Govt shaves two years off digital TV switchover date

Thursday 16th September 2010

The government has brought forward the switchover date to digital television two years to 2013 as it looks to free up radio spectrum for newer mobile internet technology.

Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman said the switchover from analogue TV will begin in September 2012 in Hawke's Bay and the West Coast, with the rest of the country phased in over three stages by November 2013, aligning New Zealand with Australia.

It had previously flagged 2015 as the switchover date. The Ministry of Economic estimates the freer use of radio spectrum will provide a $1.1 billion to $2.4 billion boost to the economy over 20 years due to lower costs for deploying mobile networks.

"There will be a substantial wider economic benefit generated by the use of freed up spectrum for new technology," Coleman said in a statement.

State-owned telecommunications company Kordia Group, which sells radio spectrum, said it wasn't surprised by the early switchover, and it has been moving more of its businesses away from this segment because of the looming death of analogue TV.

Susie Stone, general manager of strategic development, said it's been diversifying its business in both Australia and New Zealand to meet this challenge, including tapping Australia's National Broadband Network.

Communications Minister Steven Joyce said the spectrum being freed up will be ideal for fourth-generation mobile technologies.

"New Zealanders access to faster mobile broadband services with improved coverage."

Freeview, which was established by New Zealand's broadcasters to cater to the digital switch, welcomed the new date, with general manager Sam Irvine saying it means "a further year of funding" for the group and "more efficient use of the spectrum".

Shares in pay-TV operator Sky Network Television, which has been phasing its customers to its digital platform for more than a decade, rose 0.4% to $5.20.

Businesswire.co.nz

Comments from our readers

No comments yet