57End of analog transmission and surrender of licences

57 End of analog transmission and surrender of licences

(1) At the end of the simulcast period for a licence area, all transmissions of a commercial television broadcasting service in analog mode in the area are to cease.

Note See Act, Schedule 4, paragraph 6 (3) (h).

Note about testing

An essential part of the conversion to digital transmission is the need for holders to test their digital equipment, and their capacity to provide transmissions of adequate coverage and quality.

Test transmissions are likely to take various forms, from full transmissions of broadcast material to short transmissions of test signals, and may happen at any time before or during a simulcast period. Holders may need to use the channels allotted to them in the digital channel plan, or may want to use ‘spare’ channels for specific tests.

Although there may appear to be no visual difference between a test transmission and a ‘regular’ one, the Act treats them differently and allows this scheme to impose different requirements for the kinds of transmission. This is particularly significant for a holder that wishes to transmit before the start of the simulcast period for the holder’s licence area — the transmission may be a test or it may be an early start of full digital transmission.

Under this Division, the ACMA will be responsible for approving all test transmissions, either by approving specific tests or by approving a testing plan submitted by a holder.

the ACMA wishes to draw the reader’s attention to the provisions in this Division that state that permission to carry out tests in a particular way, or using a particular channel, is not a guarantee that a holder will have a permanent right, or obligation, to transmit in that way, or to use that channel.