UK / British Satellite Television in Spain Sky In Spain Sky TV in Spain

In order to receive satellite television you will require a satellite dish, a Low Noise Block (LNB) and a digital decoder. The satellite dish collects the signals and reflects them to the LNB which collects the signals and sends then down the cable to the digital decoder which then turns those signals into pictures and sounds. Many channels are available for free and there are also Pay TV channels that require a viewing card and a monthly subscription.

Sky In Spain

The UKs main pay / subscription satellite TV service, Sky, also operates on the satellites at Astra 28degrees. These channels are broadcast with encryption, and can only be viewed by the use of a Sky subscription card. The amount of channels that are “unblocked” will depend on the subscription charge you pay.

As far as I know, it is NOT illegal to use a Sky viewing cards or watch Sky subscription TV channels outside of the UK. However, you are breaking the terms and conditions of you Sky contract, which states that the Sky viewing card is only for use within the UK only. This is Sky’s method of ensuring that their contracts with the film, sports and other TV program makers is satisfied, as a Sky card can only be issued to a UK address.

Sometimes best to ask a family member or a friend in the UK to order a Sky card at their address on your behalf. The Sky contract that is received will need to be signed by the name of the person you have used. Once the contract has been received by Sky they will then issue the Sky card to the UK address. The card will need to be put in its Digibox, and then you and your UK contact will have to contact Sky to get the card activated, they will require the information from the sky receiver on the system details screen (Services, 4, 6)

The minimum term of a Sky contract is 12 months.

The Sky contact also states that the Sky card and Sky decoder must be connected to a UK telephone line. However, this is only true if you have had your card and decoder supplied by Sky. In the UK Sky heavily discount the installation cost. All equipment is their property for 12 months, and to ensure that it stays where is should they require the decoder to call back to the Sky computers every so often. After 12 months the equipment (dish and decoder) is yours and you can disconnect them from the telephone system. With installations in Spain, you are personally buying the decoders and dish so the equipment is yours from the start and although, as you did not get the equipment direct from a Sky you do not need to connect to the telephone system.

Note that’s this does not apply to the Sky Multiroom service. This service provides two cards with the same subscriptions for the cost of one card plus £10. However, the contact for this service states that both decoders and cards must be connected to the telephone system. If the boxes fail to contact the Sky computer then you will be charged full price for both cards. This stops people from bringing their second decoder and card to Spain.

UK TV (Sky) Channel Reception In Spain

To receive the main channels provided via the Sky EPG on the Costa Blanca you will require a big dish. This is because Sky uses the satellites Astra 2 and Eurobird, and (similar) frequencies as the Freesat satellite systems. This table indicates the minimum dish sizes required for the main UK channels on Sky for the Costa Blanca North area that I cover.

Note: There are two versions of FIVE. The Freesat version will only be available for the same time as BBC2, as they currently share the same frequency. The Sky version of FIVE, that requires a Sky viewing card, will be available 24/7.

In general, with a 1.8m or 2.4m dish, you should receive BBC1, ITV1. ITV2, ITV3, ITV4 for 24 hours a day. You may find that even on a 2.4m dish you may loose bbc1 and the ITV channels late at night, when the signal is weakest. BBC2 and Channel 4 should be available until around 6pm. The Freesat version of FIVE will also be available for the same times as BBC2.

The Sky version of FIVE should be available all of the day on most dishes over 80cm. The majority of the Sky subscription package is available 24 hours a day.

Some channels, particularly the Sky Movies channels, may fade out during the late afternoon. These channels are on the notoriously tricky North beams.

Don't forget the the weather can affect the reception of channels - heavy cloud or rain can weaken the already weak signals - it is not always sunny in Spain. Summer haze around the coast can also weaken the signals.

There are also two times a year when, due to the positioning of the Sun, the earth and the satellites, you may loose the weaker Astra 2d signals for a few minutes. Normally this occurs at around 10 - 11am around the time of the spring and autumn solaces, when the solar energy from the sum "swamps" the signals from the satellites more than usual as the sun is positioned directly behind the satellite.

And don't forget that during the summer months you should be getting the TV for 1 hour longer, due to the changing between CET and CEST (Central European Time and Central European Summer Time). So for example, if BBC2 goes off at 5pm in the winter, then in the summer it should go off at 6pm.

Sky Plus

Sky Plus decoders are available and do work in Spain. These are Personal Video Recorders (PVR) and, with the use of its internal Hard Disk Drive, will allow you to record and pause (sometimes known as Timeshift) TV channels. They also allow you to watch one TV channel whilst recording the other by the use of its twin tuners, which does require two cable connects from the dish to the Sky Plus decoder. Currently the Sky Plus functions are available for free with any Sky TV subscription. If you do not have a Sky subscription you can for a £10 per month subscription activate these functions on the Sky Plus decoder.

Sky High Definition (HD)

To receive and view HD channels you will require a HD decoder and a HD TV. There are a number of free HD channels available, such as BBC HD and Channel4HD, and an increasing number of HD subscription channels. The number of HD channels is slowly increasing and eventually all channels will be in HD. There are two forms of HD, 720 and 1080. These refer to the number of lines of data the TV’s can replicate, so a 1080 HD TV provides a picture with more lines of data than a 720 HD TV, and thus a clearer and more defined picture.

Sky's HD service is supplied with a special Sky receiver, the Sky HD+ Box, which is basically the popular Sky+ box with an output for connection to a high definition TV.  S