The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) announced it will hold three sequential auctions in late November to sell spectrum across the 1.8GHz, 2GHz, 2.3GHz and 3.4GHz bands.
According to a 78-page guide for the multiband residual lots auction, ACMA will sell 39 lots of spectrum in total.
All lots in the 1.8GHz band and three 2x10MHz lots in the 2GHz band will be sold in the first stage, while six 2x5MHz lots in the 2GHz band will be offered in the second. The third stage will sell all the lots in the 2.3GHz and 3.4GHz bands.
There is a 25MHz spectrum limit for the 1.8GHz band.
Spectrum unallocated after previous allotments will be put up for sale, while a batch of spectrum in the 2GHz band in the Canberra region, which was recently designated for spectrum licensing for the first time, will also be sold.
Interested parties must submit applications by 27 October. Mock auctions will be held in early November, after which the regulator will notify the bidders of the start date and time of the first and second rounds of the online auction.
The ACMA set a tentative auction start date of 28 November.
Spectrum allocations are available in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia. No spectrum is being sold for South Australia or the Northern Territory.
Four Australian operators spent AUD543.5 million ($385 million based on exchange rates at the time) in an auction for 1.8GHz spectrum in 12 regions in February 2016. Singtel-owned Optus spent AUD196 million while market leader Telstra invested AUD191 million in airwaves in all regions. TPG Internet paid AUD88 million for its spectrum, and Vodafone Hutchison spent AUD68 million.
Source: https://www.mobileworldlive.com/asia/asia-news/acma-sets-timeline-for-multiband-spectrum-auction/