Reforms to the telecommunications powers and immunities framework

The Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA) broadly welcomes the release of Tranche 1 of Federal powers & immunities reforms to support mobile network deployment.

While mobile telecommunications network infrastructure across the country is extensive, more infrastructure needs to be deployed to provide support for 5G networks that will benefit all Australians, businesses, and industries.

To support this, the government has made some recent reforms to the telecommunications powers and immunities framework.  It is a balanced package of reforms that contains some positive changes for the industry but still imposes significant obligations, such as the provision of an engineering certificate after installing a certifiable facility.

The revisions to the Telecommunications Code of Practice 2021 and Telecommunications (Low-impact Facilities) Amendment Determination 2021 will improve the efficiency and speed of deploying mobile network infrastructure across Australia, so improved services will be delivered sooner.

The reforms include:

• Increased antenna protrusions from three to five metres from a structure to which the antennas are attached;
• Allowing multiple tower extensions to a cumulative total of 5 metres;
• Increased radiocommunications dish diameter from 1.8 to 2.4 metres in industrial and rural areas;
• Increased limits on the amount of co-located equipment installed on a site in commercial areas like shopping centres, that will allow carriers to share infrastructure and add additional antennas to existing towers more easily.

The revisions will mean that mobile operators will be able to undertake these additional activities without securing approval under state and territory legislation, including council planning laws.

Louise Hyland, AMTA CEO says, “The changes will encourage network investment so that mobile telecommunications networks can continue to meet the needs of modern Australia while continuing to ensure the impact of those facilities on visual and other amenity in communities is minimised.

“These seemingly modest changes will be quite transformative, allowing mobile telecommunications companies to more easily install and upgrade telecommunications facilities to augment 4^th generation mobile networks, whilst rapidly deploying the latest 5^th generation technology in parallel.

“This marks the completion of the first tranche of the powers and immunities reforms, and AMTA and its members look forward to discussing additional reforms that will deliver improved service to more people,” she said.

 

 

 

 

For further information or to arrange an interview with Louise Hyland, CEO of AMTA, please contact:

Olivia Dovellos // Illuminate Communications

0420 686 233 // olivia.dovellos@illuminatecomms.com.au