Freeview Australia

Launched in 2008, Freeview is the free digital television service in Australia. It comprises all the channels from Australia’s free-to-view broadcasters. Freeview encourages Australians to switch to free-to-view digital television by promoting its benefits including more channels, more choice, better picture and superior sound, for free. Freeview is not-for-profit and owned by ABC, SBS, Seven Network, Nine Network, Network Ten, Prime, Southern Cross and WIN.

In July 2010, Freeview Australia commenced broadcasting its platform-wide EPG, powered by MHEG. The announcement from Freeview at the time described it as a “key milestone in the development of free digital TV in Australia”.

The EPG provides a consistent experience across the Freeview platform. The EPG removes the constraints created by lack of cross-carriage of existing EPG data between networks and manufacturer-specific programme guides, allowing a significant increase in usability and functionality for viewers.

The service collates programme data from all networks for simultaneous transmission in a consistent format by all broadcasters. The MHEG application allows viewers to continue watching TV while using the EPG. From July 2010, all STBs, PVRs and integrated digital TVs that that conform to Freeview Australia’s specification will feature the new Freeview EPG logo.

In addition to the platform EPG, the Freeview Australia MHEG country profile also supports HD as well as the hybrid MHEG Interaction Channel. The IP-based MHEG Interaction Channel enables hybrid broadcast broadband receiver operation via an IP connection – already being used by Freesat in the UK for catch-up TV services including the BBC iPlayer.