Spectrum outlook released as e-mag

The Australian Communications and Media Authority’s Five-year spectrum outlook 2012-2016 has been released in a beta electronic magazine (e-mag) format.

This version of the outlook is said to be more streamlined and user-friendly and can be viewed using smartphones, tablets and PCs.

“You will be able to share the information it contains through a multitude of social media applications like Facebook, Digg, Google+ and Twitter,” said ACMA chairman Chris Chapman.

“The ACMA is making this planning document accessible to anyone, anywhere, anytime.”

The cornerstone of the outlook is an overview of spectrum demand drivers, the ACMA’s top spectrum projects over the five-year period and specific work plan priorities for 2012-2013.

The top spectrum projects include:

• reallocation and conversion of the 700 MHz and 2.5 GHz bands, as part of the digital dividend auction process;
• expiring spectrum licences;
• smart infrastructure and new thinking about an ‘infrastructure park’, where industries like mining can share spectrum.

Views provided by spectrum users on the 2011-2015 outlook were taken into account in preparing this latest edition.