DSO insights revealed

27 Aug 2010

One site down, hundreds to go. Broadcast Australia reveals some of the ‘big picture’ DSO challenges in an informative international conference paper.

With the first analog television services successfully and smoothly decommissioned in the Mildura/Sunraysia region, Broadcast Australia is now planning for the next phase of Australia's digital switchover—the 17 sites in regional South Australia and Broken Hill to be migrated in December. After that, the analog shutdown will steadily and smoothly proceed in stages for the next two and half years.

In preparing for the digital switchover, we have learnt a huge amount about what needs to be done to make it a success, not only on a site-by-site logistical basis, but also on a macro scale. Two key strategic issues have risen to prominence at a national level: how to maximise the dividend of spectrum released by the cessation of analog TV broadcasting (the 'digital dividend'), and how to ensure that all households have access to digital television coverage.

Global issues

These are global issues faced by all regions seeking to decommission analog services. To help provide insight for those countries starting to think about digital switchover, Broadcast Australia presented a paper on the 'Challenges and opportunities in addressing the digital switchover' at the BroadcastAsia International Conference in Singapore during June.

Presented by Suvendu Mukherjee , one of our RF Engineers, the paper explored aspects of digital switchover planning required to realise the full benefits of transitioning to digital TV and maximising the digital dividend.

Ensuring all households have access to digital television coverage means that digital 'black spot' areas must be addressed, requiring a detailed planning analysis to ascertain the extent and distribution of coverage issues. Here, a hybrid terrestrial and satellite solution provides the optimal solution to cover these black spot areas, delivering the best balance of cost, quality of transmission and programming flexibility—without adversely impacting the digital dividend.

Maximising the digital dividend

Achieving the maximum possible digital dividend—and planning for how the spectrum is to be allocated—requires a degree of industry consultation, coordination and consideration of what future broadcast needs might be. International coordination with respect to interference management and global harmonisation of frequencies are also important considerations.

The approach taken to address these issues will vary from country to country and depend on regional considerations. Yet whatever the strategy, it will be essential to plan carefully.

Picture caption:  RF Engineer Suvendu Mukherjee at Broadcast Asia

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