Freesat from Sky
Encyclopedia
Freesat from Sky is a British satellite television
service from BSkyB
. It offers over 240 free-to-air
(FTA) channels (100 more than competitor Freesat
, 200 more than competitor Freeview) and 12 free-to-view
(FTV) encrypted channels (all are not available on competitors Freesat and Freeview). It also has Sky Active
interactive data service.
to be 597,000, or 2.3% of households with television. (This figure includes households with BBC/ITV Freesat, Freesat from Sky, and 'churned
' Sky subscribers who kept their Sky Digiboxes to access free-to-view channels.)
set-top box
or the Sky+
and Sky+ HD personal video recorder
s (PVR) which use Sky's proprietary OpenTV
EPG for interactive television services. The boxes are limited in some regards when compared to other satellite receivers, such as digital audio, video outputs, the lack of ability to use a dish motor and scanning for channels not carried on the EPG. They also feature an EPG that contains all of the Sky channels, including pay-TV services which are not available to non-subscription viewers.
, Sky only include a Sky Digibox with Freesat from Sky installations. Those who wish to have either a Sky+ or Sky+ HD must buy their own box, requiring Sky to 'pair' their existing viewing card to the box. The recording facilities of the PVRs also require an ongoing monthly fee.
not just by its use of Sky equipment but by offering channels not available free-to-air. A card is included with installation or can be purchased direct from Sky for a one off fee. Viewing cards which were used to access subscription services, automatically revert to acting as Freesat from Sky viewing cards upon cancellation of the subscription.
The following is a list of free-to-view channels on the Freesat from Sky platform. A viewing card is required to watch them. None of these channels are available on Freesat
.
A Sky+ HD or Sky HD box may be required to view the channel.
and ITV
's Freesat
service which also broadcasts from 28.2°E
and 28.5°E
. Freesat from Sky has ten free-to-view channels which are not available on Freesat (see above) and a large number of free-to-air channels not directly listed in the Freesat EPG, including Sky News
. It is also possible for Sky Box Office
events to be ordered via Freesat from Sky. The process is more complex than it would be if the customer subscribes to Sky. To order events, the customer would have to phone Sky providing credit/debit card details in order to gain access to an event.
Over 240 free-to-air channels (which do not require either a viewing card or a Sky receiver to watch) are available, most of which are not available on Freeview digital terrestrial television
, include Euronews
, Bloomberg Television
, Al Jazeera English, Travel Channel
, and all the regional services of the BBC
and ITV
. Freesat from Sky can also be used to receive S4C
outside of Wales
.
Conversely, there are some TV channels that are on Freeview but are not on the Sky EPG at all. The channels in question are The Big Deal
, Channel M
(Manchester), S4C Clirlun
(Wales), Blue Kiss TV
and the Top Up TV Anytime
downloads. Many adult-category channels on Freeview (such as the SmileTV channels) are simulcast on adult-category channels on Sky, but frequently have different channel names and broadcast times. Channel M was removed from Sky on 1 September 2010. Blue Kiss TV was removed from Sky on 12 October 2011 but continues on Freeview.
Other Freeview channels can be received on satellite, but may be subscription-only on some or all satellite locations, and therefore cannot be received via Freesat from Sky. Namely, these are Challenge, 4Music
, Yesterday, Dave, Dave ja vu, Really
, and Quest
.
Satellite television
Satellite television is television programming delivered by the means of communications satellite and received by an outdoor antenna, usually a parabolic mirror generally referred to as a satellite dish, and as far as household usage is concerned, a satellite receiver either in the form of an...
service from BSkyB
British Sky Broadcasting
British Sky Broadcasting Group plc is a satellite broadcasting, broadband and telephony services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, with operations in the United Kingdom and the Ireland....
. It offers over 240 free-to-air
Free-to-air
Free-to-air describes television and radio services broadcast in clear form, allowing any person with the appropriate receiving equipment to receive the signal and view or listen to the content without requiring a subscription or one-off fee...
(FTA) channels (100 more than competitor Freesat
Freesat
Freesat is a free-to-air digital satellite television joint venture between the BBC and ITV plc, serving the United Kingdom. The service was formed as a memorandum in 2007 and has been marketed since 6 May 2008...
, 200 more than competitor Freeview) and 12 free-to-view
Free-to-view
Free-to-view is a term used for free of charge and encrypted audio and/or video contents transmission that do not require any form of continual subscription...
(FTV) encrypted channels (all are not available on competitors Freesat and Freeview). It also has Sky Active
Sky Active
Sky Active is the brand name for interactive features on Sky Digital and is available in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. It enables a viewer to interact with TV content, respond to an advertisement or access internet-based services....
interactive data service.
Service reach
, the number of households with free-to-view satellite television is estimated by OfcomOfcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
to be 597,000, or 2.3% of households with television. (This figure includes households with BBC/ITV Freesat, Freesat from Sky, and 'churned
Churn rate
Churn rate , in its broadest sense, is a measure of the number of individuals or items moving into or out of a collective over a specific period of time...
' Sky subscribers who kept their Sky Digiboxes to access free-to-view channels.)
Reception equipment
This service requires use of the proprietary Sky DigiboxDigibox
The Digibox is a device marketed by British Sky Broadcasting in the UK and Republic of Ireland to enable home users to receive digital satellite television broadcasts from the Astra satellites at 28.2° east. An internet service is also available through the device, similar in some ways to the...
set-top box
Set-top box
A set-top box or set-top unit is an information appliance device that generally contains a tuner and connects to a television set and an external source of signal, turning the signal into content which is then displayed on the television screen or other display device.-History:Before the...
or the Sky+
Sky+
Sky+, or Sky Plus, is a personal video recorder service for Sky in the UK. Launched in September 2001, it allows the user to record, pause and instantly rewind live TV. The system performs these functions using an internal hard drive inside the Sky+ set top box...
and Sky+ HD personal video recorder
Digital video recorder
A digital video recorder , sometimes referred to by the merchandising term personal video recorder , is a consumer electronics device or application software that records video in a digital format to a disk drive, USB flash drive, SD memory card or other local or networked mass storage device...
s (PVR) which use Sky's proprietary OpenTV
OpenTV
OpenTV is an interactive television company founded in 1994. Its main business involves the sale of set-top-box operating systems and software. On March 28, 2010 OpenTV became a fully owned subsidiary of the NAGRA Kudelski Group and officially delisted from the NASDAQ, where it was previously...
EPG for interactive television services. The boxes are limited in some regards when compared to other satellite receivers, such as digital audio, video outputs, the lack of ability to use a dish motor and scanning for channels not carried on the EPG. They also feature an EPG that contains all of the Sky channels, including pay-TV services which are not available to non-subscription viewers.
, Sky only include a Sky Digibox with Freesat from Sky installations. Those who wish to have either a Sky+ or Sky+ HD must buy their own box, requiring Sky to 'pair' their existing viewing card to the box. The recording facilities of the PVRs also require an ongoing monthly fee.
Viewing card
Freesat from Sky differentiates itself from FreesatFreesat
Freesat is a free-to-air digital satellite television joint venture between the BBC and ITV plc, serving the United Kingdom. The service was formed as a memorandum in 2007 and has been marketed since 6 May 2008...
not just by its use of Sky equipment but by offering channels not available free-to-air. A card is included with installation or can be purchased direct from Sky for a one off fee. Viewing cards which were used to access subscription services, automatically revert to acting as Freesat from Sky viewing cards upon cancellation of the subscription.
Benefits from the viewing card
These extra channels are encrypted but are available free-to-view, requiring a Sky viewing card to decrypt them. Also a viewing card is required for the box to display the correct region for regionalised services.Extra channels
The following is a list of free-to-view channels on the Freesat from Sky platform. A viewing card is required to watch them. None of these channels are available on Freesat
Freesat
Freesat is a free-to-air digital satellite television joint venture between the BBC and ITV plc, serving the United Kingdom. The service was formed as a memorandum in 2007 and has been marketed since 6 May 2008...
.
A Sky+ HD or Sky HD box may be required to view the channel.
- Channel 5 HD
- LFC TVLFC TVLFC TV is the dedicated official channel for English football club Liverpool Football Club which launched on 20 September 2007...
- Motors TVMotors TVMotors TV is a television channel dedicated to news, documentaries and coverage of motorsport and automobiles, and to a lesser extent motorbikes, boats, aircraft and models. It is available in many countries via satellite and cable, with audio in English, French, German and Serbian...
- Pick TV
- Pick TV +1
- Sony Entertainment TelevisionSony Entertainment Television (UK & Ireland)Sony Entertainment Television is a general entertainment channel in the United Kingdom and Ireland from Sony Pictures Television , which launched on 7 April 2011.-History:...
- Sony Entertainment Television +1Sony Entertainment Television (UK & Ireland)Sony Entertainment Television is a general entertainment channel in the United Kingdom and Ireland from Sony Pictures Television , which launched on 7 April 2011.-History:...
- VivaViva (UK & Ireland)Viva is a music video and entertainment channel in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The channel was officially launched on 26 October 2009 by Alexandra Burke, with an exclusive live performance of her single "Bad Boys". The channel replaced TMF. The channel is owned by MTV Networks Europe and was...
Other features
- The viewing card can be used to receive the correct region on the main channel number for the following services:
- BBC OneBBC OneBBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
- BBC TwoBBC TwoBBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
- ITV1ITV1ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
- Channel 4Channel 4Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
- Channel 5
- BBC One
Competition
Freesat from Sky is a competitor to Freeview as well as to the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's Freesat
Freesat
Freesat is a free-to-air digital satellite television joint venture between the BBC and ITV plc, serving the United Kingdom. The service was formed as a memorandum in 2007 and has been marketed since 6 May 2008...
service which also broadcasts from 28.2°E
Astra 28.2°E
Astra 28.2°E is the name for the group of Astra communications satellites co-located at the 28.2° East position in the Clarke Belt that are owned and operated by SES based in Betzdorf, Luxembourg...
and 28.5°E
Eurobird 1
Eurobird 1 is a Eutelsat operated Eurobird satellite, used primarily for digital television. It is located at 28.5° east in the Clarke Belt, just within the range of most satellite dishes pointed at SES Astra's Astra 2A, 2B and 2D at 28.2° east...
. Freesat from Sky has ten free-to-view channels which are not available on Freesat (see above) and a large number of free-to-air channels not directly listed in the Freesat EPG, including Sky News
Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
. It is also possible for Sky Box Office
Sky Box Office
Sky Box Office may refer to:* Sky Movies Box Office, BSkyB's Pay Per View system available in the UK, previously known as Sky Box Office.* SKY Box Office, SKY Network Television's Pay Per View system available in New Zealand....
events to be ordered via Freesat from Sky. The process is more complex than it would be if the customer subscribes to Sky. To order events, the customer would have to phone Sky providing credit/debit card details in order to gain access to an event.
Over 240 free-to-air channels (which do not require either a viewing card or a Sky receiver to watch) are available, most of which are not available on Freeview digital terrestrial television
Digital terrestrial television
Digital terrestrial television is the technological evolution of broadcast television and advance from analog television, which broadcasts land-based signals...
, include Euronews
EuroNews
Euronews is an international multilingual news television channel.It covers world news from what it claims to be a 'European' perspective.Criticisms are that the perspective is in fact that of the European Commission - a major and growing funder of Euronews....
, Bloomberg Television
Bloomberg Television
Bloomberg Television is a 24-hour global network broadcasting business and financial news. It is distributed globally, reaching over 200 million homes worldwide. It is owned and operated by Bloomberg L.P...
, Al Jazeera English, Travel Channel
Travel Channel (UK)
Travel Channel is a British satellite television channel, transmitting 24 hours a day in 19 languages across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific...
, and all the regional services of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
. Freesat from Sky can also be used to receive S4C
S4C
S4C , currently branded as S4/C, is a Welsh television channel broadcast from the capital, Cardiff. The first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speaking audience, it is the fifth oldest British television channel .The channel - initially broadcast on...
outside of Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
Conversely, there are some TV channels that are on Freeview but are not on the Sky EPG at all. The channels in question are The Big Deal
The Big Deal (TV channel)
The Big Deal is a TV channel in the United Kingdom on the Freeview platform.When launched in 2009, The Big Deal broadcast live interactive quiz show 7 days a week from 22:00-05:00 on Freeview channel 37, then changed to channel 32, timesharing with the RT Network and Create and Craft...
, Channel M
Channel m
Channel M is a regional television station, based in Manchester, England. It began broadcasting on 14 February 2000 as Manchester Student Television and is owned and operated by the Guardian Media Group.-Coverage:...
(Manchester), S4C Clirlun
S4C
S4C , currently branded as S4/C, is a Welsh television channel broadcast from the capital, Cardiff. The first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speaking audience, it is the fifth oldest British television channel .The channel - initially broadcast on...
(Wales), Blue Kiss TV
Sex Station
Sex Station is a British pornographic television programme, a televised sex line broadcast 24 Hours a day on the internet at www.sexstationtv.com. It was previously aired at nights on Lucky Star and Live XXX.-History:...
and the Top Up TV Anytime
Top Up TV
Top Up TV is a pay television service in the UK launched in March 2004, operating on the digital terrestrial platform. The aim of the service is to "Top Up" Freeview customers by providing additional channels and services....
downloads. Many adult-category channels on Freeview (such as the SmileTV channels) are simulcast on adult-category channels on Sky, but frequently have different channel names and broadcast times. Channel M was removed from Sky on 1 September 2010. Blue Kiss TV was removed from Sky on 12 October 2011 but continues on Freeview.
Other Freeview channels can be received on satellite, but may be subscription-only on some or all satellite locations, and therefore cannot be received via Freesat from Sky. Namely, these are Challenge, 4Music
4Music
4Music is a music and entertainment channel in the United Kingdom and available on some digital television providers in the Republic of Ireland - its web component can be found at with its own and pages. It is the only channel within the Box Television Network to be branded under Channel 4 and...
, Yesterday, Dave, Dave ja vu, Really
Really (TV channel)
Really is a digital television channel broadcasting in the United Kingdom as part of the UKTV family of channels. The channel launched on 19 May 2009 as the UKTV's channel for female lifestyle programming and is available on satellite through Sky, cable services primarily through Virgin Media and...
, and Quest
Quest (TV channel)
Quest is a TV channel in the United Kingdom. Quest provides factual, lifestyle, entertainment programmes and other imported material. The channel is operated by Discovery Networks Western Europe.-History:...
.