The latest Digital Tracker survey for 2010, covering the period June to September, has shown that 75 per cent of Australian households have made the switch to digital television.

This is up from 74 per cent in the previous quarter and 56 per cent in the same quarter last year.

The biggest increase this quarter was recorded in Regional Western Australia, where digital conversion leapt up from 49 per cent of households to 58 per cent in this quarter – possibly inspired by the belated digital roll-out of commercial TV in parts of the state, and the arrival of a new digital-only channel, Ten West.

Regional South Australia, which is due to lose analogue transmissions in just over a month from now, recorded an increase from 77 per cent to 81 per cent of households converted, while Regional Victoria (due to lose analogue transmission in May 2011) recorded an increase from 76 to 79 per cent.

Curiously, Melbourne and Sydney both recorded drops when compared to the last quarter – both falling by 3 per cent each to 74 and 68 per cent respectively.  As the audience sample no doubt changes over time there is expected to be some fluctuations.

Mildura/Sunraysia, which was the first to lose analogue transmission back in June, is no longer surveyed but the national figure takes into account the local 99 per cent conversion rate as measured at the time of the analogue shutdown.

Outside of Mildura the highest conversion rates were recorded in Tasmania (86 per cent) and Darwin (87 per cent).

Nationally, awareness of the digital transition (across the markets that are yet to lose analogue) is at 95 per cent which is the same level as at the previous quarter.

The Digital Tracker survey, which started in January 2009, is carried out by the Digital Switchover Taskforce of the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy.

Source: Digital Ready