Concern over the reassignment of the broadcast frequncy spectrum in Australia continues, with the Australian Commercial & Entertainment Technologies Association (ACETA) attempting to gain concessions from the Government to protect the use of wireless systems in entertainment.
The following statement has recently been issued by Ian Harvey:
‘With a change of minister AWAG (the Australian Wireless Audio Group, run by ACETA) presses on with trying to explain to Government that the plan they have for the transition to digital spectrum will not work unless they address the issue of wireless audio users.
‘You'd think it was a simple message and indeed we've outlined a simple solution, but the previous minister either didn't get it or didn't want to get it. Now we have Deputy Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. In the meantime the ACMA has issued a draft proposal (for consultation, or what they call 'consultation') about grandfathering of existing products – which they wish to reduce from 12 months to three months – and a requirement that every box containing a product that operates in the 694-820MHz range be opened before being sold and a leaflet included that advises the purchaser of the unsuitability of this equipment after 31 December 2014. Clearly neither of these proposals is actually workable. ‘
ACETA’s submission to the ACMA can be viewed on its website.
‘Go to the AWAG Facebook page and Like it. Get your colleagues to Like it,’ Harvey requests. ‘We need to grow that number of Likes so that anyone in government or the ACMA can see that we are indeed a force.’
An online petition will also be presented to the Senate Leader. ‘Watch out for the email telling you when this is ready,’ Harvey says. ‘Then, please sign it. Get your colleagues to sign it. Encourage your customers and their customers to sign it.
‘We need the new minister to understand that he has been left with a great big problem that is desperately in need of fixing – otherwise the whole digital switchover will turn into a crisis as ministers of religion, teachers, fitness instructors, convention speakers, musicians and more become criminals under the Radiocommunications Act 1992.’
