15Purpose

15 Purpose

(1) Under clause 9 of Schedule 4 to the Act, a holder must prepare, and submit to the ACMA, 1 or more implementation plans relating to digital transmission.

(2) Each holder will be required to prepare an implementation plan, and give the ACMA related information, to advise the ACMA of how the holder proposes to:

(a) transmit a commercial television broadcasting service in digital mode; and

(b) comply with the Act; and

(c) meet the objectives in subclause 6 (3) of Schedule 4 to the Act, and, in particular, paragraphs 6 (3) (f), (ga), (j) and (ja).

Note about implementation plans

The implementation plan is a key step in the digital conversion process.

It is a holder’s binding commitment, approved by the ACMA:

 to provide transmission of a commercial television broadcasting service in digital mode from specified sites; and

 to cover specified areas by specified dates;

to achieve the same level of coverage and potential reception quality as is achieved by the transmission of that service in analog mode.

Each holder for a licence area will be required to submit to the ACMA at least 1 implementation plan, dealing with important technical and administrative aspects of conversion to digital transmission in the area.

The holder may submit a single, comprehensive, plan for the area or the ACMA may allow the holder to submit a series of plans that develop the holder’s digital transmission arrangements for the area in stages.

the ACMA will assess the draft plan (or a plan that is part of a series), and approve or reject it.

An approved implementation plan is the basis on which the holder will convert to digital transmission. However, as conversion proceeds, the holder may arrange for an approved implementation plan to be varied to reflect changed circumstances or needs that arise.