Pay TV Operators agree to 2007 switch-off

Australia recently abandoned its 2008 analogue switch-off target because of poor reported take-up of DTT, however Pay television operators have now announced that they will be switching of there analogue broadcasts before March 2007, sooner than expected.

The two largest pay television operators, Foxtel and Austar have a reported customer base of 1.8 million, with 75% already receiving digital signals.
Foxtel chief executive Kim Williams is reported as saying that “they (the subscribers) are taking (digital) out in droves. We think the issue may be that we arrive there sooner (March 2007) ”

The recent  Australian draft action plan pushed the switchover target for the whole of Australia to at least 2011 and methods to achieve this date are currently being studied.
Main source: DTG website
Item added: 26th October 2005