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BBC Trust on Freesat

The BBC Trust have released an update to their approval of Freesat.

The BBC Trust have released an update to their approval of Free
published on UK Free TV

The following comes from the BBC Trust:

Freesat, the not-for-profit joint venture between the BBC and ITV, would like to include an option for viewers to access paid-for on-demand content, in addition to its existing free-to-air television and on-demand offer. The BBC Trust has considered the BBC's continuing participation in the joint venture, and has decided that this remains appropriate.

In 2007, the BBC Trust approved the BBC's participation in the Freesat joint venture with ITV (Freesat (UK) Ltd). Freesat provides marketing for Freesat and a technical standard for set-top boxes (STBs) and other devices offering free-to-view content via satellite.

Now, the Trust has considered whether the BBC's continued participation would be appropriate following Freesat's plans to introduce and list on-demand pay content delivered via broadband on the Freesat platform. Freesat has informed the Trust that such content may include paid-for on-demand 'premium' content, such as films, but will exclude adult content and live streamed sports coverage. Live paid-for linear broadcast channels do not form part of these proposals. Freesat will not itself provide any on-demand content, but will make available such content via its Electronic Programme Guide.

Having first decided that further approval was required, the Trust had to decide whether any particular regulatory processes - which could include a Public Value Test - should be undertaken to assess the proposed change before deciding whether to approve it. Accordingly, the Trust principally considered whether the proposed change is "significant" in terms of its impact, financial implications, novelty and duration. Our assessment concludes that this is not a "significant change" in the context of the 2007 approval and that it would not be appropriate for the Trust to conduct a Public Value Test or any other process in this case.

The Trust has decided that the participation of the BBC in the joint venture remains appropriate, and so is extending its approval given in 2007 to include the provision and listing by the joint venture of the on-demand content as set out above. This document provides supplementary approval for the BBC's continued participation in the Freesat joint venture should Freesat decide to implement the changes set out within it.

Freesat would like to include an option for viewers to access paid-for on-demand content delivered via broadband alongside its existing free-to-air linear and on-demand television offer. Such paid-for content would not in any way affect the availability of the core free-to-air services on Freesat. However, some content may be made available via existing channels and services through, for example, an on-screen graphic or prompt which would take the viewer from the linear to the on-demand environment. Freesat plans to use the opportunity of the forthcoming launch of its new technical standard for set top boxes (which will also include support for Digital Rights Management software for premium content) to begin listing paid-for content delivered via broadband within its Electronic Programme Guide. Where technically possible, some on-demand services could also be made available on more recent current generation Freesat receivers.

Many existing Freesat customers with set-top boxes or integrated televisions that are connected to a broadband service can already access free on-demand content made available by Freesat in the form of BBC iPlayer. In addition, most television sets which connect to broadband can also access on-demand content, including paid-for content, via (for example) a suitable 'app'. These services are available outside of the Freesat Electronic Programme Guide in the television's user interface. Freesat has therefore proposed making paid-for services available from within the Freesat Electronic Programme Guide. To support this, the next generation of Freesat set-top boxes and Freesat integrated digital televisions will be based on a revised technical standard. This standard will incorporate broadband connectivity combined with support for Digital Rights Management software to enable the consumption and protection of premium content such as films.

The provision of any kind of paid-for content within the Freesat service falls outside the Trust's existing permissions for the BBC's participation in Freesat. Although the Trust does not have direct control over the Freesat joint venture between the BBC and ITV, it has powers of approval with regards to the BBC's continued participation in that joint venture. With this in mind, the Trust has carried out a formal assessment of the proposal and we have set out our decision to approve it at BBC Trust - Freesat. .



Help with Free satellite?
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My box says "No Satellite signal being received"4
Is there any way I can get free channels via satellite and have the kind of hard5
In this section
Freesat adds a plethora of new channels in time for Christmas including channel 1
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Yesterday, Drama and Really joining Freesat this month3
PBS America joins Freesat for Halloween4
Fixing the Freesat Freetime internet connection problem5
Satellite TV operators FRANSAT, TIVUSAT and our Freesat launch FreeTV Alliance 6

Comments
Sunday, 31 July 2011
B
Bob Grainger
11:05 PM
Coventry

I am unable to receive BBC1 or BBC2 on Freeview, but ITV is a good signal, plus a few other channels. Postcode CV8 3HH. Any ideas as to whether this is likely to improve post switchover ?

link to this comment
Bob Grainger's 4 posts GB flag
Bob's: mapB's Freeview map terrainB's terrain plot wavesB's frequency data B's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Monday, 1 August 2011
J
jb38
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

8:28 AM

Bob Grainger: Trade predictor indications show that you should presently be receiving BBC1/2 even slightly better than ITV1 from Sutton Coldfield, try a manual tuning scan on Mux Ch41, this being the transmitter channel for BBC1 etc.

Everything should improve come switchover, however although you havent mentioned anything about your aerial system, but should by any chance it be in the loft try moving it to another position within the loft area, as this frequently gets over the type of difficulty you mention, something thats not quite so easy to with chimney mountings!

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jb38's 7,179 posts GB flag
Tuesday, 2 August 2011
P
PAUL WAKEHAM
6:50 PM

I would like to ask WHEN AND IF the people in the South Wales Valleys will receive the full range of Freeview channels?

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PAUL WAKEHAM's 2 posts GB flag
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

8:02 PM

PAUL WAKEHAM: No, sorry, unless you can use a full-service Freeview transmitter, you will not be getting any more Freeview channels.

If you want more channels, use Freesat, see Compare Freeview Light and Freesat TV | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice .

link to this comment
Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
Tuesday, 9 August 2011
S
stuart
8:11 PM

Could any one tell me if freesat has channel 5* 5usa and challenge and quest, or are these channels not part of freesat yet?

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stuart's 1 post GB flag
Wednesday, 10 August 2011
P
Pete
11:15 AM

stuart: You can find the full list of Freesat Channels Here freesat Channels - Free Satellite, HD & Radio Channels - freesat

I doubt that Challenge or Quest will come to Freesat unless Sky start including them as Free to Air Channels

I have an out of contract Sky system I can get all the Freesat channels but to watch Challenge or Quest I have to switch to Freeview. The same applies to Yesterday and Dave

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Pete's 2 posts GB flag
Friday, 12 August 2011
T
Tracy Clark
1:55 PM
Fort William

My mum and dad both in their 80s have a old sky box and dish. They don't get channel 5, which they had in the past.What box do they need without subscibing !!

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Tracy Clark's 1 post GB flag
Tracy's: mapT's Freeview map terrainT's terrain plot wavesT's frequency data T's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J
jb38
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

5:35 PM

Tracy Clark: Are you positive that this still applies? as channel 5 is free to view without a Sky card, its only things like 5* (star) etc that requires a card.

You should reset their box by removing the mains plug for about 15 seconds or so before plugging it in again, then after waiting on it responding to the remote let it go through its searching for listing procedure.

If at any time they want to discard the sky box then a standard Freesat type would be ideal for them, because as they may well have mentioned, the local news service on the Sky box without having a card installed is by default London, not really very appropriate!

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jb38's 7,179 posts GB flag
Wednesday, 24 August 2011
J
John Smyth
7:41 PM
Banbridge

I live off the castlewellan road in Banbridge Northern Ireland. I cannot receive freeview at all. Will this improve following switchover to digital or will I be totally reliant on free sat.

link to this comment
John Smyth's 2 posts GB flag
John's: mapJ's Freeview map terrainJ's terrain plot wavesJ's frequency data J's Freeview Detailed Coverage
K
KMJ,Derby
sentiment_satisfiedGold

7:54 PM

John Smyth: The Digital UK postcode checker shows that if you are using the Banbridge relay transmitter you will have good reception on the 3 PSB muxes (this is a Freeview light transmitter). It also predicts that you should currently receive 5 muxes with good reception from the Divis transmitter- with the correct aerial. After switchover you are predicted to have good reception on all six muxes when receiving signals direct from Divis.

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KMJ,Derby's 1,811 posts GB flag
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