Canberra & Darwin DAB+ trials extended

Staff Writer

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) had given the thumbs up to extending the DAB+ digital radio trial licences in Canberra and Darwin.

Commercial Radio Australia chief executive officer Joan Warner said: “The commercial radio industry is buoyed by the support from ACMA on the extension of the Darwin and Canberra trials, and the Communications Department for the announcement of the Digital Radio Planning Committee for Regional Australia. We’re working with our industry colleagues on the planning for the first committee meeting.” 

Commercial Radio Australia is the trial licensee for Canberra and Darwin and applied for the licence renewal on behalf of the ABC, SBS and all commercial broadcasters. The trials began in 2010 and have been extended for a further 12 months.

“The Canberra trial is a collaboration of commercial and public broadcasters and government agencies. It is a good test of a single shared multiplex model which is being considered for regional areas and important technical and operational knowledge has been gained,”said Joan.

Commercial radio stations 2CA, 2CC, Mix 106.3, 104.7, My Canberra, KIX Country, The Edge and Buddha, plus multicultural and multilingual stations SBS Radio 1 and SBS Radio 2, SBS Pop Asia and SBS Chill continue to broadcast on the low power DAB+ trial.  ABC stations joined the trial in 2011 – 666 ABC Canberra, ABC Jazz, Radio National, Double J and ABC Grandstand are all adding to the choice of services available to Canberra audiences.

Hot 100 and Mix 104.9 and digital-only services KIX Country, Classic Rock Digital and Radio TAB will continue DAB+ trial services in Darwin.  Canberra and Darwin DAB+ trials have been the first outside the main metro markets.

They have been pumping out the DAB+ trial signal at low power in both markets. For Canberra a boost was required to retransmit the trial signal into Parliament House.

 

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