mt gambier - se south australia switchover area report/media/spectrum monitoring and analysis... ·...

South Australia Mount Gambier /South East South Australia switchover area Switchover period 1 July – 31 December 2010 MARCH 2010

This switchover area report was prepared by the ACMA and provided to the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE) approximately 12 months prior to the end of the identified switchover window for this area. The early provision of switchover area reports to DBCDE, allows an appropriate amount of time for discussions between the government and broadcasters to address any identified issues prior to the switch off of analog television services. This report does not account for any subsequent Government policy decisions or changes in broadcasting infrastructure or programming since that time. For up to date information on the switch to digital television, visit the DBCDE Are you READY for digital TV website

http://www.digitalready.gov.au/

http://www.digitalready.gov.au/

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© Commonwealth of Australia [2010] This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Commonwealth. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Manager, Communications and Publishing, Australian Communications and Media Authority, PO Box 13112 Law Courts, Melbourne Vic 8010. Published by the Australian Communications and Media Authority

Contents

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Executive summary 1

Mount Gambier /South East South Australia digital television switchover area 2

Licence area overlaps 2

Coverage evaluation 3

The ACMA‟s coverage evaluation program methodology 3

Digital channel plans 3

Implementation plans 4

Survey planning reports 4

Field survey measurement program 5

Conclusion 5

Appendix A 7

Mount Gambier /South East South Australia digital television switchover area 7

Appendix B 8

Transmission sites in the Mount Gambier /South East South Australia digital television switchover area 8

Appendix C 9

Licence areas overlapping the mount Gambier /South East South Australia digital television switchover area 9

Appendix D 10

Measurement locations in the Mount Gambier /South East South Australia digital television switchover area 10

Appendix E 11

Urban centre/locality specific results for the Mt Gambier /South East South Australia digital television switchover area 11

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Executive summary The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) performed field survey measurements as part of its Coverage Evaluation Program (CEP) in the Mount Gambier /South East South Australia switchover area in February and March 2009. Having analysed all available information, measurement results and prediction modelling relevant to this switchover area, the ACMA is confident that digital television services are in general achieving the policy objective of providing “the same level of coverage and potential reception quality” as the corresponding analog services in the area.

As required under the National and Commercial Television Conversion Schemes, broadcasters have submitted implementation plans (IP) for all planned services in the switchover area. The ABC and SBS are broadcasting the relevant national services, while WIN is the sole commercial broadcaster in the switchover area and offers programming from the Seven Network and Network Ten.

IPs for planned ABC and SBS services have been approved by the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. The ACMA has to date approved an IP for a WIN service from the South East transmission site and is currently considering WIN IPs for a further seven commercial services; an additional service from South East, two services from the Bordertown repeater site, two from Keith and two from Kingston SE/Robe. It should be noted that WIN has also submitted IPs for two commercial services from the Naracoorte repeater site. However, there are no corresponding commercial analog services broadcasting from this site with which to compare coverage. Consequently, these IPs were assessed solely on the technical specifications provided by WIN.

All planned digital services, with the exception of the two WIN services from Naracoorte, have been rolled out in the switchover area. The Naracoorte WIN services are expected to commence before the switchover.

While the ACMA is confident that by definition, the same coverage policy objective is in general being achieved by the broadcasters in the switchover area, the CEP has identified a number of localities that may currently have difficulty receiving both analog and digital television with a standard antenna installation. These localities include (with population in brackets) Apsley (population 100), Cape Jaffa (population < 100), Frances (population <100), Kybybolite (population < 100), Padthaway (population 400) and Mundulla (population 1042) (see Appendix E for details). While this does not constitute a failure by the relevant broadcasters to achieve the objectives set out in the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (BSA), it is possible that complaints and concerns may be generated within these localities post analog switch off.

The CEP observed that a number of households currently attempt to receive fortuitous reception from transmission sites located outside the switchover area. Consequently, the type of antenna installation currently employed by these households may not be effective in receiving local digital signals. The ACMA foresees that this situation may also generate complaints and concerns in these areas.

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Mount Gambier /South East South Australia digital television switchover area The Mount Gambier /South East TV1 licence area (illustrated in Appendix A1), covers approximately 28,450km2 and is situated mainly in the south east region of South Australia with a small portion spilling into the south west of Victoria. The licence area has a population of 68,590. A significant portion of the population in the area resides within the city of Mount Gambier with a population of 23,494.

Other more densely populated centres include Naracoorte in the central region of the area close to the South Australia/ Victorian border with a population of approximately 4800, Bordertown in the north-east of the switchover area with a population of approximately 2500, Casterton in south-east with around 1700 and Kingston S.E. with approximately 1500 residents.

The switchover area is served by a main transmission site, „South East‟, located at Mount Burr, approximately 50 km northeast of Mount Gambier. In addition there are five repeater sites; Kingston SE/Robe in the west of the area at Mount Benson, Naracoorte in the central east, Keith to the north and two sites (one national and one commercial) located at Bordertown in the north east part of the switchover area. Mount Gambier transmission sites are illustrated in Appendix B.

Licence area overlaps As shown in Appendix C, the eastern side of the Mount Gambier / South East TV1 licence area is partially overlapped by the Regional Victoria TV1 and Western Victoria TV1 licence areas. Analysis of 2006 ABS Census data indicates that approximately 6300 people reside in this overlap area. Of note in this overlap area is a broadcaster operated repeater facility located at Casterton. This site transmits the services received from the Western Victoria transmission site located outside the Mount Gambier switchover area. As analog services from the Casterton repeater will be turned off at a later date as part of the South West Victoria switchover, it is unlikely that this site will impact upon the Mount Gambier switchover. As such, measurements relating to this site were taken during the South West Victoria Survey.

Appendix C also shows that the Mount Gambier /South East TV1 licence area is overlapped by the Remote Central and Eastern TV1 and TV2 licence areas. The significance of this overlap is expected to be minimal insofar as switchover goes as the only densely populated centre in this area is Kingston S.E. which has been assessed as having an adequate level of both analog and digital coverage.

1 The Mount Gambier South East South Australia switchover area is fully contained within the Mount Gambier South East South Australia licence area.

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Coverage evaluation The ACMA’s coverage evaluation program methodology

Figure 1. ACMA program methodology for coverage evaluation

Figure 1 outlines the multi layered methodology for the ACMA‟s coverage evaluation program (CEP). The CEP seeks to assess whether the same coverage objective has been met by relevant broadcasters in a particular switchover area.

The CEP also seeks to determine the boundaries of analog and digital terrestrial coverage, identify areas of marginal or inconsistent coverage and verify the technical specifications and assumptions provided by broadcasters in their implementation plans. In addition, the program provides essential feedback on the accuracy of the ACMA‟s initial desktop propagation modelling.

It should be noted that the statistical survey element of the CEP methodology shown in Figure 1, had not been implemented at the time of this survey.

Digital channel plans National and commercial Digital Channel Plans (DCPs) to facilitate the introduction of digital television were developed by the ACMA in line with the Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting Planning Handbook – March 2005,

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in accordance with the ACMA‟s obligations under the BSA. DCPs determine which channels are to be allotted to each area, the assignment of channels to each broadcaster in that area and the technical characteristics of those channels.

DCPs are developed to provide broadcasters the maximum envelope in which to plan their digital transmission coverage for an area with a view to achieving the policy objective of “same level of coverage and potential reception quality” in digital mode as is achieved in analog mode.

Both national and commercial DCPs for the Mount Gambier /South East South Australia switchover area were made in March 2002 and amended in August 2005. Variations were undertaken in consultation with broadcasters and facilitated the addition of technical specifications for various repeater sites throughout the switchover area.

Implementation plans In accordance with the National and Commercial Television Conversion Schemes prepared by the ACMA under Schedule 4 to the BSA commercial and national television broadcasters are required to prepare implementation plans relating to the conversion over time, of the transmission of their services from analog to digital mode. IPs are a commitment by individual broadcasters to provide a television service in digital mode from specified sites to cover defined areas by specified dates. The service should achieve the same coverage in SDTV digital mode as is provided by that service in analog mode. This objective is to be achieved as soon as is practicable after the simulcast period begins.

The ABC and SBS are broadcasting the relevant national services, while WIN is the sole commercial broadcaster in the switchover area and offers programming from the Seven Network and Network Ten. WIN television has submitted IPs for all planned commercial services in the switchover area. As outlined under Section 28 of the Commercial Television Conversion Scheme 1999, the ACMA must consider whether IPs are suitable for approval having regard to certain criteria. The ACMA has to date approved one of these IPs for a service from the South East transmission site, and is currently considering IPs for a further seven commercial services. As per subclause 20 (3) of Schedule 4 to the BSA, the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy has approved IPs for all planned National services in the switchover area.

Survey planning reports As part of its methodology for assessing same coverage and potential reception quality, the ACMA undertakes desktop coverage modelling of a switchover area taking into account terrain, complaints from viewers within the area and where possible, technical specifications of transmission facilities as outlined in implementation plans provided by broadcasters. At the time of writing this report, the ACMA Digital Television Complaints database shows no

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complaints from postcodes within the Mount Gambier / South East South Australia switchover area.

There have been three Ministerial representations since 2000 for which the ACMA has provided advice. The relevant areas and issues were as follows:

Millicent SA – loss of fortuitous Regional Victoria reception;

Mount Gambier SA – Tropospheric ducting and mast head amplifier issues in relation to fortuitous reception of Regional Victoria services; and

Nelson VIC - generalised reception issues.

The findings of the desktop modelling process are articulated in a planning report which informs the ACMA Field Survey Measurement Program. The Mount Gambier /South East South Australia switchover area planning report provides guidance to the ACMA‟s field staff on where field measurements within the switchover market should be conducted. This includes predicted or potential reception deficient areas and other information related to transmission facilities in the area.

Field survey measurement program The ACMA‟s Field Survey Measurement Program enables the ACMA to acquire technical and signal data associated with analog and digital TV coverage and reception quality within a switchover area. The program is part of the ACMA‟s wider, multi layered methodology for assessing same coverage and potential reception quality (see Figure 1). The program seeks to verify the information provided by broadcasters in their implementation plans as well as ACMA‟s initial desktop propagation modelling.

Field survey measurements were taken in the Mount Gambier / South East South Australia switchover area in February and March 2009 along with additional measurements conducted in January, February and July 2010. Appendix D depicts the measurement locations of the survey. The survey measurement results have been analysed and compared against the most appropriate coverage prediction models for the area. Based on these results, the ACMA concludes that the same level of coverage and potential reception quality is in general being achieved.

Conclusion Based on the available information, measurement results and prediction modelling gathered through the ACMA‟s CEP, broadcasters servicing the South East TV1 licence area appear to be, in general, fulfilling their obligations in relation to the “same level of coverage and potential reception quality” policy objective.

The ACMA‟s CEP has identified a number of localities within the switchover area that may currently have difficulty receiving analog reception with a standard antenna installation. It should be noted that these areas also receive correspondingly poor digital reception. Identified localities include Apsley (population 100), Cape Jaffa (population < 100), Frances (population <100),

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Kybybolite (population < 100), Padthaway (population 400), and Mundulla. Apsley has access to alternative terrestrial services as it is located within the overlap with the Western Victoria TV1 and Regional Victoria TV1 licence areas. While this does not constitute a failure by the relevant broadcasters to achieve the objectives set out in the BSA, it is possible that complaints and concerns may be generated within these localities post analog switch off.

As announced in early January 2010, the Government will be implementing a satellite service to provide digital television to viewers in signal deficient areas. The relevant media release stated that “Any regional households not able to receive digital television from the upgraded „self-help‟ sites will be served by the new satellite”.

The South East / South East TV1 licence area borders the Regional Victoria TV1 licence area. It appears that many viewers in the eastern part of the licence area and as far west as the city of Mount Gambier are attempting to receive fortuitous reception from transmission sites within the Regional Victoria TV1 licence area. In particular, viewers in the south east part of the area have antennas directed towards the Western Victoria transmission site while viewers in the north east are attempting to receive signals from the Nhill transmission site. In addition, viewers in Keith in the northern part of the switchover area, have antennas directed towards Adelaide. The type of antenna installation currently employed by households in these areas to receive fortuitous reception may not be effective in receiving local digital signals post analog switch off. The ACMA foresees that this situation may generate complaints and concerns in these areas.

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Appendix A Mount Gambier /South East South Australia digital television switchover area

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Appendix B Transmission sites in the Mount Gambier /South East South Australia digital television switchover area

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Appendix C Licence areas overlapping the mount Gambier /South East South Australia digital television switchover area

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Appendix D Measurement locations in the Mount Gambier /South East South Australia digital television switchover area

Switchover Area TV Licence Overlap Areas

Measurement Location

Transmitter Site

Mount Gambier / South East South Australia digital television switchover area Measurement Locations

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Appendix E Urban centre/locality specific results for the Mt Gambier /South East South Australia digital television switchover area Urban centres/localities in Table E.1 have been assessed based on a combination of the coverage prediction modelling, field survey measurements and engineering analysis.

Urban Centre / Locality Pop Assessment Comments

Urban Centres / Localities where no coverage/reception issue has been identified

Beachport (2 measurement locations)

346 South East transmitter provides good coverage No issue has been identified

Blackfellows Caves (1 measurement location)

<100 South East transmitter provides good coverage No issue has been identified

Carpenter Rocks (1 measurement location)


Edenhope (5 measurement locations)

782 Lies in both Regional Victoria TV1 and South East TV1 Licence areas

Western Victoria transmitter provides good coverage

No issue has been identified

Nene Valley (1 measurement location)


Penola (1 measurement location)

1,317 South East transmitter provides good coverage No issue has been identified

Port MacDonnell (1 measurement location)


Racecourse Bay (1 measurement location)


Robe (1 measurement location)

1,246 Kingston SE/Robe translator provides good coverage No issue has been identified

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Urban Centres / Localities where minor coverage/reception/fortuitous issue has been identified

Kingston SE (2 measurement locations)

1630 Kingston SE/Robe

translator provides good coverage

While coverage from Kingston SE/Robe translator is generally good, some coverage variations have been identified, which may cause isolated reception issues.

Bordertown (2 measurement locations)

2,581 Bordertown translators provide good coverage

Bordertown translator does not currently provide a full set of digital services.

Casterton (5 measurement) 1656

Casterton translator provides good coverage

Casterton translator does not currently provide a full set of digital services

Dartmoor (4 measurements)

472 Lies in both Regional Victoria TV1 and South East TV1 Licence areas

Western Victoria transmitter provides good coverage

While coverage from Western Victoria transmitter is generally good, some coverage variations have been identified. They may cause some isolated reception issues.

Keith (1 measurement location)

1,089 Keith translator

provides good coverage

Keith translator does not currently provide a full set of digital services.

Lucindale (3 measurement locations)

301 South East transmitter

provides variable coverage

South East transmitter provides variable coverage ranging from marginal to poor, which may cause reception issues.

Mount Gambier ( 9 measurement locations)



While coverage from South East transmitter is generally good, some variations behind the volcano have been identified, which may cause isolated reception issues.

Naracoorte (1 measurement location)

4,888 Naracoorte translator


Naracoorte translator does not currently provide commercial digital services


Urban Centres / Localities where coverage/reception/fortuitous issue has been identified

Apsley (3 measurement locations)

166

Lies in both Regional Victoria TV1 and South East TV1 Licence areas

South East transmitter provides variable coverage

Western Vic transmitter provide poor coverage

South East transmitter provides variable coverage ranging from marginal to poor, which may cause reception issues. Western Victoria transmitter provides poor coverage.

Cape Jaffa (2 measurement locations)

<100

Kingston SE/Robe translator provides poor coverage;

South East transmitter provides poor coverage

Kingston SE/Robe translator provides poor coverage. South East transmitter provides poor coverage.

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Frances (2 measurement locations)


provides poor coverage

South East transmitter provides poor coverage. Nhill and Western Victoria transmitters provide poor fortuitous coverage.

Kybybolite (2 measurement locations)

<100 South East transmitter


South East transmitter provides variable coverage ranging from marginal to poor, which may cause reception issues.

Mundulla (2 measurement locations)

1042 Bordertown transmitter


Bordertown transmitter provides variable coverage ranging from marginal to poor, which may cause reception issues.

Padthaway ( 2 measurement locations)

336 South East transmitter provides poor coverage

South East transmitter provides poor coverage.

Table E.1 Urban centre/locality assessments based on a combination of the coverage prediction modelling, field survey measurements and engineering analysis

Urban centres/localities in Table E.2 have been assessed based on a combination of the coverage prediction modelling and engineering analysis, as the ACMA has not performed field survey measurements in these locations. Since field survey results from other locations in this switchover area have been align closely with predicted coverage findings, the ACMA has a high level of confidence in predictive modelling and assessment in Table E.2.


Urban Centres / Localities where no coverage/reception issue has been identified

Kalangadoo (No measurement)


Millicent (No measurement)

4,771 South East transmitter provides good coverage No issue has been identified

Mount Burr (No measurement)


Nangwarry (No measurement)


Tantanoola (No measurement)


Tarpeena (No measurement)


mt gambier - se south australia switchover area report/media/spectrum monitoring and analysis... ·...

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