2025-06-05 · 8 min read · Regional Info
Australia's 3G shutdown in October 2024 forced every IoT device onto 4G LTE — and B28 (700 MHz) became the single most critical band for coverage. Telstra runs the largest IoT network (9,517 sites, LTE-M + NB-IoT on B28). New Zealand's three-operator market (Spark, One NZ, 2degrees) deployed nationwide LTE-M and NB-IoT, but spectrum asymmetry means 2degrees devices without B28 lose rural coverage. Both markets share the RCM certification framework, both require a local Responsible Supplier, and both added mandatory cybersecurity rules in 2025-2026.
Australia has 9,517 Telstra IoT-capable sites and 7,848 Optus sites. New Zealand has roughly 4,800 combined sites across three operators. The combined population is 32 million — smaller than California. But the geography is 8 million km², much of it uninhabited. IoT devices here face a coverage problem that dense European or Asian deployments never encounter: hundreds of kilometres between cell towers, with B28 (700 MHz) as the only band that bridges the gap.
Telstra operates Australia's largest cellular IoT network with 9,517 sites supporting LTE-M (Cat-M1) and NB-IoT, both deployed on B28 (700 MHz, 2×20 MHz allocation). Telstra's B28 allocation is the largest of any Australian carrier — 20 MHz paired spectrum — giving it the deepest rural penetration. Optus runs NB-IoT on B28 (2×10 MHz) and B5 (850 MHz) across 7,848 4G sites plus 7,369 dedicated NB-IoT sites. Optus also uses B8 (900 MHz) for LTE in regional areas — unique among Australian carriers. Vodafone (TPG) runs NB-IoT on B5 (850 MHz) across 5,527 4G sites plus 952 dedicated NB-IoT sites. Vodafone's B28 allocation (2×15 MHz) is used primarily for consumer LTE; IoT traffic shares this capacity.
The critical point for IoT module selection: B28 (700 MHz) is the only low-band deployed by all three carriers. B5 (850 MHz) is used by Telstra and Vodafone but not Optus. B8 (900 MHz) is Optus-only. A module supporting B28 + B3 + B5 covers all three carriers. Without B28, you lose rural coverage on every Australian network — the 3G shutdown in October 2024 removed the 850 MHz UMTS fallback that many older IoT devices relied on.
B28 (700 MHz): Telstra 2×20 MHz, Optus 2×10 MHz, Vodafone 2×15 MHz. Licence expires December 2029. Primary IoT band — LTE-M and NB-IoT across all carriers. B3 (1800 MHz): allocations vary by city. Telstra holds 15-40 MHz depending on region. Urban capacity layer. B1 (2100 MHz): refarmed from 3G to LTE. Vodafone holds 2×15 MHz in Sydney/Melbourne, Telstra 2×15 MHz, Optus 2×20 MHz. B5 (850 MHz): Telstra 2×10 MHz, Vodafone 2×10 MHz. Not used by Optus. Secondary IoT band for Telstra and Vodafone NB-IoT. B7 (2600 MHz): Telstra 2×50 MHz nationally. Urban/metro capacity only; not used for IoT.
Spark holds the most spectrum (330 MHz total, 70 MHz sub-1 GHz) and operates ~1,616 macro sites. Spark launched Cat-M1 on B28 (700 MHz) and B3 (1800 MHz), with NB-IoT on the same bands. Spark's IoT platform is sold through M2M One, its dedicated IoT reseller. One NZ (formerly Vodafone NZ) holds 260 MHz total (60 MHz sub-1 GHz) across ~1,759 sites. One NZ operates LTE-M and NB-IoT on B28 and B3. 2degrees holds the least spectrum (190 MHz total, 40 MHz sub-1 GHz) across ~1,448 sites. 2degrees has been progressively adding B28 to towers, but many older sites still lack it — devices without B28 on 2degrees lose coverage in rural areas. Spark covers ~85% of NZ landmass, One NZ ~80%, 2degrees ~75%.
B28 (700 MHz): Spark 20 MHz, One NZ 15 MHz, 2degrees 10 MHz. Essential for rural and indoor coverage. Primary LTE-M and NB-IoT band. B3 (1800 MHz): deployed from most urban and many rural sites by all three. Core capacity band. B1 (2100 MHz): refarmed from 3G. Spark considers it essential; One NZ and 2degrees list it as recommended. For IoT modules, B28 + B3 is the minimum viable combination. A module with B1/3/5/7/8/28 covers both Australia and New Zealand across all carriers.
Australia and New Zealand share the RCM (Regulatory Compliance Mark) framework, but with different enforcement authorities. In Australia, ACMA administers the Radiocommunications Act. For Australia: Foreign manufacturers cannot apply directly — an Australian Responsible Supplier with an ABN and physical street address is mandatory. Testing covers RF (AS/NZS 4268), EMC (AS/NZS CISPR 32), Safety (AS/NZS 62368.1), and from March 2026, cybersecurity (EN 303 645-based: no default passwords, vulnerability reporting, security updates ≥5 years). RCM mark ≥3 mm, permanently affixed. Timeline: 6-9 weeks. Cost: AUD 5,000-15,000.
For New Zealand: RSM requires a Supplier's Declaration of Conformity (SDoC). The 2025 Radiocommunications Regulations Notice updated standards. Most IoT devices are risk class A2 (test report required). RCM certification accepted under Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition — Australian RCM substantially reduces NZ compliance burden.
Roaming a European IoT SIM into Australia or New Zealand is technically straightforward — all six major carriers support inbound LTE roaming. Roaming data costs €0.50-1.50/GB vs local rates 5-10× lower. Latency penalty from hairpin routing through home PLMN: 150-300 ms round-trip (Europe→Australia) vs <30 ms local breakout. For <1 MB/month devices, roaming is acceptable. For >10 MB/month, local IMSI profiles via eUICC pay back within 2-3 months. For real-time applications, roaming is unsuitable.
1. Assuming CE or FCC certification suffices. Australia and New Zealand require RCM. 2. Missing the Australian Responsible Supplier — applications without an ABN-registered local entity are rejected. 3. Deploying modules without B28 — Australia's 3G shutdown removed 850 MHz UMTS fallback; NZ's 2degrees lacks B28 on many towers. 4. Not planning for NZ 3G sunset (Spark by 2026, One NZ & 2degrees by 2025-2026). 5. Overlooking Australia's 915-928 MHz ISM band: US 902-915 MHz configurations are illegal in Australia. 6. Ignoring the March 2026 Australian cybersecurity mandate — IoT devices without compliance documentation refused at customs.