Telstra invests $386m to secure 30-80MHz nationwide in 5G spectrum auction
By Andrew PennDecember 10, 2018
Following our announcement of 5G world and Australian firsts last week, today we have secured between 30-80 MHz nationwide in the 3.6 GHz spectrum auction held by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The 3.6 GHz spectrum is important as it is to be used globally for 5G.
This investment of $386m will support our national 5G rollout, and adds to the momentum we are building to bring 5G services to Australians in both cities and regional areas in the new year.
Combined with existing holdings, Telstra now has 60 MHz of contiguous 5G spectrum in all major capital cities and between 50-80 MHz of contiguous 5G spectrum in all regional areas.
While these licenses won’t come into effect until March 2020, we are working with the ACMA to enable early access where it is suitable to do so, to ramp-up our roll out plan for 5G in the first half of next year.
Securing this spectrum dramatically increases the speeds we will be able to offer and puts us in a competitive position in all markets, including Sydney and Melbourne, with site rollout to extend to these cities as soon as access to the new spectrum is available.
Our aim, just as we were with 3G and 4G, is to be Australia’s leading 5G provider, through the culmination of an $8 billion investment over the five years to 30 June 2019 to enhance the capacity, capability and reach of Telstra’s mobile network. We have already switched on 130 5G-enabled sites across Australia and plan to have a total of 200 sites by the end of 2018.
We’re also leading the way in working with suppliers and international standard bodies to develop the 5G ecosystem, driven through our 5G Innovation Centre on the Gold Coast, which was the setting last week for Australia’s first 5G to 5G video call.
Last week also saw the unveiling of the world’s first connection of a 5G mid-band commercial device – the HTC 5G Hub mobile smart device. This device is expected to be one of the first commercial 5G devices available to Telstra customers in 2019 and the connection of the device brings Telstra a significant step closer to putting 5G devices in the hands of Australians.
Andy Penn became the CEO and Managing Director of Telstra, Australia’s largest telecommunications company, on 1 May 2015. At Telstra, Andy is leading an ambitious change program transforming the business to be positioned to compete in the radically changing technology world of the future with 5G at its core. Andy has had an extensive career spanning 40 years across 3 different industries - telecommunications, financial services and shipping. He joined Telstra in 2012 as Chief Financial Officer. In 2014 he took on the additional responsibilities as Group Executive International.
Prior to Telstra, Andy spent 23 years with the AXA Group, one of the world’s largest insurance and investment groups. His time at AXA included the roles of Chief Executive Officer 2006-2011 AXA Asia Pacific Holdings, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Executive Asia and Chief Executive Australia and New Zealand. At AXA, Andy was instrumental in building one of the most successful Asian businesses by an Australian company that was sold to its parent in 2011 for more than A$10bn.
Other directorships & appointments: Member of the Council of Trustees of the National Gallery of Victoria; Board Director of the Groupe Speciale Mobile Association (GSMA); Chairman of the Australian Government’s Cyber Industry Advisory Panel, created to guide development of Australia’s 2020 Cyber Security Strategy; Patron, on behalf of Telstra, of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Awards (NATSIAA); Life Governor of Very Special Kids and an Ambassador for the Amy Gillett Foundation. He serves on the advisory boards of both The Big Issue Home for Homes and JDRF.
Recognition and qualifications: MBA (Kingston), AMP (Harvard), FCCA, HFAIPM. Andy has a national diploma in business studies (with distinction), is a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants, holds an MBA from Kingston University and is a graduate of Harvard’s Advanced Management Program. In 2008 Andy was recognised as Insurance Executive of the year in the Australian Banking and Finance Awards and in 2016 he was made an honorary fellow of the Australian Institute of Project Management. In 2018 Andy was named by the Financial Times among the top 10 male leaders globally HERoes list supporting women in business. In 2019 he was named by the Australian Financial Review as among the top 10 most powerful people in business.
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