Telstra invests $386m to secure 30-80MHz nationwide in 5G spectrum auction
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.
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The Author
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 Telstra 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 AXA Asia Pacific Holdings, part of 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, Chief Financial Officer 2000-2002, 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. Outside of work Andy has a deep passion for the visual arts. He is Patron, on behalf of Telstra, of the National and Torres Straights Islanders Arts Awards (NATSIAA) and he paints in his spare time. Andy is also active in supporting community and social causes. He is Life Governor of Very Special Kids and an Ambassador for the Amy Gillet Foundation. He serves on the advisory boards of both The Big Issue Home for Homes and JDRF. In 2018 he was voted by the Financial Times number 8 in the top 50 male leaders globally in their HEREOS champions of women in leadership report.