The satellites used to transmit TV and radio services to viewers in the UK and Ireland only have a few years left. Meanwhile, all major broadcasters appear publicly unwilling to commit to the future of satellite.
- Major decision that will affect millions of TV viewers.
- Satellite TV remains one of the most resilient ways of accessing TV
- Sky trying to encourage users to switch from Sky Q to Sky Stream.
After almost five decades on air, the future of satellite TV remains uncertain beyond 2029 with broadcasters reluctant to commit to the platform for longer.
A decision needs to be made within the next two years if satellite TV services from Sky and/or Freesat will continue. That’s because the current fleet of satellites are reaching their end of life dates and any replacement satellite needs to be commissioned at least three years in advance.
Although satellites can have their operational lives extended beyond official end of life dates, they become more prone to problems before their fuel runs out or other faults develop. It puts the platform’s resilience at risk: unlike other broadcast platforms, including streaming, it has been far loss prone to outages.
It is four years since Sky unveiled its satellite dish free service in the UK, but migration to streaming only remains slow, with many viewers happy with their current service.
Why is satellite TV in danger?
The rise of streaming services means a growing number of viewers aren’t reliant on a dish. For younger viewers, more likely to be renting a home on a shorter-term basis and accustomed to streaming on their devices, not having a satellite dish installed is a no-brainer.
As the number of viewers using satellite drops, the cost per user of distributing services this way increases. From a commercial point of view, maintaining a satellite TV platform becomes unviable. In favour of streaming:
- Switching to internet-based TV services saves on distribution, development and support costs.
- Online platforms mean existing linear or live TV channels to be better integrated with on-demand streaming services. Broadcasters can increase personalised advertising.
Because satellites are commissioned for a longer time period, typically 15-20 years, satellite operators need to know whether there’s enough demand to make it profitable. The cost of merely launching the latest Astra 1P satellite, which provides continental Europe with TV services, was $52 million. It will continue to rack up millions in operational costs each year.
Services to the UK and Ireland are supplied by satellites operated by Luxembourg-based SES. SES is already in the process of replacing satellites providing continental Europe with TV (Astra 1P being the first replacement), ensuring the future of satellite TV in Europe in some form until 2040. Its rival Eutelsat recently replaced its Hot Bird satellites, which provide TV coverage across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.
Uncertainty over the future role of satellite TV in the UK and Ireland means no new satellites have been commissioned yet.
How long is satellite TV guaranteed to continue in the UK and Ireland?
In short, until the end of 2029 – under four and half years from now.
Satellite TV services are currently delivered via three satellites that orbit next to each other above the equator at 28 degrees East.
They are Astra 2E, 2F and 2G. The three satellites make up the second generation of satellites orbiting at 28°E since the launch of digital satellite television in the late 1990s. Specifically, the three satellites took over services previously carried on Astra 2A-2D once they reached the end of their lives.
By the end of 2029, all three of the current satellites will have reached or past their end of life date.
| Satellite | Launch | Entered Commercial Service | End of life (launch+15 years) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASTRA 2E | 29/09/2013 | 01/02/2014 | 09/2028 |
| ASTRA 2F | 28/09/2012 | 21/11/2012 | 09/2027 |
| ASTRA 2G | 27/12/2014 | 18/06/2015 | 12/2029 |
Notably, In 2024, Sky extended its agreement with SES to run until the end of 2029. Months earlier, SES announced it had signed a deal with QVC UK to keep it on satellite until 2029 as part of a new carriage deal.
In 2023, UKTV (owners of channels including U&Dave, U&Gold) also extended its satellite carriage “to the end of the decade” – i.e. the end of the 2029.
Clarity needed
Last year, Ofcom consulted on the future of TV distribution – i.e. how TV is made available to viewers. In response, the BBC said any decision by Sky to exit satellite would “challenge the viability of the Freesat platform”. It was concerned that satellite operator SES may conclude it’s no longer viable to provide a satellite service just for the public service broadcasters.
It should be noted that some of the satellites in use for UK TV services also contain a spot-beam delivering a TV signal to West Africa (not receivable in Europe). So SES may be able to justify keeping at least one satellite in orbit to supply that service, plus a residual UK service.
For some parts of the UK, satellite still remains the only way households can receive the full range of free-to-air channels reliably and at minimal cost. This was emphasised earlier this year when a small Scottish village was told to switch to satellite when its local Freeview relay transmitter was closed.
What are broadcasters doing to prepare for the end of satellite TV?
The number of homes who use streaming services in the UK grew dramatically during lockdowns. But it’s now flatlining. Research covering services including Netflix, Disney+ and Paramount show very little movement. Growth tends to come from households who have already subscribed to a different streaming service.
So if you’re already a frequent streamer, you are most likely not using traditional TV services as much, or at all. And if you do have satellite TV, you might be using your hybrid receiver (Sky Q/Freesat 4K) to access Netflix, Prime Video or YouTube, which aren’t even broadcast via satellite.
Consequently, the media industry are focusing first on converting those households. One way is to introduce streaming-based services that are very similar to use compared to satellite TV.
In 2021, Sky introduced its own streaming TV platform with the launch of Sky Glass. Sky designed the service to mimic aspects of its satellite TV service with the ability to watch regular broadcast channels, select programmes from the guide or via a channel number, just like satellite. Like Sky Q, Sky Glass TVs and Sky Stream pucks integrate streaming content alongside traditional linear TV programmes. With more flexible contract terms, Sky is encouraging its customer base to make the switch.
In 2024, the free-to-air broadcasters behind Freesat launched Freely. It aims to offer something similar to Sky Glass or Sky Stream, in terms of a hybrid linear and streaming service either to replace an existing TV or as an add-on box. Freely devices receive live TV services via the internet, where available, but fall back to either terrestrial or satellite signals (depending on device model), where it’s not possible to offer a channel via streaming.
Migrating those happy with their service
Ratings figures confirm millions of homes still access traditional live TV channels each week. Increasingly, it is older, poorer and more vulnerable people who are most reliant on these services, delivered via traditional TV platforms.
Sky is attempting to attract cost-conscious users with its Sky Essential TV service, delivered via the internet to Sky Stream pucks.
However, as the end of satellite TV draws closer, it will need to deploy similar tactics used when it migrated its viewers from analogue to Sky Digital in the late 1990s.
This includes making some services unavailable to viewers who don’t stream content. That’s already happening in a small scale, as some Sky Sports+ live football matches aren’t available unless your Sky Q box is connected to the internet. In April, some HD channels ceased to be available on Sky’s satellite TV service, but continued on Sky Glass/Stream.
Meanwhile, the BBC may well be tasked at enforcing a migration to streaming for those remaining households who are happy with their current service.
The BBC is also eager to drop all traditional TV broadcast platforms to save money. That would allow it to compete more effectively with rivals like Netflix, who don’t have the overheads of providing a service via an expensive terrestrial or satellite network.
ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 also support a move to streaming. They now offer a growing number of streaming-only TV channels to entice viewers happy with ‘regular’ TV. Some will be exclusively available on Freely.
Could “free” option be killed off by internet companies?
However, because Freely relies on an internet connection, it can become cheaper to go with Sky, Virgin Media or EE TV and have your TV service bundled with your broadband, especially if you want to add extra services, like Netflix or Discovery+, which is included in some packages. Virgin Media offers access to its streaming TV service via its social tariffs for people on benefits.
However, last year, the BBC did float a suggestion for a limited future for satellite. This could safeguard a core free TV service even when Sky’s TV channels are removed from satellite.
Future satellite ‘nightlight’ service?
Rather than the end of satellite TV occurring abruptly, the BBC floated a suggestion of introducing a nightlight service. Effectively, this means a limited satellite TV service continues beyond 2030 to buy extra time to force viewers to streaming.
There’s a good reason behind suggesting a nightlight service. The BBC wants to ultimately drop digital terrestrial television (DTT) – better known in the UK as ‘Freeview’. It doesn’t want ex-satellite users migrating to its terrestrial TV network in 2029-30 only to have to be migrated again. Currently, DTT/Freeview services are only licenced to broadcast until the end of 2034.
Broadcasters may be able to persuade SES to temporarily deploy a satellite to replace the three old satellites to provide a service for a short period into the mid 2030s. Something similar has been done before. In 2012, SES redeployed its Astra 1N satellite to temporarily replace the failing Astra 2D satellite until a longer term alternative could be put in place.
Why can’t satellite TV just migrate to streaming right now?
Satellite TV’s previous popularity means it’s installed in millions of homes across the UK and Ireland. BBC figures published last year suggests Sky’s satellite service is still used by over 6 million homes in the UK alone. There’s over one million Freesat homes on top.
Both Sky and Freesat offer hybrid boxes that combine linear TV via satellite with streaming services delivered via broadband. As a result, many viewers who have satellite TV might actually be streaming most of their favourite shows rather than watching live via satellite.
For example, On Sky Q, viewers pressing red on BBC channels, or accessing Sky Sports+ are directed to internet streams delivering extra coverage of sports events.
But fully migrating everything to streaming, taking away the fallback option of satellite TV, is complex.
Connectivity
Moving away from satellite means households are more reliant on their internet connection and the bandwidth of that connection.
Full fibre broadband unlocks faster speeds, allowing more users to concurrently stream items. However its rollout is far from complete, meaning some viewers just don’t have the option to migrate.
Reliability
Satellite TV has provided viewers with a consistent service since the 1980s.
Any reception issues, leading for example to blocky images and no signal messages are invariably linked to your installation or the weather. Heavy snow may interfere with reception and cover the dish. Thunderstorms can temporarily block the signal. Strong winds may push the dish out of alignment. Cables to and from the dish are subject to corrosion.
On the surface, Streaming TV has none of those issues. However there are a lot of parts involved in getting streaming services to viewers, with many points of failure. In early 2025, Storm Éowyn resulted in unprecedented damage to the Openreach network, which provides internet connectivity to millions of UK homes. More users were affected by mobile and fixed line internet outages than outages on traditional broadcast platforms. Satellite signals continued to broadcast throughout.
This summer, some users in Wales experienced what life is like when you rely on your broadband connection for TV and phone services. That experience is sadly not unique. Not every incident is reported. But there’s been a steady stream of similar stories, for example from Northamptonshire and the South West in recent months.
Potential issues continue at home. All wifi-based services are subject to interference from devices including microwaves and baby monitors. In densely populated areas, the wifi frequency band is packed with other users. That means the quality of your connection may deteriorate more quickly as you move away from your router. That might not be instantly noticed if you’re browsing the internet, or listing to audio. However, it does become an issue if you’re streaming on multiple devices or in 4K UHD, for example. Most users aren’t aware of this.
Cost
If you’re solely reliant on the internet for everything, you’ll need the higher speeds offered by full fibre broadband to ensure you can stream in the best picture quality. The more users in your home, the more your speed/bandwidth becomes important.
However, higher speed full-fibre packages cost more. Social tariffs available to some users typically don’t include those higher speed services. And many internet services come with long contract periods with expensive early termination fees. That means users may struggle to exit from a poor service.
If you’re in a rural area with just one full fibre provider, you may find the monthly cost to be significantly higher than in areas with more competition.
And its rural areas that are particularly affected by all three of the above factors. That’s relevant because its in outlying areas where viewers may have chosen satellite due to its improved channel range and reception compared to terrestrial.
Is satellite TV going away everywhere?
No. In fact two of the main satellite operators (Eutelsat and SES) have renewed their satellite fleet serving continental Europe to ensure services can remain on air into the late 2030s. It’s acknowledged that traditional TV services will dwindle, but a core service will remain. New satellites are designed to be multi-functional, so can be used for purposes other than TV.
What if I currently use satellite?
For now, your service continues as normal.
If you’ve got Sky
If you’re a Sky customer, they will get in touch with you if anything does change. They may offer you a free ‘upgrade’ to Sky Stream, especially when your current contract ends.
In the coming years, as new features and services launch, they may not be available to you until you switch to streaming. Some services may cease to be available on satellite, but continue on streaming. The process is likely to be similar to how Sky wound down the functionality on its older boxes, including Sky+HD.
If you’ve got Freesat
If you’re a Freesat customer, the core service also continues as normal. As broadcasters review their strategy, you may find some channels cease to broadcast on satellite. Older receivers will lose some of their extra functionality.
Importantly though, neither Sky or Freesat have gone public with any end date for satellite. It’s unlikely that Freesat would put an end date on their service without a switchover support scheme in place.
Bottom line
The clock is ticking towards satellite end of life, Sky’s taking its time to migrate viewers and other broadcaster won’t openly commit.
For the sake of everyone, and especially viewers, a viable plan of action needs to be published sooner rather than later. If streaming can’t fully offer the full resilience needed to provide a core service, than some sort of service will need to be retained for longer.
By: Marc Thornham