Background to the restack of digital television
The process of clearing digital television services from the digital dividend band (694-820 MHz) is often referred to as the restacking of digital services or ‘restack’. After the restack is complete all digital television services will operate in the remaining UHF broadcasting spectrum of 520-694 MHz and VHF broadcasting spectrum of 174-230 MHz.
The restack activity is expected to have two major phases of work. The first is the development of revised channel plans and sequencing plans that identify the final channels that digital television services will move to and the order in which the moves will need to occur. The second is the implementation of those channel changes by broadcasters.
ACMA consultation on restack – the Restack Planning Advisory Group (RPAG)
The Restack Planning Advisory Group (RPAG) is one of the ways the ACMA will consult industry on the restacking of digital television services to clear the digital dividend. The RPAG is an informal group as it is not constituted under any legislative provisions. The RPAG is not a substitute for public consultation on formal instruments, nor is it the only way industry may discuss restack related matters with ACMA officers.
The RPAG provides a forum for the ACMA and industry to discuss proposals relating to replanning digital television channels to facilitate the restack as well as restack implementation and timing issues. It is one way in which the ACMA will gather evidence on which to base its decisions.
ACMA staff will inform the Authority of matters arising from the RPAG, its working groups and other consultation mechanisms such as public discussion papers. Final and formal consultation on restack related ACMA decisions will occur during statutory consultation on the necessary regulatory instruments.
Restack channel planning
The ACMA is progressively developing restack channel planning proposals to facilitate the restack of digital television services. Following discussion with industry through the RPAG, these channel planning proposals are codified in draft instruments known as Television Licence Area Plans (TLAPs) or, in some circumstances, in Digital Channel Plans (DCPs). These instruments identify the channel allotments each digital television service will need to move to, if it needs to change, and by when the changes need to be made. The draft instruments are available for a period of formal public comment before being considered for approval by the ACMA. Draft and final TLAPs and DCPs can be located using the grey navigation menu at the top left of this page.
Indicative restack channel chart
Detailed restack channel planning work commenced in 2011 and has continued during 2012. In the early stages of channel planning, to provide a framework that allowed the detailed channel planning for each licence area to proceed relatively independently, a ‘key sites indicative channel plan’ was developed and was published as RPAG-29 (see below). It has now been superseded by a more comprehensive Indicative Channel Chart for the restack of digital television services. The Indicative Channel Chart consolidates into a single spreadsheet the detailed channel planning work that the ACMA has performed for each of the television licence areas.
Although this Indicative Channel Chart is now fairly stable, it is stressed that it should still be treated as a draft document. Definitive channel allotments will not be finalised until the relevant TLAP or DCP revision instruments have been subject to public consultation and have been determined by the ACMA. Minor revisions to the Indicative Channel Chart could potentially be made as a result of feedback received during consultation on TLAP or DCP instruments.
Note: The Indicative Channel Chart is a zipped .xlsm file that contains macros to allow resorting of the sites listing. The following is a list of RPAG documents: Disclaimer: Please note that these documents reflect a certain point in time. Matters raised and discussed will evolve over time. Channel planning information published here is typically of a provisional/draft nature and should not be relied upon. Note: * Free TV Australia has developed a proposal for restack in Australia based upon a re assignment of digital terrestrial television channels in a contiguous ‘block’. This restack ‘block’ model has been developed as a result of the Government’s announcement of a re allocation of the UHF band above 694 MHz. The restack ‘block’ model is based an extensive study which included consideration of existing commercial digital television infrastructure and what is the most advantageous comprehensive plan which delivers long term benefits for both TV viewers and TV broadcasters. Free TV acknowledges that as detailed planning commences to implement the restack ‘block’ model further refinements will be required to maintain the quality of digital television coverage.
RPAG document register
