Applications for the Australian Government’s Satellite Subsidy Scheme will close in some areas of NSW on August 10.
These areas include Bolivia, Bonny Hills, Glengarry, Sunset Strip, Garwin, Telegraph Point, Booral, Lismore East, Urbenville; Copi Hollow, Long Flat, White Cliffs, Cumborah, Menindee, Deepwater, Mount George, Drake, Mullumbimby Creek, Emmaville and Nundle.
Households in these areas should check their eligibility today to avoid missing out on the subsidy.
The subsidy is only available in areas requiring satellite TV, as a result of a local TV tower not being upgraded to digital.
The Satellite Subsidy Scheme offers a subsidised installation of satellite TV equipment for eligible households, including a high definition Viewer Access Satellite Television (VAST) set-top box and satellite dish.
The VAST service provides the full suite of 16 free-to-air digital channels from the ABC, SBS and commercial broadcasters, plus a dedicated regional news channel.
Eligible households will be required to make a one-off household contribution of $220 for the installation. There are no ongoing fees or charges to access the VAST service.
Any resident receiving a full rate age pension, disability support pension, carer payment, Department of Veterans’ Affairs Service Pension or Department of Veterans’ Affairs Income Support Supplement may be eligible to receive their VAST installation free of charge under the Government’s Household Assistance Scheme (HAS).
Residents eligible for free VAST installation should have received a letter from the Department of Human Services, however, people can call 1800 556 443 to test their eligibility for the HAS.
For more information, residents should call the Digital Ready Information Line on 1800 20 10 13 (8am to 10pm AEST seven days) or visit the Digital Ready Website www.digitalready.gov.au/subsidy
The switch off of analog signals is a part of the Australian Government’s Digital Switchover, where all analog signals will be progressively switched off around Australia by 2013.
The Satellite Subsidy Scheme is only available in particular locations across Australia where a local TV tower is not being upgraded. Houses that used to get their signal from that tower are now all eligible for assistance to move to VAST.
There have always been, and will continue to be, places that cannot get a good reliable signal from a tower, for example, because of the terrain or remoteness of the area.
More than 90,000 households in remote areas have relied on satellite for their free-to-air TV since the 1990s.
The Government has made a significant new investment to replace this satellite service and extend its reach right across Australia.
Through the new Viewer Access Satellite Television service anyone that is not able to receive television services from a local transmission site will have access to a reliable and professionally operated free-to-air satellite service now and into the future.
VAST provides the full suite of 16 digital channels plus local news services in the Eastern states.
More than 98,000 VAST smartcards have been activated and VAST is available right across the continent.
Around 76,000 households have chosen already to convert to VAST at their own cost, which illustrates how attractive the service is to households and businesses, particularly in regional and remote areas of Australia.
Across the next 10 switchover regions, there will be about 60,000 households invited to opt into the Satellite Subsidy Scheme.
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