Broadcast Australia at BroadcastAsia

16 Jun 2009

Broadcast Australia is sharing its unique digital network insights with visitors to June's BroadcastAsia exhibition in Singapore between 16 - 19 June 2009.

Broadcast Australia has spent a number of years gaining an unsurpassed understanding of key digital network deployment issues, via several planning projects and field trials both internationally and throughout Australia.

"The main message stands: good planning is key," said Chris Jaeger, Managing Director of Broadcast Australia's international business. "Do not discount the planning effort. Whether we're talking fixed or mobile reception networks, there are significant benefits that are derived from rigorous planning and modelling. It ensures that the rollout of digital infrastructure happens on time and on budget.

"Conversely, poor planning will result in schedule delays, cost overruns and poor quality outcomes. The cost of planning is only a small percentage of the whole project, but each per cent spent on good planning will deliver big returns further on in the project."

Jaeger cited coverage modelling as a huge factor in the early stages of network deployment, particularly given the differences between analogue and digital reception characteristics. "The ‘cliff effect' is a well documented digital phenomenon, but what isn't always taken into account is its contribution to black-spot areas," he said. "Digital can eradicate analogue reception problems such as ghosting, but network planners need to recognise its different coverage characteristics at the beginning. Otherwise, it can lead to avoidable re-work."

In recent years, Broadcast Australia has also completed multiple mobile TV network field trials and coverage modelling projects in Singapore, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Sydney. Each of these cities, said Jaeger, presents a unique environment, with different clutter and building penetration characteristics.

"It's important to be able to understand and refine coverage prediction models according to the individual environment," Jaeger said. "This is especially important for mobile TV networks, where the aim will be to maximise building penetration with minimum infrastructure. Broadcast Australia's work in different environments has allowed us to refine network models to achieve the optimum balance for any given application."