Thank you for your enquiry to the Digital Switchover Taskforce. I apologise for the delay in replying.
The Australian Government is taking action to facilitate a smooth transition from an analog to a digital environment
well before switchover occurs in each switchover area.
Minister’s announcement on
satellite television
services
On 5 January 2010, the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, announced that the Australian Government will fund a new digital television
satellite service for viewers who are unable to obtain adequate reception of their local digital television terrestrial
services.
The new Government-funded digital
satellite service will carry the full suite of free-to-air television channels in all regions of Australia. This will for the first time mean that people in regional and remote Australia will have access to the same number of channels as is available in capital cities. This will include channels providing Seven, Nine and Ten
services, and the related commercial digital-only channels, such as 7TWO, GO! and ONE HD. Local regional commercial news bulletins will be available via a dedicated news channel. Further details about this news channel are being developed by broadcasters and will be announced in due course.
All state-based ABC and SBS
services, including ABC2 and ABC3, SBS TWO and the new ABC 24 hour news channel, when it launches, will also be carried on the
satellite.
The Government is currently in consultation with broadcasters about arrangements to implement the new
satellite service. Further information about accessing the new service will be made available when arrangements are finalised and will be published on www.digitalready.gov.au. The
services will be available prior to switchover in your area.
The Government will provide a
satellite conversion subsidy to eligible households currently served by self-help sites that are not upgraded to digital by the broadcasters, to meet part of the cost of conversion.
On 14 April 2010, the Minister announced the agreement between the Australian Government and broadcasters
Southern Cross Media and Imparja to establish a joint venture company, Viewer Access
Satellite Television (VAST) that will provide digital
TV services to viewers in eastern Australia who cannot receive terrestrial digital
TV.
The
satellite service will be available for the Mildura/Sunraysia region as the first region to switch over to digital-only
TV on 30 June 2010.
To access the VAST service, viewers will need to purchase a new
satellite set top box with an access ‘smart card’, a
satellite dish and cabling.
The signal from the Eastern VAST service will be covering the Eastern states, South Australia and the Northern Territory. A
satellite service for Western Australia viewers is currently under negotiations.
The standard definition signal will cover two separate areas in two different time zones: (i) viewers in NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania will be provided with a common signal based on
Sydney time; and (ii) viewers in Queensland and the Northern Territory will be provided with a common signal based on
Brisbane time. The high definition signal will be a common signal provided on
Sydney time throughout the Eastern VAST.
Accordingly, the content is not State based but rather will be based on the full suite of digital channels provided by commercial licensees with some changes permitted in certain cases.
Eastern VAST viewers will be able to watch their local news through a dedicated news channel. State based ABC and SBS news
services would also be available on their respective channels.
A
satellite service for Western Australian viewers, using the same Optus platform, is currently under negotiation with the remote area commercial
TV licensees in Western Australia (Prime and WIN Television).
You can find further information about the new
satellite service for digital
TV on the Digital Ready website www.digitalready.gov.au. The Digital Ready website is available detailing updates and further information on Australia’s digital television transition as announcements are made.
The Digital Ready information line operates 7 days a week from 8am to 10pm (AEST) via a free-call number 1800 2010 13 to provide advice in relation to switchover across Australia. If you have further enquiries, please call the Digital Ready information line.
Kind regards
Digital Switchover Taskforce