Experience in other countries

AUSTRALIA

The Australian Government has, comparatively speaking, been active in managing the transition to digital television broadcasting. Existing broadcasters as at 1998 were required to commence digital broadcasting in the five major metropolitan areas on 1 January 2001, and between 1 January 2001 and 1 January 2004 in all other areas. Broadcasters must provide digital coverage equivalent to their analogue coverage, with the same or better reception quality, as soon as practicable. Where technically possible, the Government has allocated digital terrestrial broadcasting licences to existing terrestrial broadcasters in the same UHF and VHF frequency bands as they currently use for analogue transmissions. The Government has sought to maximise the number of channels available by creating digital channels with a bandwidth of 7 MHz, as for existing analogue broadcasts. This initially led to some difficulties, however, in sourcing suitable set top boxes.

Spectrum has been provided free to charge to existing analogue broadcasters, both commercial and non-commercial, on the condition that they use the spectrum to simulcast their analogue signal in digital. Simulcasting of analogue and digital signals must be maintained for at least eight years, whereupon the situation will be reviewed. During most of the simulcast period, no new broadcasters will be permitted to enter the market. Broadcasters must broadcast in standard definition television at all times, with at least 20 hours/week broadcast in high definition after two years of beginning digital broadcasting.

Further information is available from:

Australian Broadcasting Authority

Australian Communications Authority

Digital Broadcasting Australia

CANADA

In Canada existing broadcasters, including community broadcasters, wishing to simulcast existing analogue services qualify for a transitional digital television licence. While the licence is to be used for simulcasting existing analogue broadcasts, up to 14 hours/week of non-simulcast material may also be broadcast in digital format. This is to encourage innovation in digital broadcasting, and is seen as an aid to consumer transition between the two technologies. If broadcasters fail to take up a transitional digital television licence within a 'reasonable' period, the Canadian licensing authority has stated it will be open to applications by new broadcasters.

The Government has not set a date when analogue terrestrial broadcasting will be switched off, suggesting instead that the process of switch off should be market-driven.

The Canadian Government expects that coverage of digital signals will be the same as for existing analogue signals, but that the most enhanced signal possible (i.e. high definition if possible) will be supplied.

Any new material broadcast on transitional digital licences must be broadcast in high definition, and continue to meet the 50% local content requirement to which all broadcasters in Canada are subject. Currently, cable and satellite distribution companies must carry existing free-to-air (terrestrial) programming as a condition of their broadcast licences.

Further information is available from:

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission Industry Canada

UNITED KINGDOM

Digital terrestrial television was launched in the United Kingdom in 1998, shortly after satellite transmission. Cable transmission is now also available. Licences to broadcast in digital were allocated to all broadcasters. The Government is currently seeking public comment on how much spectrum is required for digital terrestrial broadcasting in the future, in order to ascertain how much spectrum will be freed up for reallocation once simulcasting of analogue services ends.

No formal requirement to simulcast exists, with broadcasters making their own decisions as to when to cease analogue transmissions. In study completed in 1998 on behalf of the UK Government, National Economic Research Associates (NERA) found that switch off of analogue transmissions appeared feasible within a 10 - 15 year time frame. NERA also found that there were likely to be significant benefits to the economy from an early announcement of the closure date for analogue services, as this would facilitate the fall in the price on digital equipment. Current indications are that terminating analogue transmissions will be re-examined between 2006 and 2010. However, the Government has stated that in order to avoid digital divide issues in television broadcasting, terminating analogue transmissions will not be undertaken until the "overwhelming majority" of the public has access to digital transmissions at a reasonable cost.

Currently, digital cable television services pass approximately 80% of British households. 84% of households can potentially access digital transmissions from the five original free to air terrestrial broadcasters. Satellite has the potential to achieve 100% coverage. Recently, however, the Government has suggested that market forces alone may result in inequalities developing between consumers able to afford to transition to digital technology and those who are not. Efforts to increase the take-up of digital television are currently being undertaken.

The public service broadcaster, the BBC, currently broadcasts both its original analogue free-to-air non-commercial channels on a digital terrestrial platform. S4C, which broadcasts Welsh and Gaelic television programmes has also transitioned to digital terrestrial broadcasting. Cable and satellite broadcasters must carry free to air channels on their digital distribution networks.

Further information is available from:

Radiocommunications Authority

Digital Television Group

Independent Television Commission