Public Safety Mobile Broadband Steering Committee
The Public Safety Mobile Broadband Steering Committee is working on the development of a new nationally-interoperable mobile broadband capability for Australia's public safety agencies.
A new high-speed mobile broadband capability will assist public safety agencies with their operations and facilitate responses to emergency situations.
The Steering Committee is working with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) as part of its review of the 805 to 890 MHz frequency band.
The ACMA has announced it has reserved 10 MHz of spectrum in the 800 MHz frequency band for public safety agencies to support the deployment of this capability. The ACMA will also make a further 50 MHz of spectrum from the 4.9 GHz frequency band available to public safety to provide very high capacity local wireless broadband.
The Steering Committee will report to the Council of Australian Governments through the Standing Council for Police and Emergency Management on the most effective and efficient way for public safety agencies to obtain a nationally-interoperable reliable and robust mobile broadband capability.
The Steering Committee is co-chaired by deputy secretaries from the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy and the Attorney-General's Department. Membership comprises senior representatives from these departments, the ACMA and state and territory public safety agencies and first minister's departments.
The Steering Committee is expected to report to the Council of Australian Governments in 2013.
The terms of reference for the Steering Committee are available from the website of the Attorney-General's Department.
More information
Fact Sheet 1: Introduction to spectrum management (PDF, 259.3 KB)
Fact Sheet 1: Introduction to spectrum management (DOC, 90.0 KB)- Fact Sheet 2: Process overview (PDF, 245.6 KB)
- Fact Sheet 2: Process overview (DOC, 76.5 KB)
- Fact Sheet 3: 700 MHz v 800 MHz - Suitability for Australian public safety use (PDF, 321.8 KB)
- Fact Sheet 3: 700 MHz v 800 MHz - Suitability for Australian public safety use (DOC, 237.0 KB)
- Fact Sheet 4: 800 MHz band spectrum - International frameworks and trends (PDF, 247.0 KB)
- Fact Sheet 4: 800 MHz band spectrum - International frameworks and trends (DOC, 78.5 KB)
- Fact Sheet 5: 800 MHz band spectrum - Long-term evolution technology (PDF, 335.3 KB)
- Fact Sheet 5: 800 MHz band spectrum - Long-term evolution technology (DOC, 81.5 KB)
- Fact Sheet 6: Equipment availability and interoperability (PDF, 320.3 KB)
- Fact Sheet 6: Equipment availability and interoperability (DOC, 74.5 KB)
- Fact Sheet 7: 800 MHz band spectrum - Review and allocation process (PDF, 248.9 KB)
- Fact Sheet 7: 800 MHz band spectrum - Review and allocation process (DOC, 78.0 KB)
To assist the Steering Committee's deliberations, the Department commissioned a report from the Institute for a Broadband-Enabled Society on the broadband communications avenues available to public safety agencies. The report can be accessed via this link:
