{"id":"F2018L00225","name":"Radiocommunications (Spectrum Re-allocation—3.6 GHz Band for Adelaide and Eastern Metropolitan Australia) Declaration 2018","slug":"radiocommunications-spectrum-re-allocation-3-6-ghz-band-for-adelaide-and-eastern-metropolitan-austra","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":96861,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2018L00225-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Name","content":"#### 1 Name\n\n This is the Radiocommunications (Spectrum Re-allocation—3.6 GHz Band for Adelaide and Eastern Metropolitan Australia) Declaration 2018.","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"2","sectionType":"section","heading":"Commencement","content":"#### 2 Commencement\n\n This instrument commences on the day after it is registered.","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"3","sectionType":"section","heading":"Authority","content":"#### 3 Authority\n\n This instrument is made under subsection 153B(1) of the Radiocommunications Act 1992.","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"4","sectionType":"section","heading":"Interpretation","content":"#### 4 Interpretation\n\n> Note 1: A number of expressions used in this instrument are defined in the Act, including the following:\n\n (a) ACMA;\n (b) re-allocation deadline;\n (c) re-allocation period;\n (d) spectrum;\n (e) spectrum licence;\n (f) spectrum re-allocation declaration.\n\n> Note 2: See also section 5, in relation to re\\-allocation deadline and re-allocation period.\n\n (1) In this instrument:\n\n> Act means the Radiocommunications Act 1992.\n\n> Hierarchical Cell Identification Scheme or HCIS means the Hierarchical Cell Identification Scheme used as part of the Australian Spectrum Map Grid 2012 document published by the ACMA on its website, as the document existed at the time this instrument was made.\n\n (2) In this instrument, a reference to a part of the spectrum includes all frequencies that are greater than the lower frequency, up to and including the higher frequency.","sortOrder":3},{"sectionNumber":"5","sectionType":"section","heading":"Spectrum re-allocation","content":"#### 5 Spectrum re-allocation\n\n (1) The part of the spectrum from 3575 MHz to 3700 MHz is subject to re‑allocation under Part 3.6 of the Act:\n (a) by issuing spectrum licences under Subdivision B of Division 1 of Part 3.2 of the Act (see section 153L of the Act); and\n (b) with respect to each of the named areas in the table in subsection (3).\n (2) For this spectrum re-allocation declaration:\n (a) the re-allocation period is the period of 2 years beginning at the start of the 21st day after this instrument commences; and\n (b) the re-allocation deadline is the end of the day before the first anniversary of the start of the re-allocation period.\n (3) An area (named area) referred to in column 1 in the following table is to be ascertained as the composite of the areas, described using identifiers from the Hierarchical Cell Identification Scheme, set out in column 2.\n\n> Note 1: The HCIS is a naming convention for areas on the Australian Spectrum Map Grid 2012 (ASMG), which is a system used by the ACMA to define geographic areas for radiocommunications licensing. A document describing the ASMG and HCIS, as well as spatial datasets describing each HCIS area could, at the time this instrument was made, be found on the ACMA’s website (http://www.acma.gov.au).\n\n> Note 2: A tool to convert lists of HCIS area descriptions, such as the lists contained in the below table, into Placemark files to allow these areas to be visualised using computer mapping software could, at the time this instrument was made, be found on the ACMA’s website (http://www.acma.gov.au).\n\n```html\n

Areas with respect to which this spectrum re-allocation declaration applies

Item

Column 1

Named area

Column 2

Areas forming the named area (HCIS Identifiers)

1

Adelaide

IW3O, IW3P, IW6C, IW6D, IW3J5, IW3J6, IW3J8, IW3J9, IW3K4, IW3K5, IW3K6, IW3K7, IW3K8, IW3K9, IW3L4, IW3L5, IW3L6, IW3L7, IW3L8, IW3L9, IW3N2, IW3N3, IW3N5, IW3N6, IW3N8, IW3N9, IW6B2, IW6B3, IW6B5, IW6B6, IW6B8, IW6B9, IW6F2, IW6F3, IW6F5, IW6F6, IW6G1, IW6G2, IW6G3, IW6G4, IW6G5, IW6G6, IW6H1, IW6H2, IW6H3, IW6H4, IW6H5, IW6H6

2

Brisbane

NT8K, NT8L, NT9A, NT9B, NT9E, NT9F, NT9I, NT9J, NT9M, NT9N, NU3B, NT5P8, NT5P9, NT6M7, NT6M8, NT6M9, NT6N7, NT6N8, NT6N9, NT6O7, NT6O8, NT8D2, NT8D3, NT8D5, NT8D6, NT8D8, NT8D9, NT8G7, NT8G8, NT8G9, NT8H2, NT8H3, NT8H5, NT8H6, NT8H7, NT8H8, NT8H9, NT8P1, NT8P2, NT8P3, NT8P4, NT8P5, NT8P6, NT9C1, NT9C2, NT9C4, NT9C5, NT9C7, NT9C8, NT9G1, NT9G2, NT9G4, NT9G5, NT9G7, NT9G8, NT9K1, NT9K2, NT9K4, NT9K5, NT9K7, NT9K8, NT9O1, NT9O2, NT9O4, NT9O5, NT9O7, NT9O8, NU3A2, NU3A3, NU3A5, NU3A6, NU3C1, NU3C2, NU3C4, NU3C5, NU3C7, NU3C8, NU3F1, NU3F2, NU3F3, NU3G1, NU3G2

3

Canberra

MW4D3, MW4D6, MW4D9, MW4H3, MW4H6, MW4H9, MW4L3, MW5A, MW5B1, MW5B2, MW5B4, MW5B5, MW5B7, MW5B8, MW5E, MW5F1, MW5F2, MW5F4, MW5F5, MW5F7, MW5F8, MW5I1, MW5I2, MW5I3, MW5J1, MW5J2

4

Melbourne

KX3J, KX3K, KX3L, KX3N, KX3O, KX3P, KX6B, KX6C, KX6D, LX1I, LX1J, LX1M, LX1N, LX4A, LX4B, KX6F1, KX6F2, KX6F3, KX6F4, KX6F5, KX6F6, KX6G1, KX6G2, KX6G3, KX6G4, KX6G5, KX6G6, KX6H1, KX6H2, KX6H3, KX6H4, KX6H5, KX6H6, LX1K1, LX1K4, LX1K7, LX1O1, LX1O4, LX1O7, LX4C1, LX4C4, LX4C7, LX4E1, LX4E2, LX4E3, LX4E4, LX4E5, LX4E6, LX4F1, LX4F2, LX4F3, LX4F4, LX4F5, LX4F6, LX4G1, LX4G4

5

Sydney

MV9K, MV9L, MV9O, MV9P, MW3D, NV7C, NV7D, NV7E, NV7F, NV7G, NV7H, NV7I, NV7J, NV7K, NV7L, NV7M, NV7N, NV7O, NV7P, NW1A, NW1B, NW1C, NW1D, MV9D9, MV9G7, MV9G8, MV9G9, MV9H3, MV9H6, MV9H7, MV9H8, MV9H9, MW3C2, MW3C3, MW3C5, MW3C6, MW3C9, NV4N6, NV4N9, NV4O4, NV4O5, NV4O6, NV4O7, NV4O8, NV4O9, NV4P4, NV4P5, NV4P6, NV4P7, NV4P8, NV4P9, NV7A7, NV7A8, NV7A9, NV7B3, NV7B6, NV7B7, NV7B8, NV7B9

\n```","sortOrder":4}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument itself establishes a re‑allocation declaration for 3575–3700 MHz in the HCIS‑defined areas listed; it does not state that it amends, revokes or otherwise changes an earlier declaration. There is no text in the instrument indicating a change from a prior scope or intent."},"complexity_factors":["Statutory cross‑references: Instrument is made under subsection 153B(1) of the Act and requires issuing licences under Subdivision B of Division 1 of Part 3.2 (see s3; s5(1)(a) referencing s153L of the Act).","Timing rules use non‑intuitive offsets from commencement (re‑allocation period begins 21 days after commencement; period length and deadline defined by offsets) — see s5(2)(a)–(b).","Geographic specification by HCIS identifiers (Hierarchical Cell Identification Scheme) requires mapping many discrete cells to form each named area, creating administrative and spatial data complexity — see s4 (HCIS definition) and s5(3) table.","Dependence on external ACMA documents and datasets (ASMG/HCIS spatial files and conversion tools) for area ascertainment and visualization increases operational dependency on non‑statutory material — see s4 Note 1 and s5 Note 1/Note 2.","Long, granular lists of HCIS codes for five metropolitan areas increase the burden on administrators and affected parties to identify affected licences precisely — see s5(3) table.","Reliance on Act‑defined terms (eg, re‑allocation deadline, re‑allocation period, spectrum licence) creates cross‑instrument dependencies that must be resolved by reference to the Act — see s4 Note 1.","Implied compliance and transition costs for existing spectrum users and potential licence applicants, who must engage with ACMA’s re‑allocation process and meet timing requirements — implied by s5(1)(a) and s5(2)."],"plain_english_summary":"This declaration makes the 3575–3700 MHz radio band available for re‑allocation as spectrum licences in HCIS‑defined parts of Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney under the Radiocommunications Act. It sets a two‑year re‑allocation period starting 21 days after commencement and fixes the re‑allocation deadline one year after that start. The measure initiates ACMA’s licensing process and affects current users and prospective licensees in the named areas, who must follow the re‑allocation timetable and ACMA procedures."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This declaration serves its original narrow purpose: re-allocating specific spectrum in defined metropolitan areas for spectrum licensing. It has not expanded beyond this technical administrative function."},"complexity_factors":["Short, single-purpose instrument (5 sections only)","Minimal defined terms (only 2 explicit definitions: 'Act' and 'HCIS')","Straightforward conditional logic with clear timing formulas in section 5(2)","Heavy reliance on external technical documents (Australian Spectrum Map Grid 2012, HCIS) — the geographic scope is essentially outsourced to a complex external reference system","Extensive tabular data (HCIS identifiers) that is technically dense but legally simple — approximately 200 individual grid references across 5 cities","No nested exceptions or cross-references beyond basic Act references"],"plain_english_summary":"This declaration frees the 3575–3700 MHz (3.6 GHz) band for licenced use by telecoms, enabling new 5G services in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney using HCIS-defined geographic grids. \n\nThe re-allocation window begins 21 days after commencement, spans two years, with a deadline about one year and 20 days after commencement."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/radiocommunications-spectrum-re-allocation-3-6-ghz-band-for-adelaide-and-eastern-metropolitan-austra","history":"/api/acts/radiocommunications-spectrum-re-allocation-3-6-ghz-band-for-adelaide-and-eastern-metropolitan-austra/history","analysis":"/api/acts/radiocommunications-spectrum-re-allocation-3-6-ghz-band-for-adelaide-and-eastern-metropolitan-austra/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/radiocommunications-spectrum-re-allocation-3-6-ghz-band-for-adelaide-and-eastern-metropolitan-austra/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/radiocommunications-spectrum-re-allocation-3-6-ghz-band-for-adelaide-and-eastern-metropolitan-austra/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/radiocommunications-spectrum-re-allocation-3-6-ghz-band-for-adelaide-and-eastern-metropolitan-austra/documents"}}