VAST Service

Yes. The new Free To Air VAST Service Now Operational

In Essence:

This is a significant breakthrough in the provision of digital TV services to all Australians, particularly for those in remote and regional areas who for many years have had to put up with less choice than people in the cities.

• The new service will provide digital TV services to viewers in eastern Australia who cannot receive terrestrial digital TV.
• The agreement is between the Australian Government and broadcasters Southern Cross Media and Imparja to establish a joint venture company, Viewer Access Satellite Television (VAST).
• Ensures access to free-to-air television for viewers in the Remote Central and Eastern Australia licence area.
• It includes those in regional and metropolitan areas who are unable to receive their local TV services terrestrially will also be able to access the new service.
• The new VAST service will for the first time make available to all parts of Australia the same number of channels as are available in the capital cities.
• This includes programming in standard definition from the Seven, Nine and Ten networks and their new digital channels GO!, 7TWO and ONEHD, as well as all of the ABC and SBS channels, including ABC2, ABC3 and SBS TWO. The VAST service will also provide high definition channels.

The service will be broken into 3 areas

• Northern service will operate in northern time zone, providing standard definition services for viewers in Queensland and the Northern Territory based on Brisbane time.
• Southern Service will operate in Southern time Zone providing standard definition services for viewers in NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania based on Sydney time.
• The high definition services will be provided in a combined zone, covering both the northern and southern zones.
• A satellite service for Western Australian viewers, using the same Optus platform, is currently under negotiation with the remote area commercial TV licensees in Western Australia (Prime and WIN Television).
• Viewers of the satellite service will be able to watch their local news services through a dedicated news channel.
• State-based ABC and SBS news services would also be available on their respective channels.

Time scale

The availability of the new satellite services are linked to the timetable of analogue switch off. With services already being provided to the Sunraysia area and Spencer Gulf of SA

As Remote Central and Eastern TV` viewers are outside licensed areas of other broadcasters, these Remote  Area viewers will be able to convert to this new service on December 15th, 2010. Arrangements are being put in place to include out of area registered customers.

We are also led to understand that travellers to this region will also be provided with a process to register.

All new satellite set-top boxes on delivery will be already configured to receive the ABC and SBS services including the ABC2 and ABC 3 etc and High definition ABC and SBS services.

To access the VAST service, viewers will need to purchase a new satellite set top box with an access ‘smart card’, a satellite dish and cabling.

Existing Aurora customers will only need to purchase a set top box and card at RRP of $269.00 inc GST plus a short cable or power divider, provided their existing satellite equipment is functioning correctly.

Orders are being taken now at Videosat , email: enquiries@videosat.com.au and order on line click here

Please download the 6 page PDF below for more detailed information.

We are taking the opportunity with our 25 years in business to take a firm step in giving back to the community. In this we have joined up with Buy One -Give One. (www.b1g1.com) to make an automatic difference for every product purchased.

As all our customers are using our products to watch more Television at a higher quality, we pose the question,  "what about those who cannot see!!! ".

In this program through B1G1 and the Australian based John Fawcett foundation, we have elected to automatically provide one pair of glasses for each and every selected product purchased to now allowing a person or child to see properly. Click here for more information.