The Australian government will hold a 5G auction in November for spectrum in the 3.6-GHz band.
Regulator the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) plans to auction 125 MHz of spectrum in the band, divided into 350 lots across 14 regions.
The reserve price will be $0.08 per MHz per population in metro areas, and $0.03 per MHz per population in regional areas.
The format will be a simultaneous multi-round ascending auction. Operators will have until the end of the month to apply to take part in the bidding.
Australia's communications minister Mitch Fifield has previously declared that operators will be limited to acquiring 60 MHz of spectrum in urban markets and 80 MHz in regional areas.
“As a key enabler of the digital economy, the 3.6-GHz spectrum will ensure Australia is well-placed to realise the benefits of 5G. Timely release of 5G-compatible spectrum will facilitate the early delivery of next generation 5G services to the Australian public and industry’ ACMA chair Nerida O’Loughlin said in a statement announcing the parameters of the spectrum auction.
‘The ACMA has designed an auction process—including starting prices—that aims to maximize efficiency, competitive outcomes and the full utility of this spectrum for 5G’ said Ms O’Loughlin.