Fetch Gen 3 owners must pay $29.99, subscribe or upgrade by 31 October

Fetch is putting a deadline on its oldest set-top boxes. Owners of Fetch Mini Gen 3 and Mighty Gen 3 devices that were activated more than five years ago, and who do not pay for any Fetch subscription, have until 31 October 2026 to choose how they want to continue. Do nothing, and Fetch will automatically charge a one-off $29.99 Extended Service Levy from 1 November. For households still running a Gen 3 box, streaming apps will also start disappearing within months, whichever option they take.

Who is affected

The change applies only to the Fetch Mini Gen 3 (model H626T) and the Fetch Mighty Gen 3 (model M616T) activated five or more years ago, without an active subscription. Most of these boxes are eight to 10 years old. EFTM reports the ageing hardware generates a disproportionate share of support demand as streaming services move on.

Your three options

• Pay the levy: a one-time $29.99 per household, which Fetch says guarantees at least another year of service. CyberShack reports the levy covers service through to 31 October 2027.
• Add a subscription: signing up to Fetch Access ($4.99 a month), Movie Box ($3.99 a month), Multiroom or a Content Pack waives the levy.
• Upgrade or cancel: move to a Mini Gen 5, Mighty Gen 4 or Mighty Gen 4 Pro, or cancel the service before the deadline.

Apps are going regardless

Paying the levy keeps the box working, but not every app. Within three months, Fetch will remove third-party apps from Gen 3 hardware:

• Mini Gen 3: Netflix, Paramount+, SBS On Demand and Hayu.
• Mighty Gen 3: Paramount+.

There is also a hard edge to non-payment. If the levy charge fails after four attempts, Fetch will permanently suspend the account. Mighty Gen 3 owners would lose all recordings, and Fetch says deactivated Gen 3 devices cannot be reactivated in the future. Fetch says pensioners and concession cardholders facing financial hardship should contact it directly, as they may qualify for assistance.

Upgrade offers

Eligible Gen 3 owners receive a unique checkout code by email for a loyalty offer running from 14 September to 31 October 2026, or while stocks last. All new devices require Fetch Access at $4.99 a month.

• Fetch Mini 5: $149 (usually $199), plus a $29.94 account credit.
• Fetch Mighty 4 Pro: $799 on pre-order (usually $999), with 2TB of storage for more than 1,000 hours of recording.
• Fetch Mighty 4: RRP $659, with 1TB of storage.

Key dates

• 31 October 2026: last day to subscribe, upgrade or cancel to avoid the levy.
• 1 November 2026: $29.99 levy charged automatically to accounts that have not acted.

Sources: Fetch and Fetch Store