The Viewer Access Satellite Television (VAST) service will provide digital television services to viewers in Remote Central and Eastern Australia (RCEA), and to viewers in regional and metropolitan areas unable to receive adequate terrestrial television reception from transmitters that serve their area.
VAST will also be available to viewers who rely on a self-help facility not converted to digital by commercial broadcasters and who don’t receive an adequate digital signal from another transmitter serving their area.
VAST is now available for viewers in Mildura/Sunraysia and those in Regional South Australia and Broken Hill, who are unable to receive adequate terrestrial reception. VAST will be available for viewers in regional Victoria from 15 December 2010.
Viewers in the RCEA licence area can also access the VAST service from 15 December 2010.
Viewers in other areas who need to move to satellite can access the VAST service six months before digital switchover in their area.
The Government is in negotiation with broadcasters to finalise arrangements for the provision of a new digital television satellite service for viewers in Western Australia.
VAST will provide all of the ABC and SBS digital channels, as well as programming from all of the commercial networks, including the digital-only channels such as ABC2, ABC3, ABC News 24, SBS TWO, 7TWO, 7mate, GEM, ONE HD and Eleven (when launched in early 2011). VAST will also provide local news services provided by regional commercial broadcasters for their relevant terrestrial licence areas. State-based ABC and SBS services will be provided.
To receive the VAST service, viewers must purchase a VAST set-top box and a satellite dish. Access to the VAST service is managed by a smart card provided with the satellite set-top box. The smart card is pre-activated to receive the ABC and the SBS services. However, viewers must activate the smart card to receive commercial television services.
Viewers who receive television services through the Aurora remote area broadcasting service will be able to connect a VAST set-top box to their existing satellite dish.
Altech UEC is the initial supplier and distributor of the VAST set-top boxes. Sales or technical enquiries can be made directly to a reseller by calling (02) 4297 7373 or visiting
Further information about the VAST service is also available on the Digital Ready website and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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