Commercial Radio Australia (CRA) welcomed today's announcement by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) that the DAB+ digital radio trial licences in Canberra and Darwin have been extended for a further 12 months.
The scientific licences issued have been extended to allow for further coverage measurement, testing of local terrain impairments, receiver analysis, staff training and continued trials in different climatic conditions.
Commercial Radio Australia chief executive, Joan Warner said: “The DAB+ trials in Canberra and Darwin are providing imperative information to regional broadcasters and assisting the radio industry to develop digital radio channel plans for all regional areas.”
Both regional trials have also provided valuable hands-on experience for regional radio staff in working with DAB+ equipment and functionality. Ms Warner said: “Each regional radio licence area provides different digital radio transmission challenges. The radio industry wants to ensure listeners outside of the five state metropolitan capitals will receive the same high level of digital radio services as those listeners living in the city.”
Commercial radio stations 2CA, 2CC, Mix 106.3, 104.7, Classic Hits Plus, My Canberra, Hot Country and Radar, plus multicultural and multilingual stations SBS Radio 1 and SBS Radio 2, SBS Pop Asia and SBS Chill will continue DAB+ digital radio trial services in Canberra.
Hot 100 and Mix 104.9 and digital only services, Top Country Digital and Radio TAB will continue DAB+ trial services in Darwin. Canberra and Darwin DAB+ trials have been the first outside the metropolitan capitals of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. CRA hopes further trial licences will be granted in other regional areas including Hobart and Townsville.
The DAB+ trial signal in both states is at low power but so far tests have indicated coverage at low power has been able to extend to a large part of the Canberra and Darwin areas. A boost was required to retransmit the trial signal into Parliament House. This has provided additional testing opportunities for “in building” coverage in a challenging structure. The trial services may be subject to continued interruptions and changes in power for ongoing technical testing.
Digital radio is broadcast free to air. To listen all that is needed is a new DAB+ digital radio. Listeners can check if it is predicted that they will receive digital radio, by logging on to the website www.digitalradioplus.com.au and typing in their work or home postcode.