The Australian Government has announced that all free-to-air television broadcasters in Australia will complete the switch from analogue transmission to digital-only transmission by the end of 2013. It is understood that by moving from analogue to digital television viewers will enjoy the benefits of improved picture and sound quality as well as a greater program choice through increased channel options.
The switchover is due to occur in regional Queensland on 6 December 2011. Switch off may occur earlier in some towns relying on a self-help transmission tower. Residents in these areas will be informed about the sitchover dates.
Household Subsidy Scheme
The Household Assistance Scheme is a program run by the Australian Government. It provides assistance to eligible elderly people, carers, people with disabilities and veterans to convert to digital television in circumstances where they have not converted and need help to do so.
Satellite Subsidy Scheme - Regional and Remote Queensland
After the switch to digital, the majority of Australians will receive their digital television services from the network of broadcaster-owned transmission towers. However, the Federal Government recognises there will be some households who will be unable to receive adequate terrestrial television reception from the transmitters that serve the area in which they live. For these households, a new satellite television service is being made available to ensure the same benefits of digital television can be enjoyed as other Australians. Further, the Federal Government is funding the Satellite Subsidy Scheme to assist these same households. The scheme will subsidise the cost of purchasing and installing the new Viewer Access Satellite Television (VAST) service with a minimum of $400 per eligible household and higher amounts of $550 and $700 available for eligible households designated as being in ‘very remote’ and ‘far north tropical’ areas.
The VAST service will also be extended to the households who currently rely on an analogue self-help transmitter for provision of television services of which is not converted to digital by the commercial broadcasters and who will not able to receive an adequate digital signal from another transmitter serving the same area.
Townsville City Council believes that some residences in Paluma, Kelso, Mt Elliott, Horseshoe Bay and Nelly Bay are likely to be currently receiving its analogue television service from a Self-Help Transmitter located their area. It is our understanding that this transmitter is unlikely to be converted by the commercial broadcasters to digital. The Federal Government website http://www.digitalready.gov.au/when-do-i-switch/mySwitch.aspx provides and indication if there is to be no transmitter for some of the above locations and therefore no predicted digital television coverage for your household.
As such, many of the affected residences have been listed on the Subsidy Town List at http://www.digitalready.gov.au/government-assistance/satellite-subsidy-scheme/timetable.aspx, with applications for household assistance to the Satellite Subsidy Scheme opening on the 18th May 2011.
Townsville City Council encourages you to take the opportunity to check your individual eligibility (http://www.digitalready.gov.au/government-assistance/satellite-subsidy-scheme/eligibility.aspx) and if applicable apply for your subsidy at http://www.digitalready.gov.au/government-assistance/satellite-subsidy-scheme/how-to-apply.aspx. We ask that you engage with your neighbours to ensure they are also aware of the digital switchover and of the subsidies they could be eligible for.
As this is a Federal Government initiative, they have established the Digital Switchover Taskforce to manage this process. The Taskforce is part of the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE) and more detailed information can be found on the following website http://www.dbcde.gov.au/television/digital_televison_switchover. Your sitting Federal Member of Parliament for your Electoral Division can be located at http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/member.asp?id=HX4 if you require further assistance in this matter.
Please be aware that the information provided above was correct as at 20 July 2011 but is subject to changes beyond our control.