A new report has found almost two-thirds of surveyed remote First Nations households do not have working free-to-air television, with many turning to internet streaming to access television and other content.
The 2026 Mapping the Digital Gap report from RMIT University and Swinburne University of Technology found 63% of respondents did not have a working service at home, highlighting ongoing television access issues in remote and very remote communities.
The findings relate to communities reliant on the Australian Government-funded Viewer Access Satellite Television (VAST) service, where households have been left responsible for maintaining their own equipment following the transition from local broadcasting to direct-to-home satellite television.
Researchers identified a lack of coordinated maintenance and technical support, with damaged set-top boxes, smart card activation issues and the cost of bringing technicians from regional centres leaving some services out of action.
With households increasingly turning to internet streaming for television and other digital media, the failures are also adding to data costs and placing further pressure on remote mobile networks.
Associate Professor Daniel Featherstone, a report co-investigator at RMIT, said the growing reliance on streaming was increasing household internet usage and associated costs.
“People were already using the internet for banking, government services and staying connected, but now they’re also using significant amounts of data to stream digital media and television content.”
Community Wi-Fi and household broadband expand
The report also identified improvements in internet connectivity, with community Wi-Fi helping reduce reliance on prepaid mobile data.
Sixty-four per cent of respondents reported using public Wi-Fi in the previous six months, up from 47% in 2025. Twenty-three remote communities have received new Wi-Fi networks since 2024, with another 53 expected to come online over the next two years.
Household broadband access is also increasing, with 32% of respondents reporting a fixed broadband connection at home. Starlink uptake rose from 4% in 2025 to 24% in 2026, partly driven by promotional offers, discounted equipment and growing demand for household internet.
However, researchers warned that ongoing subscription costs could prove difficult to sustain, particularly for households already facing financial pressures.
Featherstone said the longer-term affordability of satellite internet remained uncertain, despite the improvements in household connectivity.
“Starlink is providing better household connectivity in many communities, but the challenge will be whether households can afford the service over the longer term.”
Internet access improves but affordability remains a barrier
Internet access continues to improve, with 98% of respondents reporting access and 86% having used the internet in the previous day.
Online services are increasingly part of everyday life, with 83% reporting they had used online banking and 72% government services in the previous month.
Despite these gains, affordability remains a significant barrier. Surveyed households reported spending an average of $345 per month on mobile and internet services, while 83% said they had sacrificed or cut back on essentials to afford connectivity.
A further 69% reported compromising on data allowances or connection speeds to manage costs.
First Nations co-investigator Professor Lyndon Ormond-Parker from RMIT said the findings highlighted the difficult financial choices facing remote households, despite improvements in connectivity.
“Better connectivity is bringing clear benefits, but families should not have to cut back on essentials to afford internet access.”
The research was conducted across nine remote and very remote First Nations communities, including seven locations surveyed in 2025. Researchers worked with local First Nations organisations and community co-researchers to examine how residents access and use digital and media services.
Mapping the Digital Gap is an ongoing research project from RMIT and Swinburne, supported by Telstra, examining digital inclusion and media use in remote First Nations communities across Australia.
The Mapping the Digital Gap: 2026 Outcomes Report was published by the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, RMIT University, Swinburne University of Technology and Telstra.
More information on Mapping the Digital Gap can be found HERE.
