Communications in Australia

Communications in Australia is dominated by the telecommunications provider, Telstra (short for Telecom Australia) which is 51% government-owned and 49% market controlled. Other telephone carriers include Optus (owned by SingTel), AAPT (owned by Telecom New Zealand) and Vodafone.

Telephony

Australia relies mainly on a dominant GSM network, augmented by CDMA in regional areas. 3G cellular phone services were introduced into major centers in 2003. The telephone system generally provides good domestic and international service.

Ownership statistics:

  • Telephones - main lines in use: 10.82 million (2003)
  • Telephones - mobile cellular: 14.35 million (2003)

Radio, television, cable and Internet

Australia is transitioning to digital free-to-air broadcasting and will phase out analogue broadcasts from 2008. Australian digital TV regulations call for SD broadcasts in 576i and a required amount of HD content in at least 576p format. HD quota is currently set at 1040 hours annually. State media (ABC and SBS) are able to offer multi-channel services, however commercial networks are restricted in this area until 2008 in deference to the Pay-TV satellite and cable networks. Datacasting is also restricted.

  • Radio broadcast stations: AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998)
  • Radios: 25.5 million (1997)
  • Television broadcast stations: 104 (1997)
  • Television broadcast networks (metropolitan): 5 (ABC, 7, 9, 10 & SBS)

As of June 2004, there were 409,000 installed digital set-top boxes in Australia (roughly 4% of televisions).

  • Cable & Satellite Television Companies 4 (Foxtel, Optus, Austar and TransACT)
  • Televisions: 10.15 million (1997)
  • Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 571 (2002)

Country code: AU

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