Expiration dates for issued spectrum licences
This table sets out when issued spectrum licences will expire.
|
Expiry |
Frequency band |
Bandwidth |
Main use |
|
26 April 2021 |
20 and 30 GHz 20.2-21.2/30-31 GHz (paired) |
2 x 1 GHz |
Satellite |
|
17 June 2028 (reissued licences) |
800 MHz 825-845/870-890 MHz (paired) |
2 x 20 MHz |
Wireless broadband 3G/4G |
|
17 June 2028 |
1800 MHz Regional 1725-1785/1820-1880 MHz (paired) |
2 x 60 MHz |
Wireless broadband 4G |
|
17 June 2028 (reissued licences) |
1800 MHz metropolitan 1710-1785/1805-1880 MHz (paired) |
2 x 75 MHz |
Wireless broadband 4G |
|
17 June 2028 (reissued licences) |
1800 MHz regional 1710-1725/1805-1820 MHz (paired) |
2 x 15 MHz |
Wireless broadband 4G |
|
30 September 2029 |
2.5 GHz band 2500-2670/2620-2690 MHz |
2 x 70 MHz |
Wireless broadband 4G |
|
31 December 2029 |
700 MHz band 703-748/758-803 MHz |
2 x 45 MHz |
Wireless broadband 4G |
|
24 July 2030 (reissued licences) |
2.3 GHz band 2302-2400 MHz |
98 MHz |
Wireless broadband 4G |
|
13 December 2030 (reissued licences) |
3.4 GHz band 3425-3442.5/3475-3492.5 MHz
3442.5-3475/3542.5-3575 MHz |
2 x 17.5 MHz 2 x 32.5 MHz |
Wireless broadband 4G |
|
13 December 2030 |
3.6 GHz band 3575-3700 MHz |
125 MHz |
Wireless broadband 5G |
|
11 October 2032 (reissued licences) |
2 GHz band 1920-1980/2110-2170 MHz (paired) |
2 x 60 MHz |
Wireless broadband 3G/4G |
Our reissue process
Under sections 81 and 82 of the Radiocommunications Act 1992, there are 2 options available for expiring spectrum licences:
- undertake a price-based allocation process in accordance with section 60 of the Act
- reissue licence to the same licensee without undertaking a price-based allocation process, if either:
- the minister determines that the licence is used to provide a service which is in the public's interest; or
- we are satisfied that it is in the public's interest for the existing licensee to continue to hold the licence
This flowchart shows how we consider expiring licences.
Spectrum access charges
The price of reissuing spectrum licences in the 800 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2 GHz, 2.3 GHz and 3.4 GHz bands are specified in the Radiocommunications (Spectrum Access Charges) Direction 2012.
The Direction identifies the amount that the Minister considers to be the value of the spectrum, in relation to the spectrum bands that are specified.
The spectrum access charge (SAC) is calculated as:
SAC = value specified in the Direction x bandwidth authorised in the licence (MHz) x population of the licence area.