Establishing an interference management framework for spectrum licensing in Australia

Australia is at the forefront of developing spectrum management techniques for the provision of flexible access to radio communications spectrum under a new form of licensing called "spectrum licensing". Spectrum licenses have already been issued in the 500 MHz band, and auctions are being held in 1998 for spectrum lots in the 800 MHz and 1.8 GHz bands. Licensees manage their own spectrum space defined in terms of a frequency band and a geographic area for a fixed license term. The Regulator maintains a level of regulation just sufficient to keep significant levels of emission within those licenses so that spectrum utility is not reduced by either an unacceptable rate of interference or fear of litigation. No channeling plan is employed, and the spectrum may be used for any type of radio communications service. New terms such as "horizontally radiated power", "device boundary", and "level of protection" have been coined to describe fresh approaches to interference management that take advantage of the capabilities of geographic information systems. The interference management framework is dynamic, and designed to evolve on the basis of both practical experience and requirements of licensees.