Australian government to adopt European DAB standard

Australia's Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan, today announced a framework to guide the introduction of digital radio in Australia.

"As radio is the only mainstream broadcasting platform to remain analogue-only, and with increasing competition from new digital platforms such as the Internet and mobile phones, the radio industry needs the certainty to plan and promote the potential benefits of digital radio," Senator Coonan said.

"The Government has consulted widely on the proposed introduction of digital radio and the input of a range of stakeholders has been useful in designing a suitable framework," Senator Coonan said. "Of course, the views of incumbent commercial broadcasters, whose brand recognition, significant investment and support will be vital to the success of digital radio in Australia, have been taken into account. International experience shows that digital radio will supplement existing analogue radio services for a considerable period, and may never be a complete replacement. Accordingly, the Government’s framework has been built around digital radio being a supplement to existing services in Australia rather a replacement technology, as it is in television."

Therefore there will be a staged rollout of digital radio in Australia commencing in metropolitan areas as soon as practicable. The Government will urge broadcasters to commence trials of digital radio in regional areas, so technical and other issues can be resolved. The Government will then consider what financial support is necessary to expand digital radio services to rural and regional Australians.

Under the framework, Australia will implement terrestrial digital radio based upon European Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) Standards, also known as Eureka 147. The commercial, national and wide-coverage community broadcasters currently operating in the broadcasting services bands (BSB) in those areas will have the opportunity to participate and will share the available digital spectrum.

"Consistent with the Government’s 2004 election commitment, there will be a moratorium on the allocation of new BSB commercial radio licences. This moratorium will be for six years from the commencement of the first digital broadcasts," Senator Coonan said. "While this moratorium will preclude new commercial entrants to the BSB in digital for the period of the moratorium, there will be no new restrictions on current or potential commercial digital radio services operating outside the BSB. The Government will continue to work with industry stakeholders to develop the necessary legislative and planning structures to implement this framework."

Other elements of the framework include dedicated spectrum for the two national broadcasters, a guaranteed minimum level of broadcast capacity to incumbent commercial broadcasters (more spectrum will be available if new services are offered), guaranteed access to the digital platform for wide-area community broadcasters, no simulcast requirement and a first right of refusal to broadcasters to control the multiplex and hold relevant spectrum for a nominal administration cost.

More technical details on this page

Source: Media Network

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