Expiring Spectrum Licences 

ACCAN recently submitted to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)’s Expiring spectrum licences (stage 4) – updated preliminary views on pricing consultation.  

This submission recommends: 

• The Australian Government implement spectrum coverage obligations on Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) through amended carrier licence conditions, equivalent in value to the real discount received by MNOs through the Expiring Spectrum Licences (ESL) process. 

• Coverage obligations should be designed in consultation with state and local governments and communities impacted by poor mobile coverage. 

• To ensure compliance with the obligations, MNOs should be required to provide evidence to demonstrate their achievement of obligations at set dates through the duration of the licence.  

• ESL coverage obligations should also be informed by the findings of the National Audit of Mobile Coverage and other sources of information on coverage gaps.  

• The ACMA make public the advice by Plum Consulting, Frontier Economics, and Ian Martin Advisory (with Flat Rock Consulting) concerning the use of an appropriate Weighted Average Cost of Capital.  

• The ACMA make public the real value of the ESLs as previously acquired through various auctions, renewals and apparatus licence conversions prior to the next stage of the ESL process.  

• The ACMA maintain the use of upfront spectrum payments in the ESL process.