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Overseas satellite TV

Some people are able to watch overseas TV programs using a satellite dish. Reception of these services is sometimes fortuitous, which means it happens by chance – it is not supported by the ACMA’s spectrum management arrangements. 

This type of TV often has reception problems and is not protected against interference in Australia. You may get interference that cannot be fixed.

Causes of interference on overseas satellite TV equipment

Satellite TV equipment used to watch overseas programs can be affected by other signals from licensed services operating nearby. These signals may be from mobile phone towers, mobile broadband internet, or other signals on adjacent frequency bands.

How to get help

The ACMA does not provide diagnostic or investigation services for unlicensed overseas satellite TV.

Contact an antenna installer or professional satellite dish technician if you have questions about interference to your satellite TV service. They can investigate the cause of the interference and if there is a way to improve your reception.

It may not be possible to fix the problems and you may always have interference on overseas satellite TV. Consider this before you buy and install a satellite dish or call out a technician to look at the issue.

Alternative ways to access affected satellite TV channels

You may be able to continue watching affected overseas TV channels and programs via an alternative frequency, over the Internet or through a streaming service provider. Your satellite TV service provider or administrators of the affected satellite TV channels may be able to advise you on alternative options. You will need to contact them for more information.

A version of the above information is also provided in the following languages.

Advice to technicians

Signals from mobile towers can interfere with satellite TV reception in the C-band (3.7 to 4.2 GHz), sometimes known as ‘big dish systems’. This is due to signal overload of the low-noise block downconverter or a reduction in the carrier-to-noise ratio (C/N). As a professional satellite dish technician, it is important that you tell your customer that it may not be possible to fix the problem.

You can try to improve their satellite TV reception with these steps:

  1. Move the dish antenna to a more sheltered location that may be less likely to pick up stronger signals from nearby transmission towers.
  2. Use a low-noise block downconverter with built-in filters.
  3. Install a separate enhanced C-band filter to avoid signal overload.

Details of all licensed stations including locations and operating frequencies are in the ACMA Register of Radiocommunications Licences (RRL). You can use the RRL to search for licensed services that may be causing interference to you customer’s overseas satellite TV reception.

Things to know if you’re a technician:

  • The ACMA’s spectrum management arrangements do not support unlicensed satellite TV reception, regardless of its source.
  • The ACMA does not provide diagnostic or investigation services for interference impacting these types of services.
  • Overseas signals on ‘big dish systems’ operating in 3.4-4.2 GHz can be affected by mobile broadband and licensed mobile phone transmissions.
  • Interference may be caused by services operating in the same frequency band or in adjacent frequency bands.

More information on changes to the 3.4-4.0 GHz band which may affect overseas satellite TV reception is available here.

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