FREEVIEW AUSTRALIA MOVES TO SECURE FREE TV FOR THE STREAMING AGE
18th December 2025
Testing begins on new technology that will deliver a combined free-to-air TV experience with or without an aerial
Freeview Australia has announced it will begin testing latest DVB-I technology locally, that will ensure Australians can continue to access and enjoy their free-to-air television now and into the future.
Starting early 2026, Freeview will test a new way to deliver the existing linear channel suites of ABC, SBS, Seven, Nine, and Ten over the internet ā meaning Australians can navigate their live free-to-air channels through Freeview in the same familiar way, whether theyāre watching with or without an antenna, providing even more choice and access for viewers nationallyā¦
āā¦Our goal is simple: ensure every Australian can easily find and watch their favourite free TV channels, whether their TV has an antenna or not,ā said Dean Dezius, General Manager of Freeview Australia. āNo more juggling apps or inputs. Everything in one place, for freeā¦ā
ā¦The testing program will run at the Freeview Test Centre in Sydney with smart TVs and active support from TCL, Hisense, and Philips, working with technology partner Switch Media.
ā¦Broadcasters around the world are taking similar steps to ensure free television remains easy to find as viewing habits change. In the UK, the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 launched their āFreelyā service in 2024, bringing live channels together over the internet. Similar initiatives are underway across Europe and in New Zealandā¦
Yes, you really think that will work? I think not. It is called Free-To-Air (FTA) TV for a reason.
You said:
Where are these same people going to get the money to pay for something they now get for free.
Then you said:
Just to clarify. Are you saying that a DVB-T2 upgrade for normal FTA TV could be paid for by providing additional subscription services on the extra bandwidth provided by DVB-T2, so those on low income can still watch their FTA TV, and others can pay for a number of subscription services?
I donāt think that their is enough bandwidth for this even with an upgrade to DVB-T2. I also donāt think it would be financially viable regardless. Given a lot of people have Internet. Why would you do this? For those without Internet?
I think that DVB-I is better option for FTA TV in the future, combination with Viewer Access Satellite Television (VAST) perhaps for those without or with limited Internet Access.
Terrestrial FTA Broadcasters are facing rapidly falling advertising revenues due to rapidly falling viewers, and ever increasing costs to operate and maintain terrestrial broadcasting infrastructure, they need to change and dramatically reduce operating costs or they will go out of business.
DVB-I is a way for them to deliver programming with advertising and possibly increased resolution but more importantly dramatically reducing costs.
As I touched on in my comments above. Consider how the previous Liberal Federal Government tried to use a carrot and stick approach with the Media Reform Green Paper. Trying to get broadcasters to transition fully to MPEG-4, and also share three 7Mhz multiplexes amongst five broadcasters (instead of each broadcaster having their own dedicated 7MHz multiplexer). This was considered so they would use/need least bandwidth in exchange for no Commercial Broadcasting Tax.
The previous Liberal Federal Government were in fact trying to force Broadcasters to give up spectrum for no Commercial Broadcasting Tax, so the Government could auction off the 600 MHz spectrum to Mobile phone network operators. Well that is how I read it anyway. You donāt think this will be tried again in the future to provide additional spectrum to mobile phone network operators? That spectrum is valuable to the Government and would providing a lot of additional money for future budgets.
But these are just my own personal opinions and everyone is entitled to their own.
Hoping this week we might see either Nine Sydney or Nine Melbourne join Nine Perth, Nine Adelaide, Nine Brisbane, Nine Gold Coast and Nine Sunshine Coast South having multiplex changes as follows:
9HD changed to LCN 9
9SD changed on LCN 91
9Life changed from SD to HD
9Rush & Extra changed from MPEG-2 SD to MPEG-4 SD
Transition timetable has been:
Nine Adelaide approx. May 23
Note: Nine Adelaide appears to have been used as a test bed from May 23 and appears to have been used as template for the other metro multiplexes. Which would I guess explain time difference taken between Nine Adelaide and Nine Brisbane, Nine Gold Coast and Nine Sunshine Coast South due to testing. However they stuffed up and still had LCN 9 as 9SD, whilst LCN 91 switched to 9HD. They did fix it after a few days.
Nine Brisbane approx. Jun 15.
Nine Gold Coast approx. Jun 15.
Nine Sunshine Coast South approx. Jun 15.
Nine Perth approx. Jun 24.
Note: Again, they stuffed up and still had LCN 9 as 9SD, whilst LCN 91 switched to 9HD like Nine Adelaide multiplex. They fixed this after approx. one day. However, this type of stuff up does make you wonder sometimes.
And this is probably also waiting for 10 to take playout of the SNSW, VIC and QLD regional stations which I assume are still with NPC due to the previous contract with SCA.
Itās all a bit of a mess with recent ownership changes and playout contracts waiting to run out.
A 7Mhz mux provides 23Mbps of bandwidth via DVB-T.
The same mux provides 31-39Mbps via DVB-T2.
DVB-T2 would be great for Nine Network. Remove the MPEG-2 simulcast of their main channel on LCN91. Axe the SD simulcasts of 9Gem and 9Go!. Remove 9Extra. That frees up a few Mbps. That, on top of the extra bandwidth supplied by DVB-T2, would allow them to add several encrypted subscription channels in 1080p Full HD.
If Hanson has her way the ABC and SBS will be gone in metropolitan Australia.
Nine donāt need DVB-T2 to dump the MPEG-2 Channels. They could do that now like the Seven Network has already done in both their Metro and Regional License Areas. As has WIN and Network 10 done in their Regional License Areas. But even Network 10 continues with the SD MPEG-2 Simulcast of their main channel in their Metro License Areas.
I still donāt think this is financially viable for the reasons I gave in my earlier post. If it was, donāt you think the Commercial Broadcast would have raised it as an option?
What did Paul Hogan call her? Thatās right, a Pelican.
I believe what she said was she wants to completely abolish the SBS and restrict the ABC to a subscription service in major cities. She argues that the internet replaces the need for the SBS. She also claims the ABC is heavily biased and has too many activists.
The SBS: Completely defunded and shut down.
The ABC (Cities): Put behind a subscription paywall.
The ABC (Regional): Still funded by taxpayers to ensure remote areas have access to news.
DVB-T2 is used for FTA and subscription packages in Germany, Italy, Croatia, Afghanistan and Madagascar.
Most of Europe has replaced DVB-T with DVB-T2 for FTA. The only countries not to do so are France, Ireland and Portugal. Spain is in the process of converting to DVB-T2.
Over-the-air is significantly cheaper and more efficient than connecting every property to FTTP and HFC. Thereās a reason the Coalition dropped Laborās plan to roll out FTTP to every household.
Fixed internet speeds are slower and more expensive in Australia than they are in Europe. Despite this, you want Australia to transition from DVB-T to DVB-I while Europe has chosen to use DVB-T2 as its successor?
I understand that, but Europe isnāt Australia either. If the Australian Commercial FTA Broadcasters wanted to do this, donāt you think they would have already proposed doing it if it was financially viable with the appropriate business and backing of those wanting to provide a subscription model?
Perhaps, but that ship has already sailed.
I am aware of the vested interests that the Coalition was pandering to. The same could be argued is the reason for the Coalitionās Media Reform Green Paper in 2020 as I touched on above.
Again, I know this but Labor have put NBN back onto their original plan for FTTP for most Australians. The price is another matter altogether and certainly needs to be addressed. But you can blame that on the former Coalition for wasting NBNās time and more importantly, their money.
I didnāt say that DVB-T1 should end. I said it was another delivery method as is DVB-I and VAST. Whichever is not commercially viable is up to Broadcasters moving forward. But you should bear in mind what the last Coalition government tried to do with their Media Reform Green Paper in 2020. Perhaps you should have a read of it. It was clearly designed so they could auction off the 600 MHz spectrum to Mobile phone network operators. See:
Do you really think a future Coalition government wonāt try that again?
Also have you looked at who is testing/deploying DVB-I in Europe. See:
Again it isnāt a case of one or the other, but both DVB-I and DVB-T2 can compliment each other. It is up to Broadcasters to determine which are financially viable moving forward.
Also, are you aware that the BBC plans to transition to a fully online platform, aiming to phase out traditional terrestrial television (Freeview) by the mid-2030s, specifically targeting the year 2034.
The plan involves gradually shifting audiences from standard aerial broadcasts to internet streaming, which will require all homes to have high-speed broadband. While no exact date for the final switch-off has been locked in, it represents a major move to modernise the broadcaster. The BBC is currently focusing on platforms like Freely and BBC iPlayer to deliver live and on-demand content.
Declining viewership and depreciation of advertising revenue has the potential to bankrupt the industry.
Iām proposing a hybrid FTA/subscription model via DVB-T2 to arrest the decline. The revenue generated from a subscription over-the-air service could subsidise free-to-air.
The last thing I want to see is the end of free-to-air TV.
BVOD is a good vehicle to compliment DVB-T and DVB-T2. However, it is not free-to-air because it relies on an expensive internet connection.
DVB-I is a good solution for people who do not have access to DVB-T and can afford a fast internet connection. The problem is some older Australians cannot afford the cost of using the internet and /or donāt know how to use it. The infrastructure in some regional communities is not sufficient for DVB-I and BVOD.
Fair enough but the FTA Broadcasters need to be the one pushing this if it is something they want to do and believe it is financially viable and backed by a sound business case.
Agreed! FTA still is an important part of some of the Australian community.
There are countries like Switzerland that have already turned off terrestrial FTA TV. The reason is that people are getting TV via other means e.g. cable.
Yes, I have family in Switzerland. I think they switched off DTT in 2019.
Edit: Yes found a link confirming it was 2019. The article below gives stats etc. and says other European countries more reliant on DTT and moving to DVB-T2.
I saw a news article that says Network 10 has partnered with Smart TV operating system featuring VIDAA to deliver linear television without the need for an aerial. Owners of VIDAA-powered TV will be able to stream live content from 10, 10 Drama, 10 Comedy, and Nickelodeon directly on VIDAA-powered TV.
Do a search on 10 launches Streaming channels on VIDAA Smart TVs
I thought that Google TV OS would be the first to be supported. But the Freeview article I reposted from their site said:
ā¦The testing program will run at the Freeview Test Centre in Sydney with smart TVs and active support from TCL, Hisense, and Philips, working with technology partner Switch Media.
I guess this is the first DVB-I implementation in Oz.
