The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has announced the winners of its 26GHz spectrum licenses auction. Dense Air Australia won 2 lots for AUD 28.68 million, while TPG Telecom’s subsidiary Mobile JV won 86 lots for AUD 108.18 million. Optus Mobile won 116 lots for AUD 226.20 million, Pentanet won 4 lots for AUD 7.98 million, and Telstra won 150 lots for AUD 276.57 million.
The ACMA reports that, of the 360 lots available in the auction, 358 were sold, for a total revenue of AUD 647.64 million, equivalent to almost AUD 0.0127/MHz/pop. Licences won at auction will come into force later this year, for a 15-year term ending in 2036.
Telstra acquires 5G spectrum for AUD 277 million
Telstra has secured 1000 MHz of 26 GHz mobile spectrum in the auction held by the Australian Communication and Media Authority (ACMA). Telstra reports it is spending around AUD 277 million for its slice of this new mmWave spectrum to be used on the next phase of the operator’s 5G network.
Telstra’s 5G network currently reaches two thirds of Australians and is expected to reach 75 percent by end-June. Telstra also says that, each year, data usage across its mobile network increases by 40 percent. The operator will use its newly acquired 1000 MHz of spectrum to increase its network capacity. This is more than 10x its existing dedicated 5G spectrum bandwidth, Telstra added.
While the licenses won’t come into effect until around the middle of the year, the ACMA has agreed to early access licensing, which will allow Telstra to use the spectrum on its network sooner. Telstra is working to bring more mmWave-capable devices to its customers this calendar year, adding to its first mmWave-capable device – the Telstra 5G WiFi Pro – which launched in May 2020.
Optus acquires 800MHz of 26GHz spectrum
Optus has also won spectrum in the 26GHz frequency band. Optus acquired 800MHz of 26GHz spectrum in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra and a range of regional areas, and 600MHz in Hobart and Margaret River in Western Australia for a total of AUD 226.2 million.
Optus expects these new spectrum assets to support a wide range of new 5G use cases, as well as power the expansion of its 5G network in metropolitan and regional Australia.
Optus also reports that its customers will be able to benefit from synergies with Singtel’s similar spectrum holdings to drive the user equipment ecosystem for this spectrum band across the Singtel Group.
The Optus 4G mobile network currently reaches 98.3 percent of the Australian population.
TPG Telecom secures 26 GHz mmWave spectrum for AUD 108 million
Australian operator TPG Telecom has secured spectrum in the 26 GHz (millimetre wave) frequency band auction for AUD 108.2 million. Through its Mobile JV subsidiary, TPG Telecom has acquired 400 MHz millimetre wave 5G spectrum licences for Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, and 600 MHz licenses for Brisbane and all other metropolitan and regional areas.
TPG Telecom also reports that this spectrum acquisition has tripled its total spectrum holding, and will increase the operator’s capacity to deliver 5G fixed wireless services and 5G mobile services.
TPG Telecom plans to use this additional spectrum to deliver 5G fixed wireless services as an NBN alternative, as well as power its mobile services in high traffic areas such as CBDs. TPG Telecom’s 5G network is currently available in 450 suburbs in metro areas and 5G fixed wireless services coming soon.
The company intends to pay in for the spectrum in five equal annual instalments of AUD 21.98 million, with the first payment due this year.
