Digital Switchover

Switchover to Digital Television in 2013

Government has announced that the switchover to digital television will be completed by December 2013.

Digital TV offers many benefits, including better picture quality, increased number of channels, an end to ‘ghosting,’ and the potential for new services such as high definition or 3D content.

It also frees up a significant amount of radio spectrum in the 700 MHz band for new uses. A report prepared for MED by Venture Consulting suggests that allocating this spectrum to new mobile services could bring economic benefits in the order of $1.1 billion to $2.4 billion over twenty years. 

As at September 2010, about 70% of homes had already made the switch to digital TV, in the form of Freeview Satellite, Freeview HD Terrestrial, SKY, or TelstraClear Cable TV. After the switchover, the remaining 30% of homes will also need to receive TV through one of these services.

Depending on the service chosen, those who have not yet made the switch will need a digital set top box / decoder, and possibly a satellite dish. They should not need a new TV.

Government announced the switchover would be a four-step process over five key regions. Precise dates are yet to be set, however the indicative dates below have been provided.

• Hawkes Bay and the West Coast – November 2012
• Remainder of the South Island – April 2013
• Lower North Island – June 2013
• Rest of the country – November 2013
   

The exact boundaries of each region will be communicated closer to the time, as part of an extensive communications campaign.

The process for the switchover will be led by a purpose-made Digital Switchover Programme Office, based out of the Ministry of Culture and Heritage.

For more information, see the press release or the Ministry for Culture and Heritage website. An information campaign and contact centre will be launched in the next few months. In the mean time, more information on what you will need for digital TV can also be obtained from your digital TV provider of choice.

Restacking of Digital TV Licences

One of the key benefits of the switchover to digital TV is the realisation of the ‘digital dividend’ – the freeing up of the radio spectrum in the 700 MHz band for new uses. Some digital TV licences are currently operating in this band. Before this band can be allocated for new uses, the digital TV licences will need to be restacked so that they all sit in the lower part of the UHF TV band (between 502 and 694 MHz).
 

For further information see: www.rsm.govt.nz/frequencychanges
 

Impact on Radio Microphones

Users of radio microphones and short range devices authorised under General User Licences should be aware that they may need to readjust the frequency of their equipment if the new transmissions in their area are likely to degrade their current performance.  It is anticipated that most users will, however, not be affected, as much of the spectrum being used for the television transmissions has not been licenced for radio microphone use.