New Zealand has adopted the Eureka-147 system for digital sound broadcasting. When spectrum was originally allocated, the Canadian L-band channel raster was adopted and the spectrum corresponds to Channels 8 to 20 under the Canadian scheme. The Canadian numbering has been retained for the New Zealand allotments.
The broadcasters, however, would prefer to use Band III, but the spectrum involved is currently being used by analogue television. This will cease either when digital take-up reaches two-thirds, or 2012, whichever is the sooner. Under consideration is temporary use of a military sub-band, 230 - 240 MHz, until the lower frequencies can be cleared. The tests currently underway in Auckland use a frequency at the upper end of the military sub-band. The New Zealand channel raster being used corresponds to that in use elsewhere, but the New Zealand numbering is different. Block NZ 11C, for example, corresponds to Block 12C in Europe. However the military sub-band was not included in that numbering scheme, and therefore Wohnort lists that frequency by its internationally-known equivalent, Block 13F. Wohnort will use the NZ prefix to denote the New Zealand channels - eg Block NZ 5B (= 6B). Wohnort predicts that insofar as the digital radio audience concerns itself at all with frequencies and channels, some listener confusion is likely, since those receivers that display channel numbers will more likely than not display the non-NZ numbering.
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