Astra 1N to slot at 28E in Q2 2011

[Huevos]

Huevos what signal you get from 3A? it is a Boeing spinner like 2d.

Nothing, just a couple of blips on the spectrum.

But there are 2 big differences between 2D and 3A. First 2D is higher power than 3A. And the second thing is the distance off axis. My location is 1.6º off axis to 2D and 2.6º off axis to 3A.

 

[dvdfilm]

interesting that on the press release they say pan-european beam is for pay tv broadcasters,when of course the only pay tv on 28.2 is sky,which officially should have no interest at all in a pan-european beam.
this maybe means sky knows many subscribers are outside the UK and asked Astra to keep a european beam in the new sats project?

 

[Lazarus]

I'm sure Sky are fully aware of the extent of overspill reception and are not going to turn down the revenue except under duress ............. but they do have enforceable Contracts with Broadcasters and Programme Makers and are not likely to engage in overt conspiracy to breach those Contracts eg by condoning a wider than necessary beam with associated Carriage agreements.

The Courts would be busy!

 

[dvdfilm]

sky only sell subscriptions in the UK,so they have no problems with the copyright holders. but they will continue to allow signal reception in europe even with the new sats on the european beam.
When Astra 2A and 2B were launched,you could say a wide beam was justified because it wasnt clear if the 28.2 slot was only for the UK or also for other european broadcasters.
but then the market developed in a way that 28.2 is only for UK and ireland,with sky being the only pay tv using it,so there would be no reason to plan a european beam on the new sats.
so it seems sky could have specifically requested Astra to keep a european beam to let subscribers outside the UK still receive their programs.

 

[BLUEPLATINUM]

sky only sell subscriptions in the UK,so they have no problems with the copyright holders. but they will continue to allow signal reception in europe even with the new sats on the european beam.
When Astra 2A and 2B were launched,you could say a wide beam was justified because it wasnt clear if the 28.2 slot was only for the UK or also for other european broadcasters.
but then the market developed in a way that 28.2 is only for UK and ireland,with sky being the only pay tv using it,so there would be no reason to plan a european beam on the new sats.
so it seems sky could have specifically requested Astra to keep a european beam to let subscribers outside the UK still receive their programs.

If this was true then why haven't Sky manipulated things so that all their channels are on the South beams? They have lot's of channels (including lucrative subscription movie channels) on the North beams. Sky could have moved everything onto 2C when it used to be at 28.xE if they had wanted to encourage overseas subscriptions but didn't.

 

[Huevos]

If this was true then why haven't Sky manipulated things so that all their channels are on the South beams? They have lot's of channels (including lucrative subscription movie channels) on the North beams.

Of course they are not going to actively encourage it... but anyway not all the people who want to receive those channels are stationed in the Atlantic Ocean just off of West Africa; many are in North Europe too, some in Scandinavia. And don't forget the channel plan was a slow evolution as the various satellites and channels were launched. When space came available on a satellite, broadcasters rented it. Obviously they couldn't start on a beam that didn't exist, and why migrate once they had an active service.

 

[timo_w2s]

If this was true then why haven't Sky manipulated things so that all their channels are on the South beams?

Oi, spare a thought for those in the North. ;) Actually I think the South beamers get a better deal already.

 

[BLUEPLATINUM]

Oi, spare a thought for those in the North. ;) Actually I think the South beamers get a better deal already.

You can't just look at it by area but by expat. population density. I don't have the stats., but I would suggest there are many more expats. in southern Spain, the Canary Islands and Italy than in Scandinavia :-)

 

[dvdfilm]

It's obvious that sky want to keep their expat subscribers.
Just imagine the immediate loss of revenue if the new sats only had a UK spotbeam.
On the day of frequencies switchover,every single expat would immediately stop payments by credit cards,or call their bank in the UK to block direct debit. Even new subscribers still within the 12 month minimum contract would do so because when you don't have signal you're not afraid of a possible action by sky to recollect missing payments(and they live abroad anyway).
That would be the biggest ever revenue loss,much higher than the usual churn rate.
I bet the european widebeam will be very strong,maybe covering more areas than the actual sats.

 

[garrick]

You can't just look at it by area but by expat. population density. I don't have the stats., but I would suggest there are many more expats. in southern Spain, the Canary Islands and Italy than in Scandinavia :-)

Once ASTRA 1N slots into place there is bound to be some spillage into Holland, Belgium and northern France. If FREESAT can obtain all the transbonders then they might be able to give ITV a good package which includes ITV2 HD, ITV3 HD and ITV4 HD. The BBC could put an extended service which includes BBC1, BBC2, BBC3, BBC4, BBC NEWS, BBC PARLIAMENT, CBeebies HD, CBBC HD and BBC HD channels, Channel4 and FIVE should be able to extend their service in HD.

If the above was to happen on ASTRA 1N then other broadcasters such as EUROSPORTS, STV, UTV, S4C, and others could be tempted to come on FREESAT in HD.

 

[Analoguesat]

Ah more flights of fantasy from a Freesatter


There is no chance whatsoever of Eurosport joining Freesat in HD or SD The numbers dont stack up AND sports rights of any kind are premium content & cost big time to purchase

ITV 2 /3 / 4 HD are almost certainly tied up in a multi year exclusivity package so they are exceedingly unlikely in the next 2-3 years.

STV is already testing fta HD on Astra 2D so is a distinct possibility

BBC 2 / 3 / 4 yeah Id say they a distinct possibility next year or the year after

C4 / C5 who knows

 

[garrick]

Ah more flights of fantasy from a Freesatter


There is no chance whatsoever of Eurosport joining Freesat in HD or SD The numbers dont stack up AND sports rights of any kind are premium content & cost big time to purchase

ITV 2 /3 / 4 HD are almost certainly tied up in a multi year exclusivity package so they are exceedingly unlikely in the next 2-3 years.

STV is already testing fta HD on Astra 2D so is a distinct possibility

BBC 2 / 3 / 4 yeah Id say they a distinct possibility next year or the year after

C4 / C5 who knows

Don't forget the 2012 OLYMPICS in LONDON so if the BBC can launch a full service for BBC2, BBC3 & BBC4 in HD by then it should help to cover the games in HD with the BBC HD showcase channel. If STV, UTV & S4C are in HD by Q1 2012 then ITV is going to left behind, with OFCOM going though its books and links with $ky.

 

[Analoguesat]

Even in 2012 the vast majority of viewers will still be watching in SD not HD.

The BBC has major budget cuts kicking in over the next few years

If BBC 2 3 & 4 are HD by 2012 theres no need for the BBC HD channel

 

[garrick]

If BBC 2 3 & 4 are HD by 2012 theres no need for the BBC HD channel

Doen't the BBC HD channel come under BBC Wouldwide??

 

[Lazarus]

Doen't the BBC HD channel come under BBC Wouldwide??

No. It's part and parcel of the UK PSB regime rather than commercial funded for wider consumption.

 

[woborny]

but i think there there are some international variations of BBC HD used by BBC worldwide for their "bbc prime / entertainment" group of channels...I dont think it is actually the real BBC HD channels, just BBC Prime / Entertainment in HD.

 

[garrick]

but i think there there are some international variations of BBC HD used by BBC worldwide for their "bbc prime / entertainment" group of channels...I dont think it is actually the real BBC HD channels, just BBC Prime / Entertainment in HD.

So they can easily put BBC HD on 28e wideband for all of europe

 

[woborny]

The one I mention is is part of the BBC Prime / Entertainment / Worldwide subscription service - i think scandinavian satellite operators have one version - and its like a HD version of BBC Prime / Entertainment. IT IS NOT BBC One or BBC ONE HD, or BBC HD, and so it does not carry many of the sports or movies or USA imports.

I am sure it could go on 28 wide beam, but why, when on 28 the UK is served by the actual BBC channels, and BBC Prime / Entertainment / Worldwide is not for UK comsumption, and as some european operators pay for BBC Prime to be on their packages, then it will be on that packages satellte. Why have it on 28 east, when its part of the C+ Sweden package on Thor, for example? They just put the feed onto the relevant satellite for the operators they have a deal with.

 

[johnneyboy]

this all well and good in forty in years time the skies above us will be one big junk yard

 

[hexah]

Satellite will still be the most effective use of bandwidth to hundreds of millions of households forty years from now.