Issue No 13: 20 June 2019

ACOMMS 2019 - Book your seats now!

www.acomms.com.au 

* Shortlisted Finalists Announced: Thursday 4 July
* ACOMM Awards Dinner & Winners Announced: Thursday 15 August  

Visit the 2018 ACOMMS photo gallery here and highlights video here. And see the 2018 winners here.

Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code – Save the Date

The ACMA is considering the revised TCP Code for registration, following which RSPs will have one month to become compliant with the new Code.
In anticipation of registration, Communications Alliance is planning a Comms Essentials event for:

Wednesday 3 July, 9:00 – 11:30

Locations in Sydney and Melbourne, with the option to dial in.

Further details will follow upon confirmation of Code registration.

For questions, or to express interest, please send an email to info@commsalliance.com.au.

Communications Alliance Submission on the Australian AI Ethics Framework

Communications Alliance has made a submission to the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science Discussion Paper regarding an Artificial Intelligence, Australia’s Ethics Framework.

The submission commends the Department for undertaking the initiative and for providing a useful summary of existing domestic law and regulation as it pertains to AI, as well as international frameworks.

The submission also raises a number of general issues for further consideration, including:

• the broad definition of AI, which is likely to include applications that may not be required to be subject to an AI framework;
• the limitations of the framework as only pertaining to civilian AI, noting that the use and abuse of AI in a military context and outside any ethical considerations pose a significant risk;
• the difficulties of formulating principles that can be translated into useable and adaptable tools across a multitude of scenarios poses real challenges, and, consequently, concerns with some of the proposed core principles and the tool kit; and
• the need to carefully analyse existing frameworks and regulations and how those might accommodate evolving new technologies rather than defaulting to the creation of new regulatory frameworks which may be adding unnecessary complexity and cost.

Communications Alliance SSWG Submission on the ACMA Consultation Paper on the Introduction of 112 MHz channels for fixed point-to-point links in the 38 GHz band

The Satellite Services Working Group (SSWG) submission argues that the consultation on the 38 GHz band forms an integral element of the replanning process in the 28 GHz band and that it is key to a successful outcome for the future of the 28 GHz band.

The SSWG regards the proposals put forward by the ACMA in the Consultation Paper as sensible, and believes that their implementation will contribute to the highest value use of spectrum.

The SSWG supports the 112 MHz channel arrangements proposed by the ACMA together with the grandfathering of lower capacity channels. It argues that the 100 MHz channels may also attract the interest of the IMT community in the broader sense of the 37 – 43.5 GHz range of frequencies. Therefore, developments in this band, taken together with the 26 GHz and 28 GHz bands, should be seen as interchangeable and holistic, leaving the 28 GHz band to develop with satellite broadband services and enhanced satellite mobility.

Communications Alliance SSWG submission on the ACMA Consultation Paper Draft spectrum reallocation recommendation for the 26GHz band in cities and regional centres

The Satellite Services Working Group (SSWG) submission provides some high-level comments on the proposed re-allocation, including:

• The SSWG notes that WRC-19 has yet to deliberate on the IMT future of the 24.25-27.5 GHz band while the ACMA appears to be proceeding on the presumption that no changes will be made in this area at the Conference in October/November 2019. The Group notes that also the 37-43.5 GHz band will be considered by the Conference for IMT identification and that a more holistic appreciation of the interchangeability between these bands may present itself.
• The SSWG feels that not enough is known yet about the proposals for a new ‘spectrum-space apparatus licence’ and whether this will or should influence the choice of licence types.
• With regard to lots and lot configuration, the SSWG agrees with the options proposed by the ACMA, as the substitutability accretion of lot sizes of 100 MHz would encourage a greater diversity of spectrum participants (Option 1), and the geographic areas (Option 2) recommended by the ACMA would better suit the industry needs which the satellite operators are more accustomed to.

AgileAus Conference 25-26 June 2019

The 11th annual AgileAus Conference is happening this month - on 25-26 June 2019 at the Hilton Sydney!

Learn alongside 1000+ of your peers from ABC, ASX, ATO, Bank of Queensland, Barnardos Australia, BPAY, Campaign Monitor, Carsales.com.au, CHOICE, Cochlear, CommBank, Dept of Defence, Dept of Industry, Innovation and Science, DTA, ERM Power, MYER, MYOB, nbn, NRMA, PSBA, RAC Insurance, ResMed, SBS, Siteminder, Sunsuper, TAL, Telstra, Virtual Gaming Worlds, Westpac and many more organisations seeking the Agile mindset!

For the full program and more about AgileAus2019 please visit: http://agileaustralia.com.au/2019/ or download the flyer here: http://agileaustralia.com.au/pdf/2019/agileaus-2019-flyer.pdf

Special 10% discount for CA members – email info@commsalliance.com.au for code.