Discussion paper
september 2010
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acma | 1
Contents (Continued)
Submissions to the ACMA
Executive summary3
Recent trials of 3D TV6
The ACMA's approach to trials of new technology8
Evolving technology of 3D TV10
Spectrum requirements and availability18
Other uses of available spectrum21
Consumer protection22
acma | 1Submissions to the ACMA
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is the Australian
Government regulator for broadcasting, radiocommunications, telecommunications and the internet.
This discussion paper seeks comment on the anticipated industry demand for temporary use of broadcasting services band (BSB) spectrum for the purposes of conducting trials of 3D TV or other new radiocommunications technologies. The paper also seeks comment on how access to this spectrum might be managed and how consumer protection issues might be addressed.
The closing date for comment is 5.00 pm AEST on Friday 15 October 2010.
Submissions received after this date may not be taken into consideration.
Persons wishing to make submissions are encouraged to email them to:.
Written submissions marked ‘3D TV’ should be posted to:
Manager
Operational Policy for Allocations and Licensing
Australian Communications and Media Authority
P.O. Box Q500
Queen Victoria Building
NSW 1230
Publication of submissions
In general, the ACMA publishes all submissions it receives. However, the ACMA willnot publish submissions that it considers contain defamatory or irrelevant material.
The ACMA prefers to receive submissions which are not claimed to be confidential.
However, the ACMA accepts that a submitter may sometimes wish to provideinformation in confidence. In these circumstances, submitters are asked to identify thematerial over which confidentiality is claimed and provide a written explanation forconfidentiality claims.
The ACMA will consider each claim for confidentiality on a case-by-case basis. If theACMA accepts a confidentiality claim, it will not publish the confidential informationunless required to do so by law.
When can the ACMA be required by law to release information?
The ACMA may be required to release submissions by law under the Freedom ofInformation Act 1982 (Cth) or for other reasons, including for the purpose ofparliamentary processes or where otherwise required by law (for example, a courtsubpoena). While the ACMA seeks to consult and, where required by law, will consultwith submitters of confidential information before that information is provided toanother body or agency, the ACMA cannot guarantee that confidential information willnot be released through these or other legal means.
Sharing of information
Under the Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005, the ACMA maydisclose certain information to the Minister, the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy including authorisedofficials, Royal Commissions, the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, certainCommonwealth authorities such as the Australian Competition and ConsumerCommission and Australian Securities and Investment Commission and the authorityof a foreign country responsible for regulating matters relating to communications ormedia.
If information is accepted by the ACMA as confidential, the ACMA will seek to consultwith the submitter of the information where the ACMA intends to share that information.
Executive summary
Trials of 3D TV were recently held in seven locations around Australia. These trials appear to have provided valuable information to industry on the application of the new ‘frame compatible’ method of 3D transmission. The trials tested this method from the point of production (creating original content by filming live sports events), through transmission (mostly using existing transmission infrastructure) to reception (using new 3D-enabled television sets with active shutter viewing glasses).
The tests also provided viewers possessing 3D TV receivers within the test transmission areas with the opportunity to experience a new and still-evolving form of broadcast television.
The ACMA approved the Australian trials, which were reportedly the first free-to-air trials of 3D broadcast technology in the world, under a policy for testing new radiocommunications technology. This policy draws on the ACMA’s powers under the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 and the Radiocommunications Act 1992 to make spectrum in the broadcasting services bands available for temporary periods for trials that are ‘scientific’ in nature, and relate primarily to the testing of technical functions.
The ACMA is aware that there is interest in conducting further free-to-air 3D TV trials, and has recently authorised additional limited trials for September/October 2010.
Importantly, 3D TV has emerged as a viable broadcast technology at a time when a limited amount of broadcasting spectrum is available for use on a temporary basis.
The 7MHz digital television channel that has been used for 3D TV trials is available for only a limited period pending completion of the transition from analog to digital television. As part of this transition:
analog television will be progressively closed in locations around Australia between 2010 and 2013;
UHF channels 52 through to 69 will be cleared through the progressive closure of analog television in order to create the 126 MHz digital dividend recently announced by the current government.
The process of clearing digital television services fromUHF channels 52 through to 69 is often referred to as ‘restack’ and is the subject of a direction given to the ACMA by the current Minister in July 2010. The restack is to be achieved bymoving services from channels between 52 and 69 to VHF channels or UHF channels below channel 52. Consequential changes to some services operating on VHF or UHF channels below channel 52 may also be needed in order to efficiently restack the channels and achieve other planning objectives.
The unassigned digital channel used for the 3D TV trials (currently available in most areas of Australia and commonly referred to as Channel B) will be subsumed in the replanning process associated with UHF clearance and restack.
Given the demonstrated interest in conducting 3D trials, but the limitations that must nonetheless necessarily apply to the use of this spectrum, the ACMA has decided to suspend consideration of any further trials beyond 2010 while it considers the policy environment relevant to the digital transition and any other issues (including consumer issues) that might arise as a result of further 3D TV trials.
This discussion paper serves as a basis for the ACMA’s consideration of these matters and the ACMA encourages all interested stakeholders to contribute to this review.
The ACMA is particularly interested in understanding the likely developments in 3D transmission and reception technology, and the potential level of demand for spectrum for 3D trials over the next two to three years. The ACMA is also interested in assessing likely demand for access to the temporarily available spectrum for purposes other than 3D TV trials.
This discussion paper therefore seeks comments on the likely direction the Australian industry will take on 3D TV, and on any other emerging technologies.
The paper also seeks comment on the implications for consumer equipment. While the recent trials demonstrated the potential of 3D technology, they also highlighted some potential problems in trialling a new technology that is likely to have significant consumer interest while standards are still evolving. There have been reports of consumer concern about the limited geographical coverage for the trials compared to the major networks. The ACMA considers it important that when purchasing 3D TV receivers, consumers understand the reduced level of coverage typical of trial transmissions; the limited duration of the current trials; and the fact that as technical standards for consumer equipment have not yet settled, the current generation of 3D receivers might be not be compatible with future transmission methods. The ACMA is interested in stakeholders’ views on how—if these risks are real—they might be managed or better appreciated.
The ACMA plans to consider submissions to this paper and, in the first instance, decide whether to call for specific expressions of interest in conducting further 3D trials in the 12 months to the end of 2011. The ACMA expects this review of its approach to 3D trials to be completed by the end of 2010 and has decided not to consider further authorisations of 3D trials until this process is finalised.
As the ACMA is the Australian regulator for radiocommunications and broadcasting, the primary focus of this paper is on 3D TV in relation to free-to-air television. However, the ACMA recognises that 3D technologies are still evolving and welcomes contributions from stakeholders who have interests in the subscription television, motion picture, DVD and gaming sectors.
Recent trials of 3D TV
Trials of 3D TV on the digital terrestrial platform were first conducted in Australia between May and July 2010. The ACMA made spectrum available and issued licences following applications from the Nine Network, SBS and WIN Television to conduct trials of 3D TV in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Newcastle and Wollongong. These free-to-air 3D trials were preceded by a 3D broadcast conducted by subscription broadcaster Foxtel on 24 May 2010.
The licences for the free-to-air trials allowed the broadcasters to utilise UHF spectrum between 19 May 2010 and 19 July 2010 to broadcast 3D TV coverage of the State of Origin rugby league series and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The UHF channels allocated for the trials were unassigned television channels. These channels (commonly known as Channel B) are discussed later in this paper in the section addressing spectrum requirements and availability.
When issuing the trial licences, the ACMA placed conditions which required the licensees to make information available to the public that highlighted the temporary nature of the trials and provide details for a telephone hotline facility to deal with viewer enquiries.
The trials were broadcast using transmitters especially configured for the purpose. Transmission network operators Broadcast Australia and TXA worked closely with the trial broadcasters in setting up these transmitters, with further transmission infrastructure installation needed at some sites.
The trials were licensed for the following transmission parameters:
Trial area / Transmitter site / UHF channel / Effective radiated power(max)
Sydney / Gore Hill / 35 / 80 kW
Brisbane / Mt. Coot-tha / 50 / 120 kW
Melbourne / Mt Dandenong / 35 / 120 kW
Adelaide / Mt Lofty / 29 / 200 kW
Perth / Bickley / 35 / 200 kW
Newcastle / Cooks Hill / 35 / 100 W
Charlestown / 35 / 50 W
Wollongong / Knights Hill / 50 / 1.5 kW
Agreement between the host broadcasters—Nine Network and SBS—allowed for a centrally assembled program stream to be fed to each of the transmission sites from a play-out facility at Nine’s Willoughby studios. The switching between live feeds from the specialised 3D TV broadcast production facility located at each of the State of Origin venues, the incoming satellite feed of the World Cup matches in South Africa, and locally assembled highlights packages and promotion material, was coordinated at this location.
The ACMA has now approved additional trials to be conducted in September and October 2010 by the Seven Network and the Nine Network. Details of these additional trials are available on the ACMA website.
The ACMA’s approach to trials of new technology
The ACMA considers applications for the issuing of scientific apparatus licences for the purposes of conducting trials of new radiocommunications technologies on a case-by-case basis, applying principles and following processes outlined in Dealing with Applications for Apparatus Licences for the Trial of New Radiocommunications Technologies—Guidelines.
Scientific apparatus licences are issued under section 100 of the Radiocommunications Act 1992.[1]Spectrum in the broadcasting services bands is made available on a temporary basis under section 34 of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992.
In accordance with the guidelines, licences are made available to perform trials of new radiocommunications technology that relate primarily to triallingtechnical functions. However, trials may include incidental market testing or testing of other aspects of the technology such as performance testing. A common feature of trials is that they are limited in duration, with the period of time on air related to the purpose of the trial. While the ACMA takes a wide view of who may trial new radiocommunications technologies, permission to conduct a trial in no way pre-empts or constrains future planning decisions. In particular, allocation of spectrum for a trial confers no rights to use of that spectrum other than for the purpose and duration of the trial.
Where spectrum is available and the ACMA receives an application which meets policy guidelines, the ACMA may decide to issue a licence. Some of the matters which the ACMA may take into consideration when assessing an application for a scientific apparatus trial licence include:
the purpose of the trial, including whether it is for the purposes of marketing a new service
the nominated date for commencement of the trial and its duration
the preparedness of the applicant to commence a service on the nominated date
spectrum availability (having regard to the location and time of the trial)
whether the trial could practicably proceed using a different location or spectrum
resources required for interference management
the need for and relevance of the information to be obtained through the proposed trial
the willingness of the applicant to work with the ACMA where the information gathered from the trial could be of interest to the ACMA or the Australian Government, as well as the person or group conducting the trial
the time necessary to assess the proposed technical specifications compared to the duration of the trial
whether the proposed service will meet relevant licence conditions.
If the ACMA receives competing applications for spectrum to conduct trials it is the ACMA’s preference that applicants resolve competing demands through a process of negotiation. However, if negotiation does not produce a workable solution, the ACMA may have regard to the following matters when reaching a decision:
the purpose of each of the trials
the date and order in which the applicant expressed an interest in conducting the trial
the preparedness of each applicant to commence a service on the nominated date
the nominated date and duration of the trial
whether the trial could practicably proceed using a different location or frequencies.
A full copy of the guidelines is available on the ACMA’s website.
Evolving technology of 3D TV
Although audiovisual 3D technology has existed since the 1950s, the leap in quality of both cinematic and broadcast 3D content in 2009/2010 has resulted in worldwide interest in 3D TV. The rapidly changing environment for 3D TV is demonstrated by the fact that recent Australian digital terrestrial TV trials conducted by the Nine Network and SBS were the first of their kind in the world, and that these trials followed only a matter of days after the first Australian 3D TV broadcast on the subscription television channel, Fox Sports.
Importantly, the technical approach used to conduct the Australian free-to-air trials is not the only approach for providing 3D broadcasts. The ACMA is interested in stakeholders’ views on the direction that 3D broadcast technology is likely to take in Australia and internationally, and on ways of managing some of the uncertainties that currently exist with this new technology.
Given its role as Australia’s regulator of broadcasting services which use radiofrequency spectrum and the current temporary availability of such spectrum, the ACMA is primarily concerned in this paper with the application of 3D technology in the free-to-air broadcast environment and the extent to which spectrum should be made available for further 3D trials. This section of the discussion paper—together with the following sections on spectrum availability, licensing and consumer issues—therefore focuses primarily on free-to-air television, rather than on other broadcast platforms such as direct-to-home satellite and cable deliverywhich can also deliver 3D TV, or the use of 3D in the cinematic, DVD, Blu-ray and gaming environments. Nevertheless, the ACMA recognises that 3D TV is emerging as a consumer application more generally. It is interested in understanding the evolution of 3D technology across any relevant platform.
Common features of all 3D technologies
3D TV (otherwise known as ‘stereoscopic television’) is still evolving. International commentary on 3D technology does not yet display consistency in the categorisation of transmission and reception methods or in the timeframe and direction for further development, and technical standards have not yet been established.[2] Nevertheless, most analysis positions current 3D technology between the traditional ‘anaglyph’ system (using standard 2D transmission and reception equipment and relying on coloured viewing glasses) and further improved versions such as a ‘full HD 3D’ (providing a high resolution picture using some specialised transmission and reception equipment) and the ‘auto-stereoscopic’ model (which does not require glasses).[3] While the method of conducting the recent high definition digital 3D broadcasts represents a significant improvement on the old anaglyph approach, most commentators suggest that a version of 3D where the viewer does not need to wear glasses is some years away.
All forms of stereoscopic 3D technology involve the creation of separate streams of information for a viewer's left eye and right eye. These separate streams, when combined in a certain way, create an illusion of depth, or the ‘3D effect’. The images can be initially captured by two cameras that produce the two streams of information, or the separate streams can be computer-generated during the production process. The two independent streams of information are then reconstructed in the receiver (i.e. the 3D TV set), with viewer glasses presenting a coherent image with the illusion of depth.