Australian Cband future?

**apsattv** · 13-09-11, 01:12 AM

For discussion..

From "John Medeiros \(CASBAA\)"

Craig,

I wonder if your Australian readers who live in cities with greater than 25,000 population are aware of ACMA’s proposal to terminate their C-band reception? At least, that would be the effect of the proposals in the ACMA consultation paper on “Earth Station Siting,” which is now open for comments. (Copy attached for you, but you can refer readers to this link to download their own:

The paper is couched in language of support for the satellite industry, but it proposes, essentially, to boot C-band users out of urban areas so that the frequencies can be turned over to mobile broadband systems. (C-band users are told they can put dishes in rural satellite parks, and use optical fiber to get their signals home.) The paper claims to affect only new or expanded earth stations, but let’s be honest: once the frequencies are re-farmed, anyone attempting to use a C-band dish in an urban area will get nothing but interference snow. Existing C-band dishes will be rendered useless.

Full disclosure: I’m not a disinterested party; I represent the Asian satellite industry and we think this is a lousy idea. Other frequencies exist which are better for wireless broadband, and ACMA should focus on those. CASBAA (Asian satellite and TV association) and ASTRA (Aussie pay-TV association) will be opposing this policy, but individuals who want to keep using the C-band should let ACMA – and their local politicians – know how they feel. The closing date for submissions is October 7; ACMA’s address is in the consultation paper.

If anyone knows of an Australian amateur satellite association, or other group that might be interested in making their voice heard on this, please urge them to participate in the consultation. And they can feel free to write to me at johnm@casbaa.com .

Best regards,

John Medeiros

----------------------
John Medeiros
Deputy CEO and Director of Regulatory Affairs
CASBAA | 802 Wilson House, 19-27 Wyndham St, Central, Hong Kong
T: +852 3929 1717 | F: +852 2854 9530 |

**Fernbay** · 13-09-11, 09:14 AM

I didn't think that Australia 'owned' any C band satellites.

At any extent, geosynchronous orbit isn't owned by anyone and Australia certainly have no authority over it.

Dishes in metro or regional areas only collect signal. They don't transmit it.

**tristen** · 13-09-11, 02:22 PM

The ACMA release specifically states that "Earth station siting also considers the implications of future spectrum needs of other services, particularly wireless broadband".

In this context, I understand the term, "earth station", to refer to large commercial installations, such as those used by satellite uplink/downlink operators such as Optus, Globecast Australia and Australian Satellite Services etc.

However, if the ACMA is considering the reallocation of c-band frequencies to other terrestrial services, e.g. wireless internet etc. as implied, the transmitters in use by those services will potentially cause interference to the reception of satellite-based c-band communications on identical or nearby frequencies.

In other words it has the potential to prevent people from continuing to receive interference-free c-band satellite radio and television programming, which they currently enjoy.

Some members will remember that this has happened in the past, necessitating the use of specialised filters in order to reduce the level of interference. See

**hoe** · 13-09-11, 02:28 PM

there are no australian c band services, so acma won't give a rats....

**Zbee** · 13-09-11, 02:42 PM

actually there are a number of commercial c-band based services in australia, and most are not television based, a majority are data sevices and alot of remote radio services, also there is the mormons BYU service which is c-band. in brisbane alone there are couple of major financial companies that use them...also australia is signatory to international aggreements in regards to satelite service cooperation and protection, so it could very well be an interesting situation

**viewer** · 13-09-11, 04:12 PM

This was on the drawing boards ages ago, and commenced here at this timeline nearly 2 years ago, and moved on to the earth stations. See posts 4 12 14 16 on the above link.

You needed to have a crack at putting in feedback back then...really all too late now. Topic was also covered in vetrun forum. I still get emails from the feedback site, but now just delete them as it won't affect me in my location now.

The sale of the spectrum will see lot's of useless cband dishes in metro areas

**Min** · 13-09-11, 04:19 PM

Zbee, I gave you a thanks coz you made me laugh with your new sig.

**B52** · 17-09-11, 06:43 PM

I have seen discussion papers on this as early as 2005. how to raise a few more billions etc..

No data or Telco organization will use these frequencies for direct to home or mobile. These frequencies are OK for satellite or point to point microwave. Telstar has many 4GHz MMDS currently operating in Canberra Sydney providing major communications links Throughout Australia.

Unwired at 3959Mhz has suffered badly because of transmit receive limitations. These limitation don't exist below 2.5GHz. I heard Unwired is just about defunct.

Unlike satellite the transmitting and receiving of high frequencies is extremely inefficient without parabolic antenna. You'd need many kilowatts of power at both ends. would just about fry anything that moves.