104415_ACMA cover:Layout 1 23/9/08 9:52 AM Page A Australia’s regulator for broadcasting, the internet, radiocommunications and telecommunications www.acma.gov.au Australian AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY ANNUAL REPORT 2007–08 2007–08 REPORT ANNUAL AND MEDIA AUTHORITY COMMUNICATIONS AUSTRALIAN Communications and Media Authority Annual Report 2007–08 CANBERRA OFFICE Purple Building, Benjamin Offices Chan Street, Belconnen PO Box 78 Belconnen ACT 2616 Tel: 02 6219 5555 Fax: 02 6219 5200 MELBOURNE OFFICE Level 44, Melbourne Central Tower 360 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne PO Box 13112 Law Courts Melbourne Vic 8010 Tel: 03 9963 6800 Fax: 03 9963 6899 TTY: 03 9963 6948 SYDNEY OFFICE Level 15, Tower 1 Darling Park 201 Sussex Street, Sydney PO Box Q500 Queen Victoria Building NSW 1230 Tel: 02 9334 7700, 1800 226 667 Fax: 02 9334 7799 www.acma.gov.au _ g Australian Communications and Media Authority Annual Report 2007–08 _ g © Australian Communications and Media Authority 2008 ISSN 1834-0776 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be produced by any process without prior written permission from the Australian Communications and Media Authority. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights, and any enquiries arising from the contents of the report, should be addressed to: Manager Communications and Publishing Australian Communications and Media Authority PO Box 13112 Law Courts Melbourne Vic 8010 Telephone: (03) 9963 6800 Facsimile: (03) 9963 6899 Email: [email protected] This report is available on the ACMA website at www.acma.gov.au (go to About ACMA > Publications & research > ACMA publications > Corporate publications > Annual report). _ g Senator the Hon. Stephen Conroy Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Dear Minister In accordance with section 57(1) of the Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005, I am pleased to present the annual report on the operations of the Australian Communications and Media Authority, for the 2007–08 reporting year. Please note that section 57(3) of that Act requires that you table the report in each House of Parliament within 15 days of receiving it. Yours sincerely Chris Chapman Chairman 22 September 2008 _ g CONTENTS Chairman’s foreword..........................................................................................................................................ix Highlights...............................................................................................................................................................xi CHAPTER 1: About ACMA Functions and responsibilities ..........................................................................................................................2 Revenue collection..............................................................................................................................................2 Structure .............................................................................................................................................................3 The Authority .................................................................................................................................................3 About the Authority .......................................................................................................................................3 Corporate structure.........................................................................................................................................6 Corporate governance .......................................................................................................................................6 CHAPTER 2: Regulatory environment Regulatory functions........................................................................................................................................10 ACMA’s responses to convergence and regulatory pressures ....................................................................10 Ownership and control....................................................................................................................................10 Register of Controlled Media Groups..........................................................................................................10 Compliance with ownership and control provisions....................................................................................11 Local content................................................................................................................................................12 Broadcasting Financial Results....................................................................................................................13 Digital broadcasting.........................................................................................................................................13 Digital television ..........................................................................................................................................13 Digital radio..................................................................................................................................................14 Spectrum planning...........................................................................................................................................15 Spectrum management principles ................................................................................................................15 International activities..................................................................................................................................16 Radiocommunications..................................................................................................................................16 Space regulation ...........................................................................................................................................18 Allocation and licensing ..................................................................................................................................19 Market-based resource management............................................................................................................19 Radiocommunications licensing ..................................................................................................................19 Spectrum licensing .......................................................................................................................................20 Class licensing..............................................................................................................................................21 Broadcasting licence area plans and variations ...........................................................................................22 Broadcasting licensing .................................................................................................................................22 Telecommunications licensing.....................................................................................................................24 Telecommunications numbering ....................................................................................................................24 Numbering Plan administration ...................................................................................................................24 Numbering Advisory Committee.................................................................................................................25 Number allocations register .........................................................................................................................25 Numbering transactions................................................................................................................................25 Numbering for IP-based services.................................................................................................................26 Portability .....................................................................................................................................................27 Pre-selection .................................................................................................................................................28 Revenue and fees..............................................................................................................................................28 Numbering charges ......................................................................................................................................28 Number auctions ..........................................................................................................................................30 Carrier licensing and nominated carrier declaration charges ......................................................................30 Apparatus licence taxes................................................................................................................................31 Broadcast licence fees..................................................................................................................................31 Spectrum licence tax ....................................................................................................................................32