freesat

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freesat (UK) Ltd
Type	Digital Satellite television provider
Founded	16 May 2007
Headquarters	UK
Industry	Media
Website	http://www.freesat.co.uk/

freesat is a British free-to-air digital satellite television service developed by the BBC and ITV plc. The service began broadcasting on 6 May 2008 and offers a satellite alternative to the Freeview service on digital terrestrial television, with a selection of channels available without subscription for users purchasing a receiver. The service makes use of the additional capacity available on digital satellite broadcasting to offer high-definition channels.

[edit] History

[edit] Background

BBC and ITV, the two biggest free-to-air broadcasters in the UK, have made their services available digitally through three routes: free-to-air via digital terrestrial and digital satellite, and subscription-only via digital cable.

On digital terrestrial, the channels have always been available free-to-air with the appropriate equipment. However, Freeview is currently available to only 73% of the population.^[1] After analogue TV services are replaced in the planned digital switchover, this will increase to 98.5% for the public service channels and 90% for the full Freeview service. In order to provide more widespread coverage and a larger number of channels, a digital satellite alternative is necessary.

The digital satellite platform has largely been controlled by the commercial operator BSkyB. Initially, both the BBC's and ITV's channels were encrypted since the original satellites used for Sky Digital broadcast to most of Europe but the broadcasters' rights for premium content such as films and sports typically covered the UK only.

The use of encryption meant that any viewer wishing to view the channels had to purchase equipment from Sky and pay for a free-to-view viewing card in order to decrypt the channels. Similarly, in order to use the Videoguard encryption, the broadcasters needed to pay a fee to NDS Group.

[edit] Move to free-to-air

In May 2003 the BBC moved all of their channels onto the Astra 2D satellite which has a footprint that focuses more tightly on the UK.^[2] This move allowed the BBC to stop encrypting their broadcasts while continuing to meet their licence obligations. They dropped the encryption two months later.^[3]

In September 2005, the BBC and ITV announced that they would collaborate on a free-to-air satellite service to complement Freeview.^[4] Two months later, ITV also moved their channels over to Astra 2D and then made them free-to-air.

The free-to-air channels could then be received using any standard digital satellite (DVB-S) receiver. However, the Freesat project aims to provide a more managed service with an Electronic Programme Guide, interactive features and approved receivers, similar to the Freeview service launched three years earlier.

The initial plan was to release the service in early 2006. This was postponed to Autumn 2007 as approval from the BBC Trust was only received in April 2007.^[5] However, the service was further delayed and was officially launched on 6 May 2008.^[6]

[edit] High definition

BBC HD was available on Freesat from launch day, with ITV HD scheduled to be added later.^[7] As of May 2008, no high definition channels are available via digital terrestrial, however, Ofcom have confirmed that from 2009 high definition will be available on Freeview, requiring an HD Freeview box.^[8]

[edit] Channels

See also: List of channels on freesat

[edit] Launch channels

The service launched officially on 6 May 2008. From the launch, Freesat advertised all national television channels from BBC and ITV as being available on the platform (excluding ITV2 +1), as well as all national BBC radio networks. ^[9] Channel 4 also managed to make most of their channels free-to-air in preparation for the launch, not including Channel 4 HD which was still encrypted. ITV HD was not available at the launch, making BBC HD the only high definition channel available at launch. In addition some channels from other broadcasters such as Chello Zone, CSC Media Group, Al-Jazeera English and Euronews were included on the channel list. ^[10] Five and its sister channels were notably absent at launch, as were channels from BSkyB, MTV Networks and UKTV.

[edit] Future channels

Freesat have said that they expect 200 channels to be available by the end of 2008, adding an additional 30 channels each month.^[11]

Channels from one of the main terrestrial broadcasters in the UK, Five, are currently encrypted on digital satellite. Their contract for encryption is believed to end in July 2008.^{[citation needed]} At launch, Freesat confirmed that Five would be added to the channel lineup during 2008.^[12]

The Irish public broadcaster Radio Telefís Éireann, recently announced that its new international channel, RTÉ International, would be made available on the Freesat service by St. Patrick's Day 2009.^[13]

ITV HD will be exclusive to Freesat when it is launched in 2008, initially as a red-button interactive service.^[14]

The BBC Executive does not currently anticipate any problems in securing a listing for the Gaelic Digital Service within the Freesat EPG and will launch when the channel launches in September 2008. ^[15]

[edit] Freeview channels that are unavailable on Freesat

Due to contractual issues, a number of channels which are available on Freeview will not be available on Freesat. Virgin 1, TMF, The Hits, UKTV History, Dave, Sky Three and Sky Sports News are all available on Freeview but encrypted on digital satellite. Unless these channels also become free-to-air, they will be unavailable on Freesat.

[edit] Reception equipment

[edit] Receivers

At the launch of the service, there were two types of freesat receivers available — standard definition-only receivers and high definition-capable receivers. As of June 2008 there are only four companies licenced to produce freesat boxes ^[16]. No Freesat recorders (PVRs) have yet been formally announced but Humax have announced their intention to release one several months after the launch date.^[17]

[edit] Satellite dish

The service makes use of the same fleet of satellites as the popular subscription satellite service Sky Digital: Astra 2 and Eurobird 1. This means that any satellite dish which has been used to receive this service will be capable of receiving Freesat, with the addition of a receiver.

For users who do not currently have a satellite dish, Freesat offers an installation service which is made available through retailers and which is advertised in a leaflet included with Freesat receivers.

[edit] Outside the UK

It may be possible to receive freesat outside the UK, but with a larger dish as the Astra 2D footprint is intended to cover just the UK. Receivers ask for a postcode during installation, but this is just to determine which regional services to select.

[edit] Technical details

Freesat broadcasts from the same fleet of satellites (Astra 2 and Eurobird 1) as Sky Digital. Channels are broadcast using DVB-S. The Freesat electronic programme guide is broadcast from the Eurobird 1 satellite situated at 28.5° east.

All the channels broadcasting to date are broadcasting using DVB-S. Standard definition channels are broadcast using MPEG-2 for compatibility with Sky Digital boxes. BBC HD is broadcast using MPEG-4 since it does not need to be compatible with Sky's non-HD boxes. Currently, BBC HD uses DVB-S since the channel shares a transponder with several SD channels.

The specification for freesat boxes includes having an ethernet socket on the back. This is to allow on demand programmes provided by the BBC iPlayer or the new on demand Kangaroo service (provided by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and five) to be viewed directly on the customer's television. This feature should become operational in the future.

[edit] Alternatives

Prior to the release of Freesat by the BBC and ITV, other alternatives for receiving non subscription satellite have been provided.

Freesat from Sky offered, for a one off installation fee, a non HD receiver, a viewing card and installation. This would not show Sky's premium channels, but would show a lot of other Free to Air satellite channels.

Also Free To Air satellite receivers and kits could be bought from specialist shops such as Maplin. These systems would not show encrypted content, and would only show "clear" unencrypted satellite broadcasts. However, because they were aimed at an amateur enthusiast audience in the UK, they would often also include DiSEqC controls so that other satellites for example, which broadcast other European countries TV programs (E.g. Russia, Poland, Germany, France, Ukraine etc) could also be watched if the user had more than one dish pointing to different satellites or a specialised motor on their dish.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official website
• BBC News: Q&A on Freesat
• Freesat Blog
• Freesat Information & News at the Astra 2D Website
• Up to date Freesat information and news
• Freesat channel listing, F.A.Q and hardware review