The latest results of the Digital Tracker has found that 61 per cent of Australian households had converted to digital TV by the end of 2009.

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The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, said, “The number of Australian households to convert to digital TV increased by 14 percentage points during 2009, and by five percentage points during the last quarter of 2009.

“It’s great to see so many Australian households taking advantage of digital TV and enjoying new channels and additional content, along with better picture and sound quality. Digital switchover is important as it will also free-up spectrum which can be used for the delivery of new and improved broadcasting and communications services, such as high speed broadband,” added Senator Conroy.

In addition to this, the Executive Director of the Digital Switchover Taskforce, Andy Townend, said that the survey also revealed that 78 per cent of Australian households know how to convert to digital television.

“In Mildura Sunraysia, which will be the first region in Australia to go digital-only on 30 June, 79 per cent of households had converted to digital TV by the end of 2009, which was an increase of nine percentage points over the year,” said Townend.

“The Digital Switchover Taskforce is working closely with communities across Australia to ensure they are prepared for the digital switchover when it occurs in their area. Regional South Australia and Broken Hill will follow Mildura Sunraysia in the second half of 2010 in switching over to digital TV.”

“Awareness of switchover was very high in the Spencer Gulf, Riverland and Mt Gambier and the southeast of South Australia, and Broken Hill regions with 64 per cent of households already converted by the end of 2009,” concluded Townend.