WorldAudio Group and Broadcast Australia are conducting a digital radio broadcast trial in Melbourne. This trial will be conducted in parallel with another digital radio trial to be conducted by CRA in Sydney.
Proceeding these trials were a series of government reports and investigations into the viability of digital radio in Australia. In March 1995, the Digital Radio Planning and Steering Committee (DRPSC) was formed to develop plan the introduction of digital radio services. In 1998, the Digital Radio Advisory Committee (DRAC) replaced DRPSC and led an investigation of the policy and technological issues of introducing digital radio in Australia(Digital Radio Advisory Committee Report). The committee's final report recommended Eureka 147 be adopted for Australia, operating in the L Band frequency with the option of using the VHF spectrum for regional areas DRAC Final Report.
Again in May 2003 the government formed another research group. This time the Digital Radio Study Group (DRSG) was formed to report on the best digital radio technologies available. The DRSG investigated the implementation of alternative digital radio technologies, including Eureka 147, IBOC, Digital Radio Mondiale and digital satellite and hybrid satellite/ terrestrial services [1] (Digital Radio Study Group Report).
2UE talkback presenter John Laws said in July 2004 “Radio has changed enormously over the 50 years I’ve been broadcasting and digital technology is arguably the biggest change but also the most critical to ensuring that the industry is able to remain innovative over the next 50 years,� 15-Jul-04 New Bug set to revolutionise Radio Listening The technology is starting to take off worldwide, with more than 300 million people now receiving up to 600 digital services. 15-Jul-04 New Bug set to revolutionise Radio Listening
Joan Warner, chief executive officer of CRA said "Digital radio is being hailed as the biggest change for radio since the introduction of FM broadcasting" (http://www.commercialradio.com.au/news.cfm#100183 2004 CRA media release). Digital Radio overcame a major milestone in September 2004 when 11 stations, representing all commercial radio networks in Sydney plus the ABC and SBS, begin broadcasting in digital as part of an 18-month long industry-wide pilot program 18-Dec-03 Digital Radio Comes to Sydney.
On 6 May 2003, the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts announced the formation of a Digital Radio Study Group (the DRSG) to inquire into and report on the status of major digital radio technologies currently available internationally.
2 Australian Broadcasting Authority
Spectrum Issues
The availability and management of sufficient radiofrequency spectrum is a key problem before the implementation of digital radio. Each digital radio system requires different spectrum bands in which to operate. Some digital radio systems can operate along side analogue radio signals whilst other systems require new channels. The structure of spectrum band allocation is governed internationally by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and nationally by the Australian Communications Authority (ACA). The Digital Radio Study Group report highlighted that digital radio could be used in MF Band, HF Band, VHF Bands I, II and III, UHF Bands IV and V and the 1.5 GHz, 2.3 GHz and 2.6 GHz Bands. In Australia these bands are shared with other broadcasting services (analogue radio and analogue and digital television), radio communications services and, in some cases, secondary services such as amateur radio, wireless microphones and monitoring equipment. However if Australia does not operate digital radio within international standards the country will be unable to benefit from economies of scale.
Options for making spectrum for digital radio services available in Australia include: • finding spectrum adjacent to existing services in some bands; • shifting existing services to different bands; • shuffling services within a band to clear sufficient spectrum for digital radio services; and • limiting the number of future analogue radio or analogue and digital television services licensed in relevant bands.
References
Broadcast Australia last accessed 12/10/04.
CRA last accessed 12/10/04.
DCITA last accessed 12/10/04.
Digital Radio Advisory Committee Final Report last accessed 12/10/04.
Wikipedia (2004) 'Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting (ISDB-t)', last accessed 12/10/04.
