The Australian Media and Communications Authority has announced it has released the first tranche of spectrum pricing review reforms. They will come into effect on Monday 12 July 2021.
The reforms include:
- A reduction of tax rates for services above 5 GHz. This excludes area-wide licences and other licence types not covered by the apparatus licence tax formula.
- Introduction of a ‘systems price’ for co-located earth stations authorised under the same licence.
- Introduction of an additional price discount for ‘micro’ land-mobile services.
ACMA says after considering submissions to the response paper, it decided to alter the first tranche of reform proposals by further reducing tax rates for services above 5GHz, as advocated in the submissions.
For the >5 to 8.5 GHz band, the Authority has reduced tax rates by 50 per cent (instead of 25 per cent). In the >8.5 to 14.5 GHz (‘Ku Band’) frequency range, the Authority has reduced tax rates by 90 per cent (instead of 50 per cent).
For licensees who have renewals that fall due on or after Monday 12 July 2021, the value of their taxes will reflect the new taxes and may be different from the indicative value shown in your validation notice. An updated apparatus licence fee schedule will be published in July.
Licensees who may be eligible for the earth station system price, or the ‘micro’ land mobile service discount, are urged to speak with their accredited person.
ACMA says it expects to release a consultation paper on a second tranche of SPR reforms later in 2021.
Visit https://www.acma.gov.au