Is it legal to watch UK TV on the Costa Blanca Spain?

Everyone is questioning the legalities of watching the UK satellite television channels in Spain.  I hope this page will help clarify the matter.

The main UK television channels, such as BBC and ITV are transmitted from the satellites "in the clear" with no encryption (you can view them without a Sky card!), called "Free to Air" channels. Although these signals from the satellite for these channels are primarily focussed on the UK, with suitable equipment (read a big satellite dish) it is possible to receive these signals on the Costa Blanca.

Anyone with a satellite dish and satellite receiver can view any Free to Air channels legally. The broadcasters may not like this, but there is little they can do to stop you from receiving these free satellite signals.

There are two methods that the broadcasters use to try and limit reception of their channels outside their intended countries. Firstly they can place their channels on a satellite whose signals is weak - like BBC and ITV channels. Secondly they can encrypt their channels and only make them available to view via a viewing card that can only be issued in the intended country - like Sky TV channels.

Using a viewing card outside the intended country will be against the terms and conditions of the use of that viewing card. Should the broadcaster find out that the card is being used outside the intended country then it will be deactivated.

If reception of other countries free to air television channels was illegal outside the intended country, then this caused huge problems. For example, satellite receivers used by Digital+, Spain's satellite television service, allow s the reception of any free to air satellite channels on the Astra 1 satellite, which included many free channels from German, France and the UK. Are Digital+, by allowing their receivers to view non Spanish channels, operating illegally? Are shops selling free to air receivers that can scan and receive free to air channels from all over the world operating illegally?

Again the broadcasters may not like you watching their channels outside the intended country, but there is little they can do to stop you from doing so.

There are many English language TV channels available for free, and thus legal, across the many satellites that cover Europe.

On the main UK TV satellite there are approximately 200 English UK TV channels. Most of these English TV channels, not the main BBC or ITV stations however, can be freely and legally received over the Costa Blanca on an 80cm satellite dish.

On the Arabsat and Nilesat satellites there are a few channels that show mainly USA and UK TV programmes in English - albeit with Arabic subtitles. These English language channels can be received across the Costa Blanca on an small 80cm dish.

English TV Channels on Arabsat / Nilesat

We can supply and install an 80cm satellite dish and free to air satellite receiver to allow reception of these English language TV channels for as little as 200 euros. If you do not want a large 1.8 or 2.4m "big dish" satellite dish then these English language satellite channels may be the best and cheapest option.