Freesat from Sky
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Freesat from Sky is a British satellite television service from BSkyB which gives viewers access to over 200 free-to-air channels[1], some free-to-view encrypted channels, an electronic programme guide (EPG) and Sky Active interactive data services. It is competitor to Freesat as well as Sky's own pay-TV satellite service Sky Digital, which are also available on Astra 2D.
This service requires use of the proprietary Sky Digibox and the Sky+ digital video recorder decoders which use Sky's proprietary OpenTV EPG for interactive television services. The boxes are limited in some regards, such as digital audio, video outputs, the lack of ability to use a dish motor and scanning for channels not carried on the EPG.
Free-to-air channels (which do not require either a viewing card or a Sky receiver to watch) that are not available on Freeview digital terrestrial television include CNN International, EuroNews, Al Jazeera English, Travel Channel (UK), Men & Motors, all the regional services of the BBC and ITV and S4C Digidol outside of Wales.
As of December 2007, the number of of households with free-to-view satellite television is estimated by Ofcom to be 1,055,000, or 4.1% of households with television.[2] (This figure includes households with Freesat from Sky and 'churned' Sky Digital subscribers who kept their Sky Digiboxes to access free-to-view channels.)
[edit] List of free-to-view channels
Five's group of channels will become free-to-air once their contract ends in July 2008 so they can launch on Freesat.
Channel 4 HD is also suspected to become free-to-air so it can launch on Freesat but no date has yet been set.
[edit] References
- ^ List of Free To Air channels broadcast from the UK
- ^ Digital TV, Q4 2007 (PDF). The Communications Market: Digital Progress Report p14. Ofcom (2008-03-27). Retrieved on 2008-06-06.
[edit] External links
- Freesat from Sky home page
- BBC News: BBC and ITV to start Sky TV rival
- BBC News: Free satellite service war begins
- Free Satellite FAQ from Digital Spy
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