Telcos retain spectrum
The Age
Thursday March 4, 2010
THE three big mobile phone operators will be able to hold on to their existing spectrum without facing an auction process, the government has announced.The operators €” Telstra, Optus and Vodafone Hutchison Australia €” will retain their spectrum licences subject to a public interest test and an agreement on price. The spectrum is now used by the telcos for their 2G and 3G services.The 15-year licences for the spectrum are reaching their end between 2013 and 2017, forcing the government to decide on the spectrum's future. Although the government could have opened the licences up to a competitive process, any move would have caused a big disruption to the telcos and their millions of subscribers."Wireless spectrum is a valuable public asset," Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said yesterday. "Reissue of the 15-year spectrum licences will provide ongoing access to spectrum for current and next-generation communications services."The announcement also includes the spectrum space used by wireless internet provider Unwired and other smaller telcos.
© 2010 The Age