8Content of digital channel plan

8 Content of digital channel plan

(1) A digital channel plan must allot channels to holders.

(2) A digital channel plan must also explain any technical limitations on the use of a particular channel that the ACMA believes should be shown.

(3) A digital channel plan must also explain whether the use of a channel depends on any event or circumstances described in the plan.

Note: Example

Note: If a channel is currently being used by another service, the use of the channel for digital transmission may depend on the other service vacating the channel, possibly by a particular date.

(4) If a holder has made an election under paragraph 6 (5A) (d) or (5AA) (d) of Schedule 4 to the Act and the election remains in force:

(a) a digital channel plan that relates to the holder may allot one or more channels to the holder for the purposes of transmitting the commercial television broadcasting services provided under the commercial television broadcasting licences referred to in whichever of paragraph (5A)(a) or (5AA)(a) is applicable; and

(b) a digital channel plan that relates to the holder must be directed towards the achievement of the applicable objectives mentioned in subclause 6 (5B) of Schedule 4 to the Act.

Note It is an objective in subclause 6 (5B) of Schedule 4 to the Act that a holder who makes an election under paragraph 6 (5A) (d) or (5AA) (d) of that Schedule is to be authorised, under one or more transmitter licences, to use one or more particular channels to transmit the commercial television broadcasting services to which the election relates in digital mode using multi‑channelling transmission capacity on each channel.

(5) If subsection (4) applies:

(a) a digital channel plan may reserve channels for when the election is revoked;

(b) if the election is not revoked before the end of the simulcast period for the relevant licence area — the ACMA may, at any time after the end of the simulcast period, vary the digital channel plan to remove a reservation mentioned in paragraph (a) under section 13 of this Scheme.

(7) A digital channel plan may include other matters.

Whether there is any channel capacity available for uses other than the conversion of existing broadcasting services.