ACMA - Timeline

Date	Event
31 Dec 2013	Analog switch-off to be completed across all regions of Australia. Melbourne, Adelaide Sydney and Gosford to switchover - www.digitalready.gov.au/rolloutmap.aspx
2^nd Half 2013	Regional and Remote Western Australia, Remote Central and Eastern Australia to switchover - www.digitalready.gov.au/rolloutmap.aspx
30 June 2013	Perth, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Noosa to switchover - www.digitalready.gov.au/rolloutmap.aspx
1^st Half 2013	Hobart, Launceston and King Island to switchover - www.digitalready.gov.au/rolloutmap.aspx
27 November 2012	North West Slopes and Plains, Richmond/Tweed, Northern Rivers and Hunter to switchover - www.digitalready.gov.au/rolloutmap.aspx
5 June 2012	Griffith/Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, South West Slopes and Eastern Riverina, Illawarra and the South Coast, Central Tablelands and Central Western Slopes, ACT and Southern Tablelands to switchover - www.digitalready.gov.au/rolloutmap.aspx
6 Dec 2011	Wide Bay, Capricornia, QLD Central Coast and Whitsundays, Darling Downs, North Queensland, Far North Queensland to switchover - www.digitalready.gov.au/rolloutmap.aspx
5 May 2011	Gippsland, North Central Victoria, South West Victoria, Goulburn Valley/Upper Murray to switchover - www.digitalready.gov.au/rolloutmap.aspx
4 Feb 2011	On the basis of the technical standard determined by the ACMA on 28 July 2010, all digital television receivers sold in Australia from 4 February 2011 must include a parental lock capability
15 Dec 2010	Start date for the VAST service in Eastern Australia Regional SA and Broken Hill, Riverland, Mt Gambier/South East South Australia and Spencer Gulf to switchover - www.digitalready.gov.au/rolloutmap.aspx
30 Jun 2010 to 31 Dec 2013	Region-by-region switch-off of analog broadcasting to begin in the Mildura/Sunraysia region of Victoria on 30 June 2010
11 Jun 2009	Commencement of digital transmission in Regional and Remote Western Australia TV1 and South West Great Southern TV1 licence areas in remote WA
2 Jun 2009	The ACMA publishes electronic program guide principles to improve the completeness and accuracy of EPG services provided by digital free-to-air television broadcasters – and begins publication of quarterly reports on broadcaster performance against the principles
22 Apr 2009	Commencement of digital transmissions in Western Zone TV1, Geraldton TV1 and Kalgoorlie TV1 licence areas in remote WA
19 Oct 2008	Minister announces digital television switchover timetable
2005	Reviews to be finalised by Minister Simulcast requirements Subscription Television Simulcast Period Spectrum Efficiency Use of all parts of Spectrum
1 Jan 2003	High-definition programming quotas come into effect Networks in metropolitan areas required to broadcast at least 20 hours of high definition programming per week
1 Jan 2001 to 1 Jan 2004	Commencement of Digital Transmissions in Regional Areas
1 Jan 2001	Commencement of Digital Transmissions in Metropolitan Areas 5 mainland capital cities, Hobart, Newcastle, Canberra, Wollongong, Batchelor, Toowoomba
Mid 2000 to Jan 2001	Digital television transmitters set-up and testing of digital signal
21 Dec 1999	Announcement by the Minister Digital - New Choices, Better Services for Australians Includes decisions relating to high and standard definition requirements, datacasting, and the nature of enhanced services
October 1999	Release of further Digital Channel Plans (DCPs) for metropolitan markets Markets include: Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, and Melbourne
July 1999	The former ABA released Digital Channel Plans (DCPs) for several metropolitan markets Markets include: Brisbane and Toowoomba, Darwin and Batchelor, Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong
July 1999	The former ABA released documents to outline the technical and general assumptions used in allocating digital channels to broadcasters The ABA's General Approach to Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting Planning Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting Planning Handbook
April 1999	The former ABA released Draft Metropolitan Digital Channel Plans Includes 5 mainland capital cities, Hobart, Newcastle, Canberra, Wollongong, Batchelor, Toowoomba
March 1999	The former ABA released the Commercial and Draft National Television Conversion Scheme The conversion schemes outline a number of policy objectives to be achieved during the transition from analog to digital transmissions
July 1998	Introduction of the Television Broadcasting Services (Digital Conversion) Act 1998 This Act requires the former ABA to plan for the conversion of commercial and national television broadcasting services to digital mode