|
Missing spectrum could
hamper fixed wireless
NBN rollout
Users in the outer
metropolitan fringes of
Sydney, Melbourne,
Brisbane, Adelaide,
Perth and Canberra could
be forced to use an NBN
satellite connection
rather than its fixed
wireless LTE service
because of a lack of
spectrum.
In a copy of the draft
corporate report that
had been prepared for
the previous Labor
government, NBN Co said
it was exploring options
for providing services
to these areas. However,
unless it can acquire
additional spectrum the
users will have to use a
satellite service –
unless the FTTP rollout
was extended.
NBN Co holds spectrum
licences to operate in
both the 2.3 GHz and 3.4
GHz spectrum bands.
However, it noted in a
section on “material
issues” that could
impact the wireless
rollout that it had
spectrum in “the
majority but not all
areas planned to be
covered.”
“If additional spectrum
is not obtained to serve
these areas then
coverage will need to be
provided either through
the satellite network or
by extending the FTTP
network,” it said.
NBN Co holds spectrum in
areas adjacent to the
boundary of other
operators and is
required to limit
interference with these
operators. It noted that
it is not able to build
the wireless network to
the edge of spectrum
boundaries due to the
requirement to limit
interference. As a
result, it potentially
prevents the deployment
of a small proportion of
sites currently planned.
Another issue cited that
could hamper the
wireless rollout is the
acquisition of a large
number of greenfield
sites, where co-location
towers are not
available. It noted that
these sites also require
environmental and other
development approvals
from local authorities.
“The planned rollout of
the Fixed Wireless
Network may be limited
by the inability to
acquire new sites,” NBN
Co noted in the draft
corporate report.
The fixed wireless
portion of the NBN is
scheduled to be
completed by the end of
FY2016. Capital
expenditure for the
fixed wireless and
satellite networks is
forecast to total
approximately $3.5
billion to FY2021,
representing 9% of NBN
Co’s total capital
expenditure.
Geoff Long, COMMSDAY
|
