Freeview Australia is to begin local testing of DVB-I, the IP-delivered broadcast standard designed to make free-to-air TV available through a single channel guide with or without an aerial.
The validation programme is due to start in early 2026 and will test delivery of the existing linear channel suites from ABC, SBS, Seven, Nine and Ten over the internet. The aim is to let viewers browse live free-to-air channels via the familiar Freeview channel numbers and EPG on internet-connected smart TVs, even where an antenna connection is unavailable.
Freeview said the move responds to changing viewing habits and practical constraints in newer multi-dwelling buildings where aerial access can be limited, with audiences often forced to switch between apps and platforms to find live channels. DVB-I would allow a single, broadcaster-led interface to aggregate those channels over IP.
Dean Dezius, General Manager of Freeview Australia, said the goal is to keep free TV easy to find and watch, “whether their TV has an antenna or not”, reducing the need to juggle inputs and applications.
Testing will run at the Freeview Test Centre in Sydney, with smart TV support from TCL, Hisense and Philips, working with technology partner Switch Media.
Freeview’s chairman Hamish Turner said the programme is intended to maintain a prominent broadcaster-led presence in an IP environment, while ABC Chief Digital Officer Damian Cronan described the standard as a pathway to reach any household with an internet-connected TV, regardless of antenna availability or location.
The announcement aligns with similar IP-first aggregation initiatives in other markets, including the UK’s Freely platform, which brings live channels together over broadband.
