In Today’s Edition

May 15 2013

Samsung’s revelation that it is developing 5G multi-gigabit wireless technology in the 28GHz band has thrown a bomb into an already contentious debate over the future of the spectrum band in Australia with the current holdings of AAPT and NBN Co scheduled to come up for renewal within months. Satellite players are already coveting the band, and CommsDay can reveal that incumbent AAPT is planning metro fixed wireless coverage using the same frequency; the additional prospect of next-generation mobile services there can only pile on additional pressure.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has recommended that the communications minister issue spectrum licences for residual spectrum in the 2GHz band. However, it has held off making a similar recommendation for the 800MHz and 1800MHz bands until after their expiry date.

iiNet has launched a new range of 4G mobile fleet plans for businesses, starting from A$14.95 a month.

Last night’s Federal Budget contained little in the way of surprises for Australia’s communications sector: as has become normal in recent times, regulators are expected to find efficiency dividends and there were small amounts of additional funding for NBN and universal service related projects.

Poor management of information and the absence of a mobile strategy is costing Australian SMBs between A$5,000 and A$20,000 per annum, according to a new Canon Australia survey.

Telecom New Zealand will start converting some of its 3,000 payphones into Wi-Fi hotspots following a pilot project of the technology at the end of last year.

The New Zealand market operator, NZX, has made its trading and data services accessible to members of the BT Radianz Cloud community.

GRAHAME LYNCH comments that 5G in the 28GHz band has more going for it than LMDS did 20 years ago. But in Australia it is unlikely to do little more than inflict flesh wounds on the business case for the NBN while taking damage itself in the process.