Australian wi-fi boost spooks the spooks

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: Mark White <tausyankee () optusnet com au>
Date: Thu, 21 Nov 2002 14:21:29 +1000
To: dave () farber net
Subject: Australian wi-fi boost spooks the spooks

Wireless boost spooks the spooks
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/11/16/1037080963222.html
By Adam Turner November 19 2002



Federal Government plans to relax the rules for public wireless broadband
networks have spooked Australia's spies, who have told providers including
community groups they face close investigation.

The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, the Federal
Attorney-General's Department and another "law enforcement agency" are
contacting wireless providers seeking intricate details of their services,
telling them of their obligations under the Telecommunications Act.

Wireless providers who connect subscribers to the telephone network or
Internet will have to provide "technical details of the service being
offered, the customer base and distribution and roll-out plans". They will
also be informed of the "telecommunications interception warrant process",
"physical security arrangements" and "interception product delivery
arrangements".

The relaxed licensing regime, which will see the $10,000 minimum carrier
licence fee waived for wireless broadband providers using the 2.4GHz ISM
spectrum allocated to the public, is expected to spur competition.

A second-tier, free carrier licence with power restrictions is proposed for
community wireless operators in the Connecting Australia: Wireless Broadband
report.







Steven Haigh, former president of the Melbourne Wireless communitygroup, who
addressed the inquiry, welcomed the report.

"I believe there are very few issues that aren't mentioned in the report and
I am very pleased to see the inclusion of the carrier licence issue and the
recommendations for community wireless groups," Haigh said.

The report will provide key input into the deliberations of the government's
Broadband Advisory Group, said a spokesman for the Communications Minister,
Senator Richard Alston.



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