UK / Sky / Freesat channels move to temporary frequencies ready for a swap between satellites

UK / Sky / Freesat channels move to temporary frequencies ready for a swap between satellites

As we mentioned a few days ago ( http://www.satandpcguy.com/blog/2013/09/some-uk-tv-frequency-changes-over-the-next-few-weeks/ ) some channels on Sky and Freesat will be moving frequencies.

This is because some of the frequencies the channels are currently transmitted from are being moved from the Eutelsat 28A satellite to Astra, as frequencies in question have been reallocated from Eutelsat to Astra. The changes affect services that have previously broadcast via the Eutelsat 28A satellite using a frequency band that rival SES (Astra) now claims as its own to use from the 4th October 2013.

The matter continues to be fought in the courts, but a recent ruling in Germany resulted in Eutelsat being told to stop broadcasting services in the contested frequency band by 4th October.

Consequently, services are now being transferred from Eutelsat to SES Astra's fleet of satellites.

These changes should be unnoticed for Sky and Freesat users, but some users with "generic" free to air receivers may have to perform a rescan should they lose a channel.

The changes will mean that viewers with generic free-to-air satellite receivers will need to retune twice in the coming fortnight to continue receiving all available services, and to regain access to any missing channels, but viewers with Sky and Freesat should see little disruption to their service, with both satellite TV operators working hard to ensure that their Electronic Programme Guides automatically redirect receivers to whichever frequencies are currently in use.

Frequency change	Channels included on the affected transponder (not a full list)
11.508 H to 10.921 H	TCM Sky Living+1 Sky Two Ireland
11.527 V to 10.979 V	BT Sport 1 (SD) BT Sport 2 (SD) ESPN (HD) S4C
11.546 H to 11.171 H	Zee TV Zing Lamre Pavershoes
11.565 V to 12.305 H	Sky Box Office Challenge Challenge + 1
11.585 H to 11.156 V	BT Sport 1 HD BT Sport 2 HD ESPN HD
11.603 V to 12.187 H	Sky Box Office Fox News National Geographic History At the Races
11.623 H to 12.402 V	RT Watch CNBC Europe
11.662 H to 12.129 V	BET U.K. BET U.K. +1
11.681 V to 12.422 H	Al Jazeera English Movies4Men Men & Movies
12.523 V to 11.082 H	Heart TV Capital TV Clubland TV Planet Pop Rocks & Co Gems TV
12.560 V to 11.112 H	Travel Channel Horse and Country QVC Beauty TV Warehouse
12.560 H to 11.973 V	Alibi
12.607 V to 11.141 H	The Active Channel
12.607 H to 11.953 H	eNCA
12.643 H to 12.441 V	CCTV News EuroNews UMP Movies