Australia claims an 82% digital switchover rate

An average of 82 percent of Australian households have already converted to digital TV, according to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy Stephen Conroy, Content + Technology magazine reports. 

Darwin has the highest conversion rate so far with 89 percent at the end of June, with Tasmania next at 86 percent, Adelaide at 85 percent, northern New South Wales at 84 percent, and southern New South Wales at 83 percent.

The Digital Switchover Taskforce's Digital Tracker Summary Report for Quarter 2 (April-June 2011) showed the number of households in regional Queensland that have converted had increased to 84 percent during the quarter, well ahead of the regional Queensland switchover scheduled for 6 December 2011. This was up from just 46 percent in early 2009.

"With 100 days to go until analogue TV signals are turned off forever, regional Queensland is well on track for the switch to digital-only TV," Mr Conroy said. "The number of digital-ready households in the Remote Central and Eastern Australia TV licence area - which includes areas of South Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania - has more than doubled since early 2009." 

The Australian government's Household Assistance Scheme (HAS), which is helping eligible households to receive digital free-to-air TV signals, will complete the 50,000th HAS installation at a house in Rockhampton, Queensland, today.

(Source : Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union)