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Freeview

Logo: Freeview, PD, via Wikipedia3

Digital terrestrial television platform in Australia

Freeview is the brand name of the digital terrestrial television platform in Australia intended to bring all free-to-air (FTA) broadcasters onto a consistent marketing platform, to compete against subscription television, in particular Foxtel. The strategy coincided with the expansion to 3 digital channels for each FTA network and the phasing out of analogue television in Australia. Important services from Freeview include its free-to-air channels with an enhanced EPG (electronic program guide) across all channels.2 It is headquartered in Sydney.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

Nov 24, 2008Founded1

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Freeview is the brand name of the digital terrestrial television platform in Australia intended to bring all free-to-air (FTA) broadcasters onto a consistent marketing platform, to compete against subscription television, in particular Foxtel. The strategy coincided with the expansion to 3 digital channels for each FTA network and the phasing out of analogue television in Australia. Important services from Freeview include its free-to-air channels with an enhanced EPG (electronic program guide) across all channels. Freeview also certifies televisions, set-top boxes and personal video recorders (PVR) which meet its standards.2

The story

Digital terrestrial television commenced in Australia on 1 January 2001, in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth using DVB-T standards. The transition from analog PAL transmissions began on 30 June 2010 and was completed by 10 December 2013.

The Freeview brand was launched on 24 November 2008, while the actual service commenced in 2009 along with the rollout of a number of Freeview badged set-top boxes and integrated digital televisions. (At least four manufacturers intend to release Phase 1 Freeview devices which do not support MHEG-5.)

Freeview has been criticised as being ambiguous and light on details, with criticism that certification is more about restricting devices than enabling them. The introduction of channels replacing the previous high definition simulcasts led to complaints that regular programming was no longer broadcast in high-definition.

From Wikipedia’s article on Freeview (Australia), shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Products and brands

Non-compliant devices

Existing digital television devices should continue to operate without Freeview certification, with the following caveats:

Only HD devices can view the HD channels

When the TV networks start transmitting in MPEG-4, non-MPEG-4 capable boxes will not be able to receive those channels.

Online services

Through Freeview, the free-to-air broadcasters have signed a new initiative for an industry-wide video hub – details of what content will be carried is unknown. A consultant has been commissioned to advise on vendor partnerships, and ABC's iView technology is the frontrunner to deliver the service. Plans for this video hub have been superseded by the FreeviewPlus service.

Read the full text

The ABC, SBS, Seven Network, Nine Network and Network Ten each offer "catch up" internet television services in Australia, allowing viewers to watch local and foreign content after it has been shown on their respective channels, while One allows online streaming of select sporting content, including live streams of Formula One.

FreeviewPlus

In September 2014, Freeview launched FreeviewPlus, its Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV) service, which consists of six HbbTV apps – one for each of the five major Australian free-to-air broadcasters and a sixth cross-network electronic programming guide (EPG). Each network offers access to its catch-up TV library via its apps, plus it is possible to scroll back in time through the green button on-screen guide to view catch up programs. The service won Best Enhanced TV Service at the International Interactive TV Awards 2015.

FreeviewPlus is not always available when viewing channels through regional affiliates. The Freeview website lists which catch up services and EPG listings are available by postcode. Where a user cannot access the catch up service through FreeviewPlus, it may still be accessible via a third party device running the broadcaster's app.

In May 2017, Freeview announced a brand overhaul of FreeviewPlus to align it more closely with its newer Freeview FV brand. The changes would include a new logo, and a simplified user interface.

Freeview FV

In November 2016, Freeview released an app for iOS and Android devices that provides access to live-streaming of Freeview channels. While also marketed as providing access to catch-up services from within the app, the app instead redirects users to the relevant catch-up apps.

As at 2 December 2018, the application is still not available for "Android TV" streaming platform. Neither is "SBS on Demand", and "ABC iview".

DVB-I

In December 2025, Freeview Australia announced plans to commence testing of DVB-I technology during 2026. DVB-I is an open standard developed by the DVB Project that enables television services to be discovered and accessed over broadband internet connections while retaining traditional channel numbering and electronic programme guide functionality. The trial will involve the free-to-air services of the ABC, SBS, Seven Network, Nine Network and Network 10, allowing channels to be accessed through a unified Freeview interface on connected television receivers. Testing is being conducted at the Freeview Test Centre in Sydney with support from TCL, Hisense and Philips smart televisions and technology partner Switch Media.

From Wikipedia’s article on Freeview (Australia), shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Timeline

  1. Nov 24, 2008Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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