Viewer access satelllite TV (VAST) provides broadcasting services to people in remote areas and to viewers in terrestrial digital television ‘black spots’.
If you live in an area where there is poor reception of free-to-air digital commercial services, you may be eligible for access to services provided on the new VAST satellite platform.
If you cannot receive the national services (the ABC and SBS) free-to-air, you will also be able to access them on the VAST service.
VAST services will not be available to viewers outside of remote licence areas until six months before digital switchover in their area.
Viewers in receipt of ‘special permission’ from the ACMA to receive out-of-area commercial television broadcasting services are automatically eligible to receive commercial VAST services since 15 December 2010.
More information on VAST is available from the Digital Switchover Taskforce.
How to apply for VAST
Anyone may apply for and be authorised to receive national broadcasting services (ABC, SBS) on VAST. However, specific rules and conditions apply to viewers wanting access to commercial television broadcasting services via VAST.
To learn more about your coverage, or apply for access to VAST, visit the myswitch website.
Conditional access schemes for VAST
The conditional access schemes governing viewer access to VAST have been developed by broadcasters and registered by the ACMA.
Viewers may complain to the ACMA if:
- a viewer has applied for access to VAST and is either:
- Denied access to VAST upon application;
- Has existing access to VAST revoked; or
- Waited for more than 15 business days for their application to be dealt with; or
- viewers who are eligible for VAST access have concerns regarding the process of having their access to VAST activated.
More information:
- FAQs about VAST
- lodge a complaint
- Digital television terrestrial self-help retransmission services