Digital TV in Australia

Jumplinks

• Digital TV in Australia
• What forms of access are there on  digital TV?
• The switch off will impact some more than others 
• Digital TV overseas
  

Digital TV in Australia 

Digital television started in Australia on 1 January 2001 and has been progressively made available in different areas since then.  The introduction of digital television means that analog television will be switched off in Australia, similar to the planned switchover to digital only television in other parts of the world (see below for more information on what is happening in the UK and USA). 

The switchover to digital television in Australia is being overseen by the Digital Taskforce, which has been set up within the Federal Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. This taskforce is being headed up by Andy Townend (former head of Digital Australia and senior executive from Digital UK). The taskforce will work in consultation with an Industry Advisory Committee who will endeavour to provide dependable information on digital equipment.

The Taskforce has a website which includes a comprehensive timetable for digital switchover in Australia. Mildura/Sunraysia in Victoria will be the first region where the analogue signal will be switched off, and this will take place between 1 January and 30 June 2010. This will be followed by:

1 July – 31 December 2010            Regional South Australia

1 January – 30 June 2011               The remainder of regional Victoria

1 July – 31 December 2011            Regional Queensland

1 January – 31 December 2012     Regional NSW

1 January – 30 June 2013               Tasmania, Perth, Brisbane

1 July – 31 December 2013            Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, Darwin, remote central and Eastern Australia, regional and remote Western Australia           

For more information, see the Digital Taskforce website.

What forms of access are there on digital television?

Digital television broadcasts closed captions, including on some additional programming (such as ABC2). For more information about regulations covering which programs need to be captioned refer to our legislation and policy page.

All digital television receivers (including set-top boxes) that comply with Australian Standard 4933 must decode and display captions. Please refer to our equipment page for information on this.

There is no audio description on digital television and no plans at this stage to include audio description.

The switch off will impact some more than others.

The switch off of analog television will impact everybody, but will have the greatest impact on certain groups of people. This will include people with disabilities, older people, people living in rural and remote areas, people from a non-English speaking background and people on a low income. Overall, this represents about 20% of the population.

Results of an investigation by the Australian Communication and Media Authority found that a lack of information and the perceived costs of upgrading were two of the primary reasons for failing to adopt digital technology. MAA is helping to address these, and other, issues faced by disadvantaged and disabled consumers by working with Government, television stations, equipment suppliers and service providers, community organisations and others to ensure that the needs of vulnerable people are being considered. This includes the planning of the switch off, the promotion of the switch off, education about how this happens, research on the specific needs of different groups of people and any financial assistance that may be required.

On 26th March 2008, Stephen Conroy announced the government's strategy to ensure the viability of the proposed digital switchover. As part of this strategy the government is creating a Digital Tracker, MAA hopes that this will include an examination of disadvantaged and disabled consumers.

MAA is also monitoring what is happening in other countries where the switch off has commenced or is scheduled, particularly the UK and USA. Basic information about what is happening in those countries and links to more specific information are included in this section.

What is happening overseas?

United Kingdom

The analog switch off has commenced in the UK, it started in Cumbria in the north of England in October 2007. It will gradually move from region-to-region, finishing in London in 2012.

The UK agency Digital UK, in partnership with the regulator OFCOM, has undertaken research targeting vulnerable people and how they will be affected by analog switch off. The research study found that:

• Disabled, older, isolated, low income consumers are heavy viewers of television
• Just because people are disabled or elderly, didn’t mean that they automatically needed help
• Most people didn’t need much help beyond information and better understanding of the process
• Family members and social service agencies are key supporters
• All said that they had an expectation that the Government would look after them, but they didn’t specify what that meant.
  

Digital UK has also developed some specialist promotions that educate consumers about analog switch off and also take into account the needs of the vulnerable.

One promotion is the recruitment of “Digi Pals”. These are volunteers who are trained in the basics of how digital television works and are able to help consumers.

                         

Digital UK has also used on-screen open captions broadcast in the areas that are about to be switched off, in the months leading up to the switch off of analog television. These warn people that analog switch off is going to happen in their area and gives them some options of how they can access digital services.

                              

The United Kingdom has also rolled out a digital equipment support scheme. This is designed to assist people on social security benefits related to disability, blind people and anyone aged 75 years or older. Some of these groups get free assistance, others have to pay £40. The assistance covers a set-top box or subsidy for a digital television/Sky equipment and aerial (where needed).

More information can be found on Digital UK’s website.

United States of America

The Americans took a very different approach to digital television with a fixed analog switch off date. This was originally set for 17 February 2009, but was delayed to 12 June 2009.

Another difference is that industry was expected to do most of the promotional work with the regulator, the FCC, providing oversight and downloadable advice, graphics and other information. This is covered in a dedicated website.

Initially there was no consideration of the needs of particular people, including vulnerable people, but that was addressed after some extensive lobbying from consumer groups (including COAT – Coalition of Organisations for Accessible Technology). The FCC organised a series of workshops and meetings covering each of the vulnerable groups. A general workshop was held on 25 September 2007 and then follow up special meetings commenced with seniors in November 2007.

The equipment assistance scheme has an allocation of US$1.5 billion (bearing in mind a population of 300 million) which is available to everybody, not just disadvantaged people. The scheme takes the form of two coupons of US$40 each which can be used to purchase eligible set top box converters through certified retailers. Only one coupon is allowed per box and they cannot be used for any other equipment. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration coupon scheme started on 1 January 2008.

For receivers to be eligible for the coupon program they must meet some fairly stringent rules.  NTIA has determined that the receivers must be independently tested and that the results of these tests and a sample of the receiver is provided to the NTIA.

The NTIA has also entered into an agreement with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to allow the FCC to review any test results and undertake separate testing if desired. 

The coupon program includes tracking and other security components to ensure that only approved converter boxes are eligible for the scheme (which must include closed captioning decoding capability).