Review of the 803 to 960 MHz band

Bridget Lally, Senior Radiocommunications Engineer, Spectrum Infrastructure Branch,

Outline > Overview of the 820-960 MHz band > Drivers and scope of the review > Major issues in first discussion paper > Potential for 800 MHz band expansion > Review of arrangements for the digital

cellular mobile telephone service > Options for underutilised parts of the

900 MHz band

The 900 MHz band: Exploring new opportunities discussion paper

Why review the 803-960 MHz band? > Parts of the band are underused > Opportunities for expansion of services

due to digital dividend > Migration to 3G and 4G and international

‘refarming’ of digital CMTS segments

Proposed objectives of the review >  improve the allocative, technical and dynamic efficiency of

arrangements in the band by reviewing the relevant planning and licensing mechanisms

>  align planning, licensing and pricing arrangements with current and anticipated demands, and support the latest technologies

>  incorporate spectrum in the upper part of the digital dividend, which is not being included in the initial 700 MHz band allocation, in order to expand services in the 900 MHz band

>  improve the utility and flexibility with which the band is used.

New naming convention…

Scope of the first paper > In scope > 803-820 MHz

> Out of scope > 825-845 MHz paired

with 870-890 MHz

The 820-960 MHz band

57% 31%

7%

4% 2%

CMTS (spectrum licensed segments)

Digital CMTS (GSM segments)

Point-to-point

Land mobile

Other

Major issues for the review > 900 MHz band expansion > Digital cellular mobile telephony service > Options for underutilised parts of the 800

and 900 MHz bands

800 MHz band expansion

Option for expansion of FDD services

Future use of an expanded 800 MHz band > Cellular mobile telephony service

Future use of an expanded 800 MHz band > Land mobile services > Public protection and disaster relief > Combination of services > Others?

Future licensing of the 800 MHz expansion band > Spectrum licensing > Apparatus licensing > Combination

Digital cellular mobile telephone service- Current arrangements

Licensee Base-transmit frequency (MHz)

Base- receive frequency (MHz)

Number of paired assignments (September 2010)

Telstra Corporation Limited 935–943.4 890–898.4 3,972

SingTel Optus Pty Limited 943.4–951.8 898.4–906.8 5,920

Vodafone Hutchinson Australia Limited

951.8–960 906.8–915 2,977

DCMTS- Drivers for change

DCMTS- Potential future arrangements

DCMTS- Options for future licensing

Options for underutilised parts of the 800 and 900 MHz bands

Options for DSRR segment and neighbouring spectrum

Submissions > ACMA invites submissions to

the discussion paper The 900 MHz Band: Exploring New Opportunities

> Comments close on 24 June 2011

> Enquiries to 900MHzreview@acma.gov.au