Freesat from Sky

This article is about the free-to-view satellite service from BSkyB. For the similarly named free-to-air service from the BBC and ITV, see Freesat.

Freesat from Sky is a British satellite television service from BSkyB which gives viewers access to over 200 free-to-air channels and free-to-view encrypted channels. As it utilizes Sky's equipment, users can access Sky's electronic programme guide (EPG) and Sky Active interactive data services.

This service requires use of the proprietary Sky Digibox and the Sky+ system of 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. They also feature an EPG that contains all Sky Channels, including pay-TV services which are not available to non-subscription viewers.

Over 200 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, are Euronews, Bloomberg Television, Al Jazeera English, Travel Channel (UK), Men & Motors, all the regional services of the BBC and ITV and S4C Digidol outside of Wales.

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 will require a viewing card and would have to phone Sky providing credit/debit card details in order to gain access to an event.

Service Reach

As of April 2009, the number of households with free-to-view satellite television is estimated by Ofcom 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 Digital subscribers who kept their Sky Digiboxes to access free-to-view channels.)

Competition

Freesat From Sky is a competitor to Freeview as well as to the BBC snd ITV Freesat service also broadcasting from 28.2' and 28.5' East. Freesat From Sky lacks a number of channels which are availiable free on Freeview, most notibly Sky Sports News, Virgin1, Virgin1+1, 4Music, TMF, Yesterday and Dave. However Freesat From Sky has alot of Free to air channels not availiable on Freesat, most notibly Sky News.

FSFS Viewing Card

Freesat from Sky differentiates itself from Freesat not just by its use of Sky equipment but by offering channels not availiable free to air. These extra channels are encrypted but are availiable Free to View, requiring a Sky viewing card to decrypt them. Also a viewing card is required for the box to display the region for regionialised services. A card is included with installation or can be purchased direct from Sky for £20. Channels gained from use of a viewing card include:

• Channel 4HD (Sky+ HD box is required)
• Five (Also available free to air on a different transponder)
• Sky3
• Fiver
• Fiver+1
• Five USA
• Five USA+1

As of June 2008 some ITV1 regions have been encrypted again due to one of their narrow beam transponder agreements ending.

External links

• Freesat from Sky home page
• Guide to channels on Astra satellites