In Australia the 1800 MHz band is spectrum licensed in major metropolitan areas, but generally apparatus licensed in regional and remote areas. This is demonstrated in Figure 3 below.
Figure 3: Areas subject to spectrum and apparatus licences in the 1800 MHz band
Figure 3 shows that spectrum licences also cover regional Australia in the frequency ranges 1710–1725 MHz and 1805–1820 MHz. Spectrum licences in the 1800 MHz band will expire in two tranches—the first in June 2013 and the second in May 2015. The ACMA is currently considering whether these spectrum licences may be reissued to incumbent licensees or will be offered for reallocation by auction.
Embargo 62 currently restricts all apparatus licensing in the 1800 MHz band. Spectrum embargoes are administrative tools used to facilitate orderly spectrum planning. Embargoes give notice of the ACMA’s intention to restrict the allocation of new licences in a band, pending its replanning. They also serve to alert industry to the start of a planning process. Embargo 62 was placed on the 1800 MHz band in January 2011 to preserve future planning options. There are a number of existing apparatus licences in the band, predominantly fixed point-to-point links held by Telstra.