Canberra responds to spectrum reviews

The federal government has announced the outcomes of reviews on spectrum pricing and Commonwealth-held spectrum.

According to a statement released on Friday, 2 February 2018 by the Minister for Communications, Mitch Fifield, the release of the outcomes paves the way for a “more efficient and transparent spectrum management framework”.

“Spectrum is a finite resource that is essential to a digitally networked economy and a major contributor to Australia’s economic and social wellbeing,” the Minister said in the statement.

“The extent to which these benefits are realised will depend on how it is priced and allocated.”

The recommendations in the two reviews were informed by industry consultation last year.

“These reviews are one component of the most significant reforms to Australia’s spectrum management in the last 25 years, being progressed by the Turnbull government,” the Minister said.

The recommendations will be implemented by the Department of Communications and the Arts and the ACMA as the independent regulator.

Key recommendations include:

• developing new high-level principles on the efficiency of spectrum markets, using pricing mechanisms to allow spectrum to be put to its highest-value use and increased transparency of spectrum pricing frameworks;
• consolidating taxation legislation to support the government’s objective to move to a single spectrum licensing framework;
• creating a whole-of-government approach to managing Commonwealth spectrum holdings, supported by the establishment of an advisory committee comprised of relevant Commonwealth government agencies.

The Minister said that the government “continues to progress the modernisation of radiocommunications legislation and will undertake further consultation with industry in coming months”.

“The government expects to introduce a package of Radiocommunication Bills into the parliament in 2018,” he said.

Image courtesy NIST.

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