Population:	20.6 million
Coverage:	15%
Services:	20 DAB, 5 DAB+, 2 Data

Last update: 19-01-2008

The Australian Government passed legislation on 10th May 2007 to enable the launch of digital radio in Australia. The legislation enables incumbent commercial, national and wide-coverage community radio broadcasters to provide digital radio services on DAB+.  However there is a "use it or lose it" start up deadline which requires broadcasters to launch at some point between January and July 2009.

The Australian radio industry plans to implement digital radio using the DAB+ standard. This may be supplemented by the use of DRM in rural and regional areas in the future and the Australian commercial radio industry has pledged to invest up to $400 million over the coming years to roll out digital radio across the country.  Australia is also working with other Asia Pacific countries to encourage the take up of DAB+.

Key tenders for the infrastructure build (site access, transmitters, multiplexers, system integration, project management) were awarded in mid-2008.

Australia's DAB+ broadcasts will begin in its major state capital cities in early 2009.   DAB+ services will commence on all commercial and national public radio stations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth - with other cities and regions to roll out after this phase is complete.

The industry is currently working with the broadcast regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), to ensure best possible coverage of each city for the launch.  Planning is based on achieving robust indoor coverage using VHF Band III spectrum.

In this country there are

• Regional multiplexes: 4 Trial

It is expected that these trial services will remain on air until the official switch on in early 2009.  Many incumbent broadcasters are likely to multichannel during the first phase of permanent DAB+ roll out. All trial services have dynamic scrolling text, one has dynamic broadcast slideshow, others have slide carousels. Ten services have electronic programme guides (EPGs).

Broadcasters are encouraging manufacturers, retailers and car manufacturers to have a broad range of DAB+ receivers with screens available for sale by Christmas 2008.

The first DAB+ trials started in Australia on 1st July 2007. Prior to this, Australian broadcasters had conducted DAB trials in Sydney on L-band since 1998 and on VHF Band III since 2003. A single high-powered Band III transmission, and two L-band cells to the west and north of Sydney, provided around 80% population coverage.

There have, in the past, also been DMB trials in Australia but at the present time there is no clear view on where the mobile TV market will go.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority is the regulatory and licensing authority. There are currently no regulations on coverage requirements, but there is a quota for Australian music and video services are prohibited.

Other key points of the digital radio legislation in Australia are that there is no cost for the spectrum for incumbent commercial broadcasters and no new entrants are allowed for six years from the start date. First right of refusal will be given to commercial radio broadcaster consortiums to operate multiplexes. There will be an entitlement to a minimum of 128kbit/s (1/9 multiplex) and a maximum of 256kbit/s (1/5 multiplex). To gain spectrum efficiencies, Australia is endorsing the use of the new high efficiency codec DAB+. Finally, there will be a commitment to assist regional commercial radio broadcasters at the time of rollout.