ACMA releases views on future use of public airwaves

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has released its preliminary views on options for the future use of spectrum licences that support communications services across Australia.

The licences are due to expire between 2028 and 2032 and are primarily allocated to telcos to deliver mobile phone and internet services, while others are used for communications for running railway networks or facilitating outside broadcasts by Australian broadcasters. According to ACMA Deputy Chair Adam Suckling, the agency seeks to ensure the greatest benefit to the community through the future use of the spectrum.

“In particular, decisions affecting licences held by the mobile operators will shape the Australian telecommunications market and the services that it delivers for consumers for the next 20 years,” Suckling said.

“The considerations are complex, but the long-term public interest guides our thinking. That means keeping in focus every Australian who uses a mobile phone, catches a train or relies on free-to-air news, including for information on natural disasters such as the recent Cyclone Alfred.

“Competition and choice, potential alternative use, service continuity for end users, and operators delivering on investment, innovation and coverage all informed the ACMA’s approach. Further, we have consulted extensively with stakeholders as part of coming to our preliminary views.”

The ACMA’s preliminary views on key aspects of the expiring spectrum licence process include that most licences for wide-area wireless broadband should be renewed, as they have promoted and will continue to promote the long-term public interest. This includes fixed wireless networks operated by NBN Co, mostly used to provide services to consumers in outer-metropolitan and regional areas.

The ACMA is also seeking further information from Telstra and the industry more broadly on the long-term use of 2.3 GHz licences for private networks in remote areas, and tackling inefficiencies in the 3.4 GHz band, used for network capacity and fixed wireless.

The ACMA supports the continued use of national licences but will separately explore opportunities to address demand from smaller players interested in providing localised wide-area wireless broadband services.

“We want to see further innovation in smaller markets,” Suckling said. “While that is possible under current licensing arrangements, it is just not happening, so we want to remove any impediments.”

Durations for renewed wide-area broadband licences are favoured to be between 11 and 16 years, to align with the expiry of continuing spectrum licences in bands used for wireless broadband that are not within the scope of this process.

The ACMA has assessed that the value of the spectrum held by Telstra, Optus, TPG and NBN Co collectively sits between $5 billion and $6.2 billion for renewed access to spectrum, based on international benchmarking. This should ensure that licensees are using the spectrum efficiently and effectively and in the long-term public interest.

Licences used for rail communications and for television outside broadcasts should continue to allow for these important services to continue, but through a different licence type, opening a path to adopting new technologies.

The preliminary views also take into account driving innovation and coverage, particularly in regional, rural and remote areas. This included considering the potential offered by low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to deliver services to mobile phones in hard-to-connect parts of the country.

The ACMA is currently seeking feedback on its preliminary views from stakeholders and the public before finalising the policy framework, which will be used for future licence renewal application processes. Consultation closes on 25 June and submissions can be made at www.acma.gov.au/consultations/2025-04/expiring-spectrum-licences-stage-3-preliminary-views.

“This consultation is an important milestone in our approach to expiring spectrum licences,” Suckling said. “These licences will significantly shape the future of Australia’s telecommunications landscape, so it’s important we include as many views in the decision-making process as we can.”

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