Australia - Regulation and Spectrum - History
13.08.2015
Key features of the current regulation for digital radio in metropolitan Australia are:
- Band III
- No cost for spectrum or licences while analogue is operating
- 128 kb per existing commercial/private analogue station
- No end date for licences
- Commercial broadcasters have their own multiplexes in each of the current five large markets
- Public service broadcasters have their own multiplex
- First option for broadcasters – not a third party – to own the licence for the multiplex
- No new DAB+ only operators for six years from date of switch on in each market
- No format restrictions for existing operators or limits on new DAB+ only stations on what they can offer
- No restriction on amount of data allowed
- No analogue switch off date agreed as yet
- In smaller regions, it may be that public service and commercial broadcasters share a multiplex to keep costs down
- 11 on-channel repeaters are licenced and rollout commenced.
The Federal Government has allocated 14 megahertz of spectrum in the VHF Band III 3 channels of which are used in the capital cities and the remaining 8 will be planned for the rollout of DAB+ digital radio to regional areas. The ACMA has completed a restack of Band III and UHF spectrum following the switch off of analogue television at the end of 2013.
As part of the Minister’s recommended Joint Digital Radio Planning Group, CRA is working with the public and community broadcasters, the Department of Communications and the the regulatory body ACMA a to enable the most cost effective and most efficient use of the available spectrum for the regional rollout of DAB+ digital radio.
The current regulatory framework in the five state metropolitan capitals allocates each incumbent broadcaster with permanent DAB+ services an entitlement to a minimum of 128kbit/s (1/9 multiplex) and a maximum of 256kbit/s (1/5 multiplex). Given the likelihood of shared multiplexes in regional Australia, these allocations may change in the first phase of regional rollout to accommodate a single shared multiplex.
23.01.2015
Key features of the current regulation for digital radio in metropolitan Australia are:
- Band III
- No cost for spectrum or licences while analogue is operating
- 128 kb per existing commercial/private analogue station
- No end date for licences
- Commercial broadcasters have their own multiplexes in each of the current five large markets
- Public service broadcasters have their own multiplex
- First option for broadcasters – not a third party – to own the licence for the multiplex
- No new DAB+ only operators for six years from date of switch on in each market
- No format restrictions for existing operators or limits on new DAB+ only stations on what they can offer
- No restriction on amount of data allowed
- No analogue switch off date agreed as yet
- In smaller regions, it may be that public service and commercial broadcasters share a multiplex to keep costs down
- 11 on-channel repeaters are licenced and rollout commenced.
SPECTRUM
The Federal Government has allocated 14 megahertz of spectrum in the VHF Band III for the rollout of DAB+ digital radio to regional areas. The ACMA is planning to implement a restack of spectrum following the switch off of analogue television at the end of 2013. CRA is working with the regulatory body ACMA and the television industry on the restack of spectrum following the switchoff of analogue television in 2013, to enable the best and most efficient use of the available spectrum for the regional rollout of DAB+ digital radio.
Each incumbent broadcaster in the five state metropolitan capitals with permanent DAB+ services has an entitlement to a minimum of 128kbit/s (1/9 multiplex) and a maximum of 256kbit/s (1/5 multiplex).
15.10.2014
Key features of the current regulation for digital radio in metropolitan Australia are:
- Band III
- No cost for spectrum or licences while analogue is operating
- 128 kb per existing commercial/private analogue station
- No end date for licences
- Commercial broadcasters have their own multiplexes in each of the current five large markets
- Public service broadcasters have their own multiplex
- First option for broadcasters – not a third party – to own the licence for the multiplex
- No new DAB+ only operators for six years from date of switchonin each market
- No format restrictions for existing operators or limits on new DAB+ only stations on what they can offer
- No restriction on amount of data allowedNo analogue switch off date agreed as yet
- In smaller regions, it may be that public service and commercial broadcasters share a multiplex to keep costs down
- 11 on-channel repeaters are licenced and rollout commenced.
SPECTRUM
The Federal Government has allocated 14 megahertz of spectrum in the VHF Band III for the rollout of DAB+ digital radio to regional areas. The ACMA is planning to implement a restack of spectrum following the switch off of analogue television at the end of 2013. CRA is working with the regulatory body ACMA and the television industry on the restack of spectrum following the switchoff of analogue television in 2013, to enable the best and most efficient use of the available spectrum for the regional rollout of DAB+ digital radio.
Each incumbent broadcaster in the five state metropolitan capitals with permanent DAB+ services has an entitlement to a minimum of 128kbit/s (1/9 multiplex) and a maximum of 256kbit/s (1/5 multiplex).