1800 MHz and 2 GHz bands outside of spectrum licensed areas – review of arrangements

The 'reply to comment' period began on 12 September and closed on 11 October 2024. 

We asked for your views on the submissions received to the options paper. We received one response, which you can view below. 

Please note: We did not accept new submissions to the options paper itself. We wanted your feedback on the views in the submissions.

We plan to release an outcomes paper in the first quarter of 2025. 

If you have any enquiries, please contact freqplan@acma.gov.au.

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Reply to comment: 1800 MHz and 2 GHz outside of spectrum licensed areas

When the 1800 MHz band arrangements in remote areas were put in place in 2015, we indicated an intention to review the Public Telecommunications Service (PTS) arrangements, including the use of the policies intended to manage initial demand, once demand was better understood.

As both bands support similar use cases and propagation characteristics, they are generally considered substitutable, so we are reviewing both bands. This will ensure that overall arrangements continue to promote the long-term public interest derived from the use of the bands.

We want your views on planning options to possibly revise arrangements in the bands.

We have set out the planning options in the options paper above. 

The paper also proposes small changes to the technical framework in the bands and seeks views on future possible alignment with spectrum licensing frameworks.

To support our review of the bands, we have placed a spectrum embargo on the band. This restricts the issuing of new apparatus licences in prescribed areas in the bands. See Spectrum Embargo 77.