BBC TV and Radio changes in October 2012
In addition to the frequency setting changes the BBC are making to BBC One HD and BBC HD on the 27th September 2012 the BBC are also making some other changes.
The BBC have posted that:
“On 12th of October several of our TV services on satellite will be moving.”
“On 15th of October most of our Radio services on satellite will be moving.”
No further details are available at the moment.
These changes to BBC TV and Radio services are nothing to do with the launch of the new Astra 2F UK TV satellite later this week.
These changes to BBC TV and Radio services are probably more to do with their cost cutting process.
It has already been announced that the number of BBC Red Button Sports Streams will be reduced (the BBC News streams service has already been reduced.)
And that the BBC “are reviewing the number of regional variants in England…(though these programmes would continue to be transmitted on Freeview).
The BBC Red Button streams (used for Sports Streams) and BBC Radio stations are on the same frequency – 11.954 H 27.5 2/3.
So we can assume that the announcement of “most of our Radio services on satellite will be moving” relates to this frequency.
And this 11954 frequency is on a Pan European satellite beam, and has always been very easy to receive on small (60 cm and 80 cm) satellite dishes in Spain. SO perhaps this is with a view to try and limit some of their signal overspill into Europe.
So, perhaps the BBC are thinking of moving the Red Button stream and Radio channels to their other frequencies, and thus they can stop using this frequency, saving money on renting that frequency. In the same way that they closed frequency 12441 last year
BBC TV and Radio Changes in October 2012
The BBC Have confirmed the changes to some BBC TV and BBC Radio services in October, as mentioned above.
BBC Red Button streams to be cut to one
As part of the BBC cost cutting drive (Delivering Quality First proposals!) the number of BBC Red Button video streams on satellite will be reduced to one – on the 15th October. The lone BBC Red Button video stream will be moved from its current frequency (Astra 2A tp 13 11954 H) to a new frequency : Astra 1N tp 45 10773 H 22 5/6
BBC TV and Radio Channels Frequency Changes
The BBC will need to shuffle some of their other TV services around.
So in the early hours of 12 October 2012:
BBC Three / CBBC and BBC News will move to DSat6 (Astra 1N tp 48 – frequency 10818 V 22 5/6)
BBC ALBA and BBC One North East & Cumbria will both move to DSat2 (Astra 1N tp 47 – frequency 10803 H 22 5/6)
BBC Four / CBeebies and BBC Red Button stream 1 will move to DSat1 (Astra 1N tp 45 frequency 10773 H 22 5/6)
BBC Radio Frequency Changes
Some of the BBC Radio services will also change frequencies and will be split between frequency 10803 H 22 5/6 and frequency 10788 V 22 5/6
Loss of BBC Radio stations for Expats??
This will mean the BBC can close Astra 2A tp 13, which is a Pan European beam. As the BBC statement says:
“This will also mean that our radio services move from a European beam to a UK spot beam as DSat7 is the last of our European beam transponders. We use a UK beam for our TV services, so the radio services will be as available in the UK as our TV services. But it does mean that the radio services will no longer be receivable across much of mainland Europe. I’ve no doubt that some readers of this blog will be disappointed by this news. But I’m afraid European-beam transponders are not cost effective for us. We broadcast our services for UK audiences “in the clear” or unencrypted (which is what makes Freesat possible) and so for rights reasons we are limited in terms of the services that we are able to broadcast on a European beam. The BBC’s radio station for listeners outside the UK is the BBC World Service, and it is widely available throughout the world. In Europe you can receive the World Service in many different ways including on satellite from Eutelsat Hot Bird 8 at 13° East. It’s also available online 24 hours a day via the listen live link from the BBC World Service homepage.”
BBC One HD Regions to Launch
These changes to BBC TV and Radio will also help with the launch of BBC One HD for Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland “over the next few months”.
The BBC also confirmed that “BBC HD will be converted into BBC Two HD towards next year”.
To allow these further BBC HD regions to be available on satellite the BBC are renting a new Transponder and frequency from Astra.
It is thought that this new BBC HD frequency will be 11.023 H SR 23.000, FEC 2/3.
So this means the BBC HD channels will be split across two frequencies: 10.847 V and 11.023 H
Sky box users and Freesat box users should notice no difference, and these boxes should automatically make the required frequency changes.
In case they do not, then a simple reboot of the Sky box or Freesat box should correct the problem and load the channels on their new frequencies.
Users of other satellite boxes will have to rescan for these channels on their new frequencies.
Just to summarise these forthcoming changes to some of the BBC TV and Radio services:
On the 12 October:
BBC3/CBBC will moved from frequency 10773H to frequency 10817V.
BBC News will moved from frequency 10803H to frequency 10817V.
BBC Alba and BBC1 NE&C will moved from frequency 10817V to frequency 10803H.
BBC4/CBeebies will moved from frequency 10803H to frequency 10773H.
BBC Red Button stream 1 will moved from frequency 11954H to frequency 10773H.
On the 16 October:
All BBC radio stations on 11954H to be redistributed over 10803H and 10788V.
End October:
Closure of 11954 H – the Pan European beam that has been providing BBC Radio services across Europe for many years
Over the next few months:
New transponder in use on Astra 1N no. 61 to enable the launch of the BBC One HD Region fo Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Sometime in 2013:
Launch of BBC2 HD, enabled by the closure of BBC HD .
BBC Radio Frequency Changes – October 2012
The BBC Radio frequency changes have taken place.
The BBC Radio channels that used to be on frequency 11954H have now been moved and split between two other frequencies, as detailed below:
10.788 V SR 22.000 FEC 5/6
BBC RADIO 3
BBC RADIO 4 FM
BBC RADIO WS (BBC WORLD SERVICE UK ONLY VERSION)
BBC RADIO WALES
BBC RADIO CYMRU
BBC RADIO SCOTLAND
BBC RADIO ULSTER
BBC 6 MUSIC
BBC RADIO 4 EXTRA
BBC R N GAEL
BBC RADIO 4 LW
10.803 H SR 22.000 FEC 5/6
BBC RADIO 1
BBC RADIO 2
BBC RADIO 5 LIVE
BBC RADIO 5 SPORTS EXTRA
BBC RADIO LONDON
BBC RADIO 1XTRA
BBC ASIAN NETWORK
BBC Radio stations on Satellite – change of frequencies
BBC Radio stations will be changing frequencies today and tomorrow (30th and 31st October 2012).
The BBC Radio channels that used to be on frequency 11954H have now been moved and split between two other frequencies, as detailed below:
10.788 V SR 22.000 FEC 5/6
BBC RADIO 3
BBC RADIO 4 FM
BBC RADIO WS (BBC WORLD SERVICE UK ONLY VERSION)
BBC RADIO WALES
BBC RADIO CYMRU
BBC RADIO SCOTLAND
BBC RADIO ULSTER
BBC 6 MUSIC
BBC RADIO 4 EXTRA
BBC R N GAEL
BBC RADIO 4 LW
10.803 H SR 22.000 FEC 5/6
BBC RADIO 1
BBC RADIO 2
BBC RADIO 5 LIVE
BBC RADIO 5 SPORTS EXTRA
BBC RADIO LONDON
BBC RADIO 1XTRA
BBC ASIAN NETWORK
Sky and Freesat boxes should automatically update to the new frequencies. If not a reboot of the box will update.
Users of other satellite receivers will have to perform a scan of the new frequencies should they wish to continue to listen to BBC Radio on satellite.