Australia Sets Digital Dividend Spectrum Auction for April

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has set 16 April 2013 as the commencement date of its digital dividend spectrum auction.  The auction will offer licenses for the following spectrum:

• 703–748 and 758–803 MHz (the 700 MHz band)
• 2500–2570 and 2620–2690 MHz (the 2.5 GHz band).

For the 700 MHz band category, ACMA is auctioning nine generic lots, each consisting of 10 MHz in paired configuration (2×5 MHz), with a block of 5 MHz in the upper and lower parts of the band separated by 55 MHz, which includes a 10 MHz mid-band gap (748–758 MHz). The mid-band gap is not available in the auction.

The 700 MHz lots are intended for a single ‘national’ product with coverage across all of Australia, excluding the Mid-west Radio Quiet Zone (RQZ).

For the 2.5 GHz band category, ACMA is auctioning 14 generic lots, with each lot consisting of 10 MHz in paired configuration (2×5 MHz), with a block of 5 MHz in the upper and lower parts of the band separated by 120 MHz, which includes a 50 MHz mid-band gap (2570–2620 MHz). The mid-band gap is not available in the auction.  The 14 lots will cover 11 areas:

• eight metropolitan areas—ACT, Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney
• two regional areas—Regional East Australia, Regional Western Australia
• one remote area—Remote Australia, which covers the rest of Australia, but excludes the Mid-west RQZ.

http://engage.acma.gov.au/digitaldividend/notice-for-the-digital-dividend-auction/