Proposed changes to apparatus licence pricing structures

We received 11 submissions to our March consultation, which are available at the bottom of the page. We address the submissions in our latest consultation paper and thank all submitters to the consultation.

In our outcomes paper advising of the conclusion of the implementation of the Spectrum Pricing Review, the ACMA committed to further work on matters including:

• implementing the proposal to update apparatus licence taxes on an annual basis to reflect different underlying demand for spectrum in geographic areas by using changes in geography-specific population data
• implementing other consequential changes to refine the pricing framework
• considering different frameworks to extend the concept of pricing for varying levels of interference through new pricing structures for apparatus licences.

This consultation paper progresses work on these issues. It details 3 proposals relating to apparatus licence pricing structures:

• a proposed framework to update taxes annually by reference to population data
• a proposed update to the calculation of the television outside broadcast network licence tax rate to reduce the licence tax rate from $415,899 to $211,701 – a 49.1% reduction
• the framing of further work on pricing for varying levels of interference.

We invite comments on the issues set out in the consultation paper by 5 pm (AEDT) on Thursday 4 May 2023.