Industry groups back government on spectrum

Industry groups Communications Alliance and the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA) have backed the government's move to implement the main recommendations of the spectrum review.

The review was conducted by the Department of Communications and findings released earlier this year.

A joint statement issued by communications minister Malcolm Turnbull and parliamentary secretary to the minister Paul Fletcher said the government would implement the review's three key recommendations:

1. Replace the current legislative arrangements with new legislation that removes prescriptive process and streamlines licensing, for a simpler and more flexible framework.

2. Better integrate the management of public sector and broadcasting spectrum to improve the consistency and integrity of the framework.

3. Review spectrum pricing to ensure consistent and transparent arrangements to support the efficient use of spectrum and secondary markets.

The statement said the government expected the new framework to come into effect in 2017.

Communications Alliance said that reform of the current arrangements could help reduce the regulatory burden on spectrum users.

"Communications Alliance and it members look forward to working with Government on the detail and implementation of the reform agenda, to help ensure that the new framework can be rolled out from mid-2017," said the group's CEO, John Stanton.

"This important initiative has the potential to deliver more flexibility and certainty for spectrum licence holders at a time when spectrum resources are under increasing pressure from rapidly expanding mobile markets that continue to grow strongly and impact most facets of our economy and society," said AMTA CEO Chris Althaus.

"This important initiative has the potential to deliver more flexibility and certainty for spectrum licence holders at a time when spectrum resources are under increasing pressure from rapidly expanding mobile markets that continue to grow strongly and impact most facets of our economy and society."

"This is a win for industry and consumers," said Richard Bean, the deputy chair of the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

"It provides a more responsive regulatory regime — rather than black letter law — that will take away unnecessary barriers, reducing delays and costs of getting new technologies to the market."