ARCIA responds to spectrum review

Australia’s peak body for LMR and other business- and mission-critical communications users, ARCIA, has submitted its response to the Department of Communications and the Arts’ consultation on modernising Australia’s spectrum management framework.

In May, 2017, the Department released a consultation package on proposed reforms and called for submissions to the first stage of consultation to be made by Friday, 28 July.

The package also included proposals for spectrum pricing and the management of Commonwealth-held spectrum.

“We are undertaking the first of a two-stage consultation process on draft new legislative arrangements required to implement the reforms. This first stage of consultation seeks stakeholder views on the exposure draft of the new legislation and the approaches to broadcasting and transitional arrangements,” the Department said in a statement.

“Submissions from stakeholders will be used to inform the drafting of the Bill, including provisions on broadcasting, and will be instrumental in developing the Transitional and Consequential Amendments Bill (T&C Bill).”

The Department said that it anticipated that the second consultation stage will include the revised Radiocommunications Bill, the T&C Bill and the Radiocommunications Licence Tax Bill.

ARCIA’s submission touches on numerous points, including radio frequency plans, licensing, third-party usage, interference management, accreditation, industry codes and more.

“Our association represents the bulk of the users of the land mobile radio spectrum and we believe that we can present views that are both representative of the users as well as being cognisant of the competing demands for spectrum access,” wrote ARCIA’s executive officer, Ian Miller, in the preamble to the submission.

“In general terms we agree with the changes proposed and the transition plans included, however, we have also suggested some minor adjustments to further clarify some areas of concern,” he added.

“As always, we welcome the opportunity to be involved in discussions on the points raised and we look forward to being involved as the ACMA move towards further defining the requirements of the Bill and associated regulations.”

You can read the full submission here.

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