To be eligible for the Satellite Subsidy Scheme (SSS), you must be an eligible person, located in an eligible area and living in an eligible dwelling.

Eligible person for the SSS

To be eligible for the SSS an applicant must be:

  • the owner, landlord or tenant of the dwelling where the satellite television equipment is to be installed
  • an Australian citizen or permanent resident, and
  • aged 18 years or over.

Tenants applying for the SSS on behalf of their landlord must have received their landlord's permission for the installation to occur.

Eligible areas for the SSS

Your household must be in an area that:

  • relies on an analog TV signal from a local self-help tower not being upgraded to digital, and
  • does not receive adequate digital TV coverage from any nearby tower. 

Eligible dwelling for the SSS

An eligible dwelling must be located at a distinct address and lawfully occupied (or suitable for occupation) as a place of residence. The following are eligible dwellings:

  • a free-standing house
  • a semi-detached house, terrace house or townhouse (under a single title)
  • a flat, unit, apartment or townhouse (not under a single title)
  • a caravan, mobile home, cabin or like structure that is permanently located at a residential park.

Communal residential living premises, such as group homes, disability homes, nursing homes and retirement villages with communal living arrangements may be eligible for one subsidy per distinct address.

Caravan or residential park SSS applicants only

For all dwellings located within the boundaries of a caravan or residential park, a copy of a valid Residential Tenancy Agreement, Residential Park Site Agreement, Residential Park Tenancy Agreement, or a Long Term Holiday Site Agreement must be provided to the Digital Switchover Taskforce on request.

The agreement must be for a term of at least six months and signed by the applicant as well as an authorised representative of the caravan or residential park.

Once the Digital Switchover Taskforce has received a copy of the valid agreement, we will complete your registration for the SSS and send you a letter advising you of your eligibility for the Scheme.

Ineligible dwellings


The SSS is not available to non-residential dwellings such as the following:

  • places of business
  • commercial accommodation such as hotel rooms, holiday apartments, serviced apartments, bed and breakfast establishments, boarder's rooms and dormitories
  • secondary residential premises that are not a distinct address (for example some granny flats and staff quarters)
  • hospitals
  • educational facilities
  • barracks (military and civil)
  • mining camps
  • corrective and detention facilities
  • mobile premises (for example boats, campervans, caravans and buses)
  • incomplete or condemned dwellings.

Some mixed-use dwellings that include a residential and business function, such as a bed and breakfast where the owner/operator resides on the premises, may be eligible for a single subsidised installation package.

If I’m eligible for the satellite subsidy, will I have to pay anything?

Yes. Registered households will pay a household contribution to the service contractor at the time of installation, which will be the same for all eligible households in each subsidy area.

This amount is predetermined by the Commonwealth and expected to be between $200 and $350. More information about the subsidy amount in your area is listed on the Timetable for the SSS page at Related information below.

Remote Indigenous Communities

Households in identified SSS Remote Indigenous Communities do not need to apply through this website or the Digital Ready Information Line. Further information about arranging installation of VAST satellite television equipment will be available locally in the community closer to the SSS roll out.

Related information