Since the start of Sky TV in 1989 signals have always covered a large area of Europe and we have all been happy to view English T.V living outside the UK in our European Homes.BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel Five decided they would like to Broadcast their channels “in the clear” this is to say no Sky card or Subscription is needed.
This caused a problem that to have their signal easily available outside the UK for free had big issues with programme rights that are sold on a country by country basis. The solution to this was to use a new satellite that had the signal focused on the UK and this started with Astra 2D and from 2003 these channels have been “in the Clear” and just needed a bigger dish in Europe.
Over the years since then due to the satellites with a tightly focused UK Beam being full even a small dish could get some TV from BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.
At last the satellite provider Astra and their client the Broadcasters are getting their act together and a new generation of satellites give a highly focused beam onto the UK and the capacity to carry all the channels that want their TV signal only available in the UK.
Astra 2F was the first of the this new generation satellites and began service on 21st November 2012 at this time just a few channels are on this satellite including channel Five, Some ITV Regions and channel Four HD and channel Fours new channel called 4Seven.
If you now get no Satellite signal being received on some of these channels on your TV it is likely that when Astra 2E comes on stream in AUGUST 2013 you will lose all your free to air TV from BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel Five.
In summary check your channel 105 and if you have a HD Box channel 140 if these are working you have a big dish that we hope will also work on Astra 2E that starts in AUGUST 2013.
If these channels are not working you need to look at having a bigger dish installed or use a VPN to watch online over the internet.
The best people to ask for advice is your local satellite installer and I am pleased to say that HasEurope clients in Geneva and the South of France using our recommended dish are working on all channels and we expect and hope that come AUGUST 2013 this will be true for the big switch of BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.
It’s worth saying that Sky Channels like Sky One, Sky News, Sky Sports etc. are easily receivable across Europe and the new satellites coming in the future will have an even stronger European signal, so for some watching Sky without BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 is a choice.
The only exception to this is for the Canary Islands and Northern Scandinavia which may have issues with reception of BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 & Sky.
