The number of channels available on older Freesat receivers dropped to 22 on Monday as the final removal of Channel 4 looms.
- Viewers have been urged to upgrade to a newer, supported device.
- Channel 5 (Paramount) and BBC Studios-owned UKTV are the last remaining major broadcasters not to have made changes to their satellite signal.
E4, Film 4 and More 4 dropped off older, first-generation Freesat receivers on Monday morning as Channel 4 entered its final week of technical changes to its satellite signal.
Channel 4 is the second to last of the main UK public service broadcasters to convert its satellite TV from DVB-S to the newer DVB-S2 broadcast standard. DVB-S2 is supported by all HD compatible satellite receivers, although it doesn’t mean all channels are broadcast in HD. Channel 5 is the last remaining public service channel not to have made changes.
Following the migration of E4, Film 4 and More 4 to DVB-S2 on Freesat boxes on Monday, only the main Channel 4 SD service, currently only carried on older Freesat boxes remains, but will also be removed later this week.
The main Channel 4 service becomes HD only. However, all offshoot channels remain available in standard definition (SD) on satellite. Channel 4 only broadcasts SD versions of offshoot channels on a free-to-air basis. HD versions of E4, More 4 and Film 4 are only available to Sky subscribers.
Freesat SD switch-off nears completion
In total, of the once nearly 200 TV and radio services available to first generation Freesat receivers, only 22 TV channels are still available. This will drop to 21 by the end of the week. Freesat HD and 4K box owners aren’t affected, and it’s thought the numbers of first generation Freesat receivers still in everyday use can be numbered in the hundreds. Freesat has been encouraging viewers to upgrade since late 2022, when the BBC announced plans to close SD channels on satellite.
Of all major broadcasting groups, only Channel 5 (owned by Paramount) and UKTV (U&Dave, U&W, etc) haven’t yet made any changes to any of their broadcast signals on satellite. This means their channels are still receivable on older Freesat boxes for the time being. Sky News is the only remaining Sky service on the Freesat SD platform.
Last month, regionalisation was removed from Freesat SD receivers, meaning there are no regional variations in the remaining channel line-up.
By: Marc Thornham