Digital terrestrial television in Australia

Digital terrestrial television in Australia commenced on 1 January 2001 in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth using DVB-T standards. The phase out of analog PAL transmissions began in 2010 and was completed by 10 December 2013.

Digital terrestrial television brought a number of enhancements over the previous analog television, primarily higher-quality picture and sound, as well as datacasting and multi-view services such as video program guides, high definition, and now-and-next program information. There are a number of additional channels, datacasting, as well as high definition services, available to digital terrestrial television viewers in Australia. Digital-only content is subject to availability and differs greatly in various television markets.

Although approximately 96% of the population had access to at least one digital service, take up was initially sluggish, with only 28% of Australia's 7.8 million households having adopted free-to-air digital television by March 2007. However, by August 2010, 75% of Australian households had made the switch. Analog transmissions began to be phased out in 2010, and ceased to be available nationwide by the end of 2013.

From 2009, the free-to-air digital television platform has been promoted under the Freeview brand name.

Planning for digital terrestrial television in Australia can be traced back to 1993, when a group of specialists was drawn from the then-Australian Broadcasting Authority, Department of Transport and Communications, in addition to broadcasters and manufacturers. The ABA Specialist Group was intended to bring together studies taking place in a number of Australian forums and investigate potential options and policies relating to digital television.

In 1995 the group released a report, Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting in Australia, containing the preliminary conclusions of the group. It found that premature regulation of the new platform might stifle the market-driven development of the service, that it should be based upon existing standards, and should not restrict the ability of broadcasters to tailor local content. It was too early at the time to make decisions relating to what standard should be used, when transmissions should commence, and whether analog television should be phased out.

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