Australia - Current situation - History

03.08.2011

A year after launching DAB+ services in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, Commercial Radio Australia reported more than half-a-million people are listening to digital radio in an average week and more than three times the predicted number of digital radio sets in the market at over 160,000. Each market boasts up to 20 new, digital only stations on air. All services have text and slideshow data included in the broadcasts – with many stations having track now playing, news and weather information, as well as advertisements in their slideshow broadcasts. At least one ensemble in each city is broadcasting an EPG – with the other ensembles expected to follow within the next twelve months. In addition DAB+ regional trials have commenced in Canberra and Darwin and a trial is planned for a retransmission of the Canberra services inside Parliament House. 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+. 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. To date, broadcasters have invested more than $50 million dollars on the DAB+ infrastructure and in excess of $24m in on air promotion. Australia has hosted a number of study tours for regional neighbours to encourage the take up of DAB+ in the Asia Pacific region. The Australian radio industry has implemented digital radio using the DAB+ standard in five major cities and intends to roll put DAB+ to all population centres outside of the metropolitan areas. In the future, after full planning has been completed for national Band III DAB+ rollout, the industry is anticipating reviewing the use of DRM for wide and isolated area digital radio coverage. The industry's first priority is the roll out of DAB+ nationally using Band III spectrum.

16.09.2010
A year after launching DAB+ services in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, Commercial Radio Australia reported more than half-a-million people are listening to digital radio in an average week and more than three times the predicted number of digital radio sets in the market at over 160,000. Each market boasts up to 20 new, digital only stations on air. All services have text and slideshow data included in the broadcasts – with many stations having track now playing, news and weather information, as well as advertisements in their slideshow broadcasts. At least one ensemble in each city is broadcasting an EPG – with the other ensembles expected to follow within the next twelve months. In addition DAB+ regional trials have commenced in Canberra and Darwin and a trial is planned for a retransmission of the Canberra services inside Parliament House. 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+. 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. To date, broadcasters have invested more than $50 million dollars on the DAB+ infrastructure and in excess of $24m in on air promotion. Australia has hosted a number of study tours for regional neighbours to encourage the take up of DAB+ in the Asia Pacific region. The Australian radio industry has implemented digital radio using the DAB+ standard in five major cities and intends to roll put DAB+ to all population centres outside of the metropolitan areas. In the future, after full planning has been completed for national Band III DAB+ rollout, the industry is anticipating reviewing the use of DRM for wide and isolated area digital radio coverage. The industry's first priority is the roll out of DAB+ nationally using Band III spectrum.
08.09.2010

A year after launching DAB+ services in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, Commercial Radio Australia reported more than half-a-million people  listening to digital radio in an average week and three times the predicted number of digital radio sets in the market at nearly 150,000.  Each market boasts up to 20 new, digital only stations on air. 

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+. 

While the Australian radio industry has implemented digital radio using the DAB+ standard, this may be supplemented by the use of DRM in rural and regional areas in the future.  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.  To date, broadcasters have invested more than $50 million dollars on the DAB+ infrastructure and in excess of $24m in on air promotion. Australia is also working with other Asia Pacific countries to encourage the take up of DAB+.