There are two main types of licensing requirements which are relevant to users of Wireless Lan equipment, these are:
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is responsible for the regulation of broadcasting, radiocommunications, telecommunications and online content.
Relevant documents from the ACMA can be found on their website.
The ACMA management approach to bands used by 900Mhz, 2.4Ghz and 5.8Ghz Wireless LAN devices relies mainly on a 'public park' concept which applies equally to all users of the spectrum both community and commercial operations alike.
With the 'public park' concept, it is possible for the ACMA to adopt a regulatory approach that allows users to share spectrum without formal frequency coordination between users.
Under the 'public park' concept, the planning objective is for all users to be able to access a small portion of the total resource and to share that resource in a way that requires on minimal regulatory intervention.
Such sharing usually requires the power of these devices to be kept well down. This approach avoids the need for ongoing individual frequency co-ordinations and the registering of technical details and locations of equipment for each new user, as is the case with licensed frequencies.
So access to the band by all potential users is then relatively unconstrained. However as the locations of users are not coordinated or registered, operations in 'public park' bands do not carry guarantees of interference-free operation.
The use of a 'public park' approach is administratively efficient and gives great freedom to users, but the price of this freedom is increased risk of interference.
Under the ACMA Radiocommunications (Low Interference Potential Devices) Class Licence 2000, all users operating in the same spectrum segment on a shared basis are subject to the same conditions. A class licence governs the frequencies that may be used, commonly prescribes equipment standards, and may specify other technical and operational parameters.
The following is only a guide to the power and frequency that is allowable for Wireless LAN equipment. Please consult the ACMA Website for more information.
| Item | Frequency Mhz | EIRP |
| 44 | 5150–5250 | 200mW |
| 44A | 5250–5350 | 200 mW |
| 45 | 915–928 | 1W |
| 45A | 2400–2483.5 | 4W |
| 45B | 5725–5850 | 4W |
| 46 | 5470–5725 | 1 W |
Please Note:The EIRP Power is the maximum equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP) e.g. the output power of AP increased by antenna gain.
The Air-Stream Network falls within the meaning of 'exempt network' under subsection 34 (3) of the Telecommunications Act 1997, the owner of the exempt network is not required to hold a carrier licence.
An exempt network includes a WLAN that is used for the sole purpose of supplying carriage services on a non-commercial basis.
The reference to sole purpose means that not only must it be shown that the network is used for supplying carriage services on a non-commercial basis, but that it is used only for that purpose.
It is the use of the network to supply carriage services that must be solely non-commercial.
The specific information relating to Air-Stream users is WLANs – licensing requirements