ACMA - MR 43/2006

20 April 2006

ACMA proposes channels for digital television repeater services in inland NSW

The Australian Communication and Media Authority has released proposals to allot and assign digital channels for television repeater services at Adelong, Braidwood, Captains Flat, Cobar, Condobolin, Coolah, Cowra, Jindabyne, Nyngan, Oberon, Talbingo, Thredbo, Tumbarumba, Tumut, Young and Hay. In each of these areas, ACMA has also identified as yet unassigned channels that may be used for other purposes, including datacasting.

ACMA is also proposing to increase the maximum effective radiated power from 50 kW to 100 kW for the digital television channels allotted and assigned for Cooma/Monaro.

‘In releasing these proposals, ACMA weighed up a number of important factors. These include the aim of spectrum efficiency, the need to minimise any changes that viewers will have to make to their existing reception equipment to receive digital broadcasts and the desirability of broadcasters being able to use their existing infrastructure to broadcast their digital television services,’ said Giles Tanner, ACMA General Manager, Inputs to Industry Division.

The proposals are contained in a discussion paper and draft variation to the commercial and national digital channel plans, released today. Tables summarising the proposed assignment of channels for the conversion of commercial and national television services from analog to digital mode, including the unassigned channels, are provide in the attached backgrounder.

The discussion paper and draft variations to digital channel plans for Inland NSW are available on the ACMA website, or by calling Freecall 1800 810 241. The closing date for submissions is 5.00pm, Friday 12 May 2006.

Media contact: Donald Robertson, ACMA Media Manager, on (02) 9334 7980.

Backgrounder

ACMA was required (by Schedule 4 of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992, (the Act) to formulate legislative schemes for the conversion of commercial and national television broadcasting services from analog to digital mode.

The Commercial Television Conversion Scheme and National Television Conversion Schemes were formulated in 1999 and varied in December 2000 and January 2003.

Under the schemes, ACMA is empowered to develop and vary digital channel plans for areas throughout Australia. The digital channel plans determine which channels are to be allotted to each licensee for the purposes of transmitting services in digital mode and the technical characteristics of those channels.

In developing and varying digital channel plans, ACMA’s objective is to plan channel allotments to enable broadcasters to plan their digital transmission coverage to achieve the same level of coverage as with its analog coverage and ensure other policy objectives in clauses 6(3) and 19(3) of the Act are met.

The following tables list the proposed assignment of channels for the digital television repeater services in this draft variation to the Inland NSW digital channel plans

Adelong

Area Served	Mode
Adelong		ABMN	SBS	CBN	CTC	WIN	Unassigned
	Analog	[67]	[55]	[58]	64	61	-	-
	Digital	-	-	-	65	62	49	52

[ ] – Retransmission services licensed to Tumut Shire Council. These services are not included in the digital channel plan.

Braidwood

Area Served	Mode
Braidwood		ABN	SBS	CBN	CTC	WIN	Unassigned
	Analog	57	54/69	66	60	63	-	-
	Digital	56	53	65	59	62	50	67

Captains Flat

Area Served	Mode
Captains Flat		ABC	SBS	CBN	CTC	WIN	Unassigned
	Analog	[55]	[52]	[64]	58	[61]	-	-
	Digital	-	-	-	59	-	50	67

[ ] – Retransmission services licensed to Palerang Council. These services are not included in the digital channel plan.

Cobar

Area Served	Mode
Cobar		ABN	SBS	CBN	IMP	QQQ	Unassigned
	Analog	2	12	10	[9]	[7]	-	-
	Digital	6	11	9A	-	-	28	29

[ ] – Retransmission services licensed to Cobar Shire Council. These services are not included in the digital channel plan.

Condobolin

Area Served	Mode
Condobolin		ABN	SBS	CBN	CTC	WIN	Unassigned
	Analog	65	56*	68	59	62	-	-
	Digital	64	55	67	58	61	52	53

* – SBS analog service to commence in the future.

Coolah

Area Served	Mode
Coolah		ABQN	SBS	CBN	CTC	WIN	Unassigned
	Analog	56	53	59	-	62	-	-
	Digital	55	52	58	-	61	51	67

Cowra

Area Served	Mode
Cowra		ABCN	SBS	CBN	CTC	WIIN	Unassigned
	Analog	63	45/60	51/66	54	57	-	-
	Digital	62	59	65	53	56	49	52

Jindabyne

Area Served	Mode
Jindabyne		ABSN	SBS	CBN	CTC	WIN	Unassigned
	Analog	60	69	63	66	57	-	-
	Digital	59	53	62	65	56	52	55

Nyngan

Area Served	Mode
Nyngan		ABN	SBS	CBN	CTC	WIN	Unassigned
	Analog	3	-	66	-	60	-	-
	Digital	53	-	65	-	59	51	52

Oberon

Area Served	Mode
Oberon		ABN	SBS	CBN	CTC	WIN	Unassigned
	Analog	57	[54]	[66]	[60]	[63]	-	-
	Digital	56	-	-	-	-	-	-

[ ] – Retransmission services licensed to Oberon Shire Council. These services are not included in the digital channel plan.

Talbingo

Area Served	Mode
Talbingo		ABMN	SBS	CBN	CTC	WIN	Unassigned
	Analog	[67]	[55]	[58]	64	61	-	-
	Digital	-	-	-	63	60	49	52

[ ] – Retransmission services licensed to Palerang Council. These services are not included in the digital channel plan.

Thredbo

Area Served	Mode
Thredbo		ABN	SBS	CBN	CTC	WIN	Unassigned
	Analog	34	31	46	40	43	-	-
	Digital	33	30	45	39	42	36	48

Tumbarumba

Area Served	Mode
Tumbarumba		ABMN	SBS	CBN	CTC	WIN	Unassigned
	Analog	[66]	[57]	69	[63]	[60]	-	-
	Digital	-	-	59	-	-	49	52

[ ] – Retransmission services licensed to Palerang Council. These services are not included in the digital channel plan.

Tumut

Area Served	Mode
Tumut		ABMN	SBS	CBN	CTC	WIN	Unassigned
	Analog	57	54	60	66	63	-	-
	Digital	53	56	59	65	62	49	52

Young

Area Served	Mode
Young		ABMN	SBS	CBN	CTC	WIN	Unassigned
	Analog	11	58	6	64	61	-	-
	Digital	10	57	7	63	60	54	66

Hay

Area Served	Mode
Hay		ABGN	SBS	AMN	MTN	Unassigned
	Analog	66	60	63	57	-	-
	Digital	55	61	64	56	38	53