DIGITAL TERRESTRIAL TELEVISION
IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES
By Keith Malcolm
Executive Summary:
The paper is intended to assist in the policy consideration of issues involved in the possible introduction of digital terrestrial television broadcasting (DTTB) in Australia.
The paper provides some explanatory background material and then outlines some of the issues that require decision either prior to the adoption of DTTB or as a part of the planning and implementation phases.
Some of these decisions include:
use of VHF or UHF channels or both for DTTB
adoption of HDTV or multiprogramme capability or a mix (a companion paper provides more information on this topic (in those places where it is relevant, the discussion in this paper assumes that HDTV capability is required as this is the most demanding approach in technical terms)
number of DTTB services to be provided during the initial transition period and for the longer term
future rationalisation of allocations and possible reclamation or re-use of spectrum.