Spectrum issues are key to the future of broadcasters and telcos now more than ever according to many speakers at this week’s Australian Broadcasting Summit. Freeing up, then selling off old tv analog spectrum continues to be of ongoing concern as articulated by Commercial Television’s Julie Flynn, and the knock-on issue of ‘digital restacking’ is a ‘sleeper issue’ according to several delegates who believe that forcing consumers to rescan their new digital tvs when frequencies are restacked will cause problems for unsavvy digital tv buyers. Amidst all this the radio industry is looking for spectrum in regional areas to roll out digital radio across Australia. Community stations also want a little more spectrum in capital cities because they are feeling a ‘bit squeezy’ fitting all their servicees on to the allocated metro spectrum, but they have been told by the minister there is ‘no new spectrum available’ in metro areas for this purpose. In this environment. the Australian Communications and Media Authority has released its key spectrum management roadmap, the Five-year Spectrum Outlook for 2011-2015.

Assisting the government to achieve digital switchover, delivering key projects to address ongoing spectrum demand, and planning for new services have been identified as key tasks in the document, whcih is now in its third edition. It  sets out the ACMA’s annual assessment of existing and future demand for spectrum and its work plan for managing spectrum on behalf of Australians from 2011 to 2015.

“The breadth of the work plan devised by the ACMA for the 2011- 2015 Outlook reflects the reality that managing the high demand for spectrum and the supporting regulatory framework required is a complex challenge – even more so with rapid changes in technology and Australia’s appetite for high data services increases,” says ACMA Chairman Chris Chapman.

Projects identified in the work plan include:

– The progression of review outcomes for the 2.5 GHz and 400 MHz bands
– Service planning for smart infrastructure and mobile broadband services
– Review of the 900 MHz band
– Continuing work on digital switchover, restack and allocation
– Consideration of future arrangements for Earth station siting.

Wide-ranging input provided by spectrum users on the second Outlook have been taken into account in preparing this third edition.

The 2011-2015 Outlook will also be made available in hardcopy at the ACMA’s RadComms2011 conference on 26 and 27 May 2011 and is available electronically at the link below.