The Australian Federal Government is set to fund the delivery of more digital television channels in regional Western Australia.

According to Communications Minister Stephen Conroy, AU$34Mnhas already been spent for implementing the service in Western Australia and South Australia. The funding, said Conroy, will help commercial broadcasters in installing new transmitters which would then allow a full range of digital channels.

The analogue system is due to be phased out in regional West Australia by the the second quarter of 2013.

In Australia, the transition to digital television started in five of its most populous cities nine years ago, on January 1, 2001. The switching off of analogue network was first done last June 30 this year in Mildura. The transition is gradually being conducted in all regions in the country, with the aim of finishing with main capitals by 2013.

Until a total analogue television switch off by 2013, commercial broadcasters will simulcast its program in both digitial and analogue telvision with legislation requiring locally made television transmitters to be in 16:0 widescreen format.

Digital Switchover Taskforce under the federal Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy is coordinating the switch off with December 31, 2013 as the target full date for the final analogue switchoff.