By James Wells
SYDNEY: The Australian Communication and Media Authority (ACMA) has allotted and assigned digital channels for television repeater services in parts of regional New South Wales after identifying as yet unassigned channels that may be used for other purposes, including datacasting.
The areas identified by the ACMA include Adelong, Braidwood, Captains Flat, Cobar, Condobolin, Coolah, Cowra, Hay, Jindabyne, Nyngan, Oberon, Talbingo, Thredbo, Tumbarumba, Tumut and Young.
ACMA has also made a decision to increase the maximum effective radiated power of the services that will use the digital television channels allotted and assigned for Cooma/Monaro. The power has been increased from 50 kW to 100 kW.
‘In making these decisions, ACMA weighed up a number of important factors. These include the aim of spectrum efficiency, the need to minimise any changes that viewers will have to make to their existing reception equipment to receive digital broadcasts and the desirability of broadcasters being able to use their existing infrastructure to broadcast their digital television services,’ said Giles Tanner, ACMA General Manager, Inputs to Industry Division.
The decisions are contained in an explanatory paper and variation to the commercial and national digital channel plans released today. Tables summarising the assignment of channels for the conversion of commercial and national television services from analog to digital mode, including the unassigned channels, are provide in the attached backgrounder.