more...

Australian regulator ACMA has published a discussion paper that investigates the potential use of the 1.5 GHz band for mobile broadband services. The paper is intended to gather information and industry views on the suitability of options for the potential replanning of the 1.5 GHz mobile band for mobile broadband. The regulator… Read more...

The Australian regulator has launched a consultation on future uses for the 28 and 31 GHz bands (27.5–28.35 GHz and 31–31.3 GHz) where licences expire in January 2014. The ACMA says it is reviewing licensing arrangements in the bands "so that future arrangements will maximise the overall public benefit from use… Read more...

The Australian regulator, ACMA has issued a consultation on its proposal to remake its legislative instruments for the 2 GHz band.  ACMA's current instruments expire in October next year, but ACMA wants to maintain these instruments without significant changes. Read more...