Purpose of these guidelines

The purpose of these advisory guidelines is to provide guidance to spectrum licensees in the 500 MHz bands (between 501-505 MHz and 511-515 MHz) on the operation of transmitters located within range of Telstra radio concentrator systems (RCS). These systems are used to deliver a telecommunications service to rural areas of inland Australia and their presence must be taken into account by spectrum licensees before operating their transmitters.

RCS follow frequency and cell plans that utilise frequencies for base transmitters in both the lower band (501-505 MHz) and upper band (511-515 MHz). Interference within the RCS network is controlled by the use of a cellular frequency re-use plan. Each RCS site is allocated a channel which results in acceptable co-channel and adjacent channel interference from other RCS sites.

Spectrum licensed transmitters do not follow the same cell plans as RCS and need to be specially coordinated in order to manage the level of interference to the RCS network. These advisory guidelines provide coordination procedures that spectrum licensees should follow in order to ensure that the power radiated from their transmitters in the direction of affected RCS sites is kept to an acceptable level.

The SMA does not intend to afford protection to receivers operated under spectrum licences from any interference they may encounter from RCS transmitters operated in accordance with their apparatus licence. The SMA also intends to afford protection, in accordance with these Advisory Guidelines, to RCS receivers from transmitters operated under a spectrum licence. Each case will be assessed on its merits.