Telstra, Optus, others oppose ACMA low-band plan

Telstra and Optus are opposing an Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) proposal to let miners use low-band radio spectrum for underground communications.

The two telcos are worried that if the ACMA relaxes the “low interference potential device (LIPD) class license” definitions, in this case for underground communications in the 700MHz, 800MHz and 900MHz frequency band, it could result in interference to mobile networks operating in the same bands.

Class licenses apply to the hardware to be used, whereas spectrum licences give an owner rights to access particular wireless frequencies, and the ACMA has proposed relaxing some rules surrounding the devices.

“A class-licensed arrangement that permits other users to operate in any underground environment … could cause harmful interference to such cellular network coverage”, Telstra said in a submission.

In its own submission, Optus said introducing class licences could interfere with communications in tunnels, “where heightened risk of interference may compromise the operation of emergency call services”.

Apart from the underground communications suggestion, ACMA’s LIPD proposals mostly focus on enabling wi-fi deployments on more frequency bands and at higher outdoor powers; and new satellite use-cases.

Pivotel and Mobile Satellite Services Australia (formerly Globalstar) want the ACMA to hold fire on proposals to class-licence higher power devices in the 5.15-5.25GHz band, fearing interference to their existing satellite services.

They want a more granular approach, and in their submission stated: “As a major licensed user of the 5091-5250 MHz band in Australia for the past 23 years our firm view is that, if outdoor radio local access networks (RLANs) were ever permitted in the 5150-5250 MHz band, it would be essential to control their number via individual registration or individual licensing”.

Meanwhile, CSIRO has voiced concerns for space transmission in frequency bands that would overlap with its Murchison Widefield Array, which it points out is “explicitly protected from terrestrial class-licensed devices”.

The bands of interest to the CSIRO are from 915MHz to 928MHz, and 2400MHz to 2483.5MHz, bands important to Murchison’s science purposes.

A more permissive class license in those bands would “create new and problematic RFI [radiofrequency interference] issues for the radio telescopes at the observatory”, CSIRO’s submission stated.