AMTA CEO Chris Althaus told today’s ACMA Spectrum Tune Up Conference that re-planning 2.5GHz to allocate 140MHz for use by the mobile sector was a central part of industry’s forward planning on spectrum access.

Using a range of local market data, forecasts and global projections to illustrate a rising tide of demand for mobile data and broadband services, AMTA reiterated the case for 2.5GHz being added to mobile spectrum resources.

“The simple reality is that rapidly accelerating demand for mobile data services particularly mobile broadband will lead to capacity constraints unless new spectrum resources are allocated to help carry the mobile data traffic,” Mr Althaus said.

The 2.5GHz band was indentified and recommended for global harmonization as a mobile telecommunications band in 2000. A decade later Australia must expedite the necessary processes to align Australia with this global position, which is already well established around the world. The rationale for this decision has not changed but market conditions and demand for mobile services has, which is increasing pressure on the ACMA and Government to complete this re-planning process. AMTA acknowledges the complexity of the task facing the ACMA, however, many other countries have implemented this re-planning reform as per the 2000 World Radio Conference recommendation.

AMTA and its members concur that the incumbent users of this spectrum, the broadcasting sector, must be accommodated with some spectrum to support electronic news gathering (ENG) activities. Indeed an option being considered is to allocate 50MHz of a possible 190MHz in the 2.5GHz band for ongoing ENG use.

Whatever the outcome the re-planning of 140MHz for mobile use is critical for the future, including Australia’s alignment with global standards for international roaming and the all important economies of scale that will be found in device and network equipment manufacture Mr Althaus concluded.