ALL Sky customers will notice a number of big changes to their TV planner from today, whether you’re a satellite viewer or streaming.
The latest wave sees sports channels shift position and also some closures.
Some of UKTV’s HD channels have been axed[/caption]
Channels including Premier Sports are moving around too[/caption]
Sky Q, Sky+HD and Sky+ boxes have already seen big changes on Monday, with a popular Sky Sports channel disappearing.
And Tuesday sees more channels axed from satellite.
Fortunately, viewers won’t have to miss out on their favourite shows but the quality of the channels will be changing for the worse.
UKTV is getting rid of two HD channels on satellite and opting for SD (standard definition) broadcasts instead.
Customers have slammed the move, saying it seems “a backward step to keep SD and close HD channels on satellite”.
The two HD channels going today are U&W HD and U&Yesterday HD.
Content on-demand will still be available in HD.
Sky Glass and Sky Stream devices are unaffected by the changes.
But they do face a huge number of channel moves starting today instead.
Some of UKTV’s other channels are shuffling around, as well as sports.
See the full list below, including countries as some vary from nation to nation:
- U&Alibi HD moves from 130 to 120 (England, NI and Wales only)
- U&Gold HD moves from 131 to 121 (England, NI and Wales only)
- U&Dave HD moves from 132 to 130 (England, NI and Wales only)
- U&W HD moves from 133 to 131 (England, NI and Wales only)
- U&Drama moves from 134 to 132 (England, NI and Wales only)
- U&Yesterday HD moves from 161 to 133 (England, NI and Wales only)
- U&Eden moves from 162 to 134 (England, NI and Wales only)
- GINX TV HD moves from 419 to 417 (all of the UK)
- MUTV HD moves from 420 to 418 (all of the UK)
- LFCTV HD moves from 421 to 419 (all of the UK)
- Premier Sports 1 HD moves from 419 to 417 (ROI only)
- Premier Sports 2 HD moves from 420 to 418 (ROI only)
- GINX TV HD moves from 421 to 419 (ROI only)
- MUTV HD moves from 422 to 420 (ROI only)
- LFCTV HD moves from 423 to 421 (ROI only)
Later this week, there are a few more changes in sight.
On Wednesday, satellite customers lose another channel – and once again it’s in favour of the SD broadcast.
Sky History 2 HD will disappear from slot 163 in the UK and 168 in ROI / NI, and become Sky History 2 SD.
Is the end of satellite in sight?
Analysis by Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun
Satellite TV is expensive business.
Sky doesn’t own the satellites above Earth that beam channels down to us – they have pay a satellite operator for that.
But streaming is seen as the future, not only for Sky but everyone in the TV business.
With Sky Glass and Sky Stream, Sky doesn’t have to pay a hefty fee to a satellite operator.
No more satellite dishes are needed, which means far fewer engineers coming out to houses are required too.
Only recently did Sky and its satellite operator SES announce a new agreement that takes satellite TV up until 2029 – after that, we will have to see.
There are still millions of customers who enjoy watching TV with a satellite box.
Sky says 90 per cent of new customers opt for Sky Glass or Sky Stream.
