Australia switched from analog TV to digital-only free-to-air TV in 2013. After the switchover, digital TV services were retuned to new frequencies through a restack process to free up spectrum for other services, such as mobile broadband.
As part of this process, about 1,500 digital TV services at around 440 transmission sites had their frequencies changed.
Watch The Retune Story video for more information on Australia's switchover to digital TV.
TV reception issues
To check the TV reception and antenna information for an address, you can use the mySwitch tool. If your address is covered by more than one broadcast transmission site, this information can help you manually tune your TV to the best reception.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) also has information and advice about improving digital TV reception.
For transmission issues and outages, contact the TV broadcaster directly. Contact details are usually available on the broadcaster's website or the Free TV website.
Viewer Access Satellite Television (VAST)
VAST is a government-subsidised service that provides access some free-to-air services via satellite. It is primarily for :
- rural and remote communities that are unable to receive TV reception from a land-based transmitter (i.e. a terrestrial tower)
- travellers, such as caravanners and people who would like to receive free-to-air TV in their vehicles or camp sites while on the road
- communities in areas declared by the ACMA to be 'service deficient'.
The VAST service includes channels from the ABC, SBS and the Australian commercial TV networks.
Access to VAST is governed by conditional access schemes (CAS) that set out the criteria for access. Each application is assessed against those criteria by the CAS Administrator, RBA Holdings Pty Ltd.
Information about eligibility criteria and the application process is available on the MyVAST website. The application process involves checking your address to assess whether you should have adequate terrestrial TV reception. If your terrestrial TV reception is inadequate, you may be eligible for VAST.
If your VAST application is assessed as ineligible, you can apply to the ACMA for a review of this decision. Details about the appeals process are available on the ACMA's Satellite TV webpage.
Customer equipment
If you are eligible for VAST, you will need to purchase the satellite reception equipment and engage a professional installer to ensure the equipment works correctly.
Travellers will need to purchase satellite reception dishes for their vehicles and this may also involve engaging a professional installer.
There are no ongoing costs associated with the service.
Troubleshooting
If you have problems with VAST satellite services, registration or activation, please visit the MyVAST website. You may also need to contact your set-top box supplier for technical assistance.
Last reviewed: 30 September 2026