Spectrum barrier to be removed to help facilitate Internet of Things

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has proposed regulatory changes which will remove a technical barrier in accessing spectrum for wireless machine-to-machine links that support the Internet of Things.

The proposed changes are to ACMA’s class licensing regime, Radiocommunications (Low Interference Potential Devices) Class Licence 2015, where a limit on the minimum bandwidth of digital modulation transmitters in the 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz bands will be removed.

The Radiocommunications Act requires all Australian radiocommunications devices to operate under a licence.

These bands support data telemetry, machine data and monitoring, sensor networks, smart metering, security systems and industrial control.

New frequency bands are also part of the proposed changes, which are 6.0–8.5 GHz, 24.05–26.5 GHz and 57–64 GHz. These are for radiodetermination transmitters for production/industrial sensors.

Other new bands include 6000–6800 MHz for in-ground ultra-wide bandwidth transmitters, and 122.25–123 GHz and 244–246 GHz for transmitters to align with European arrangements.

Building material analysis transmitters in the 2.2–8.5 GHz band are also supported.

“The proposals are a part of our work in looking at Australia’s state of readiness for IoT and identifying areas where the ACMA can further assist IoT developments,” ACMA’s chairman, Chris Chapman, said in a statement.

Submissions to the proposed changes will close on COB 26 February 2016.