Optus ban on channel removal

[EKGEKH]

The inability to delete channels or even to rearrange channels is a ridiculous and unnecessary restriction imposed for no good reason by Optus. Why must my channel list contain channels 2 and 21, 3 and 30, 401 or the 800 channels? Why must my list contain every ABC and SBS channel for every state? Can anyone provide a reasonable explanation for this restriction?
I wish to write to Optus and the responsible Minister and try to have this changed. Country Australia has already been conned into the VAST system so that the frequency used for television retransmission in remote areas could be sold off and used for something else, why should our options be even more limited?

Can anyone provide contact details for the appropriate people in Optus and the Government? Is anyone else prepared to email these people and ask for change, the more the merrier or at least the better the chance of change.

[LeroyPatrol]

Just use a VAST cam and card in a 3rd party HD sat receiver. Problem solved.

Leroy

[weirdo]

Just use a VAST cam and card in a 3rd party HD sat receiver. Problem solved.

Leroy

yep
but I guess that doesn't really help the OP much cause that means forking out more money to watch fta tv
@ EKGEKH, not familiar with VAST receivers but it might pay to post what particular receiver you use just in case someone does know a way to edit the channels

[joshy12]

Just use a VAST cam and card in a 3rd party HD sat receiver. Problem solved.
Leroy

Do you know where to get one from?

[LeroyPatrol]

Do you know where to get one from?

There's other places if you look around

Leroy

[LeroyPatrol]

yep
but I guess that doesn't really help the OP much cause that means forking out more money to watch fta tv
@ EKGEKH, not familiar with VAST receivers but it might pay to post what particular receiver you use just in case someone does know a way to edit the channels

I have a UEC and I bought a Humax for a mate and you can't do much apart from what VAST with them

Leroy

[tristen]

Do you know where to get one from?

They come in two types....one is single channel and one is multi channel.

NSW -

WA -

Qld -

[hoe]

It's nothing to do with optus or any stb manufacturer. It's part of the vast specifications. Blame Mr conroy.

Sent from my SM-G925I using Tapatalk

[gordon_s1942]

It's nothing to do with optus or any stb manufacturer. It's part of the vast specifications. Blame Mr conroy.

Sent from my SM-G925I using Tapatalk

Better still, blame the Commercial Broadcasters (like FreeView) who laid out the rules regarding how all Digital receivers (TV's and Decoders) work for both terrestrial and satellite reception..
It is this confederation of the Commercial Broadcasters who refused to allow the signal to be broadcast that allows you to skip advertising,
It was this 'Freeview' conglomerate who wanted only receivers approved by them (for a fee) to be sold in Australia and told people if they didnt have a 'FreeView' approved receiver, then they could not watch the program which was totally untrue..
Optus is only a company who broadcasts the signal and has no control over its content or who can view it as thats done by the holder of the program supplier.

[EKGEKH]

So who do we write to?

[mtv]

So who do we write to?

I think you'll be wasting your time though..... good luck.

[gordon_s1942]

I totally agree with MTV with his comment because unless 'there is something in this for me', the Minister (actually some flunky) will only refer this to whatever committee who gave the original specifications as supplied to them after consulting with the license holders, for the setting up of the operation of the VAST service.
You have to remember each of the Networks pay bloody big Fees to the Government to Broadcast and to the companies whose programs they run to hold the Copyright for them.
This Copyright prohibits anyone from 'rebroadcasting' those programs which is exactly what VAST does as does those who get the Metro FTA channels on Cable.
For quite some time the FTA networks resisted allowing them to be provided on Cable.
Exclude the ABC and SBS from this as both are 'Government Broadcasters' and both have always wanted to cover the whole of Australia.

[Softek2]

A little off topic here, BUT, never the less, down the same drain. You might see some advertising from "regional" broadcasters spruking changes to the broadcast act allowing Seven to stream content to some aerial covered by Prime for example, so when comes time for the "big game" viewers from Prime area can watch IPTV via Seven, which also provides advertising thus stealing their customers & advertising revenue. Similar situation for Impaja & SCB who, as Gordon points out just rebroadcast the content with the exception of advertising. I disagree with MTV & would recommend (if you have the time and patience) to lobby your local member for changes to the system. VAST is a far cry from the days Aurora & while there is plenty of room for improvement it is the viewers that need to exert political pressure.

[EKGEKH]

Well the email has gone off to the Minister for Communications. I will look now at contacting the Local Member and possibly getting the Council on board.

[transit]

[EKGEKH]

That's what brick walls are for. I've now cc'd my Local Member with my complaint about the Freeview restrictions but I don't really hold out much hope. If a few hundred people wrote, it might just change though.

[gordon_s1942]

Have you ever wondered why Australia used frequencies 'out of the norm' for the VHF TV Channels or why a TV bought in the UK was 'off channel' to ours as is NZ even today.

Back when TV was being proposed, the 'experts' and the Politicians decided that Australia would never have a market to support FM which was then being introduced in the US so they plonked the TV channels 3 and 4 in the 88~108 frequencies as well as adding 0 & 1 and the orphan 5A which Australia was the only Country in the World who used it for TV.

That along with the 7 Mhz spacing was intended to ensure it wasnt economical to import overseas made TV's and convert them to work here.
While this is not that important, we persevered with the VHF band while others were going UHF, something that began to happen here 20 odd years ago and finally became reality with the introduction of Digital Broadcasting over the last 5 years.

I wish you well and remind you that for every 'Policy Maker' there are 10 Experts with an unknown myriad of advisors who are biased, have a vested interest in one form or another and plain stupidity, all with a finger in the Pie.