BBC News, Alba and Parliament Red Button frequency changes in September and October 2011
As part of a cost cutting measure, the BBC has decided to stop transmitting on one satellite frequency / transponder.
The BBC say “By closing a few of the less viewed Red Button video streams on satellite (and hence cable), and moving some TV channels between transponders, we will be able to close a transponder and reduce our distribution costs”
As a result of this, some changes to some of the BBC services will be made.
BBC News, BBC Alba and BBC Parliament will be moving frequencies. The will be moving from the frequency that allows their reception on small satellite dishes in Spain, to frequencies that require large 1.8m or 2.4m satellite dishes in Spain.
During the week commencing 19 September 2011 BBC News will move to new frequency 10803 H 22000-5/6 BBC Alba will move to new frequency 10818 V 22000-5/6 BBC Parliament will move to new frequency 10788 V 22000-5/6
The BBC News frequency is the same as BBC 1 London and BBC2 England, meaning that it may not be available 24/7 even on the larger 2.4m satellite dishes.
Although not clear, it appears that the BBC streams will move to frequency 11954 h 27500 2/3, which is still easily available on a small satellite dish in Spain. Further reading of the BBC statement also indicates that 5 of the BBCi “stream” services will be moved onto 11954H. Two of the other streams will be axed completely. Presumably these are the “less viewed” streams.
However, this will mean that users of a Sky box or Freesat box with a small satellite dish will no longer be able to access the Sports streams, as they will be unable to access a BBC channel that gives them the “BBC Menu”.
“Generic” free to air receivers should still be able to receive these channels, if they move to frequency 11954, as these types of receivers can access the channels directly, without the need for going via a BBC Menu system.
Of course, with the new Astra 1N satellite being launched and moving to the slot used for UK Satellite TV, there is no saying if or when the BBC Sports stream will move onto that new satellite…and then they will more than likely move to a frequency / beam on that satellite that is only available on large satellite dishes!
BBC frequencies and transponders after move
BBC transponders after move
Astra 2D, transponder 45 (BBC DSAT1) 10773 H 22000 5/6
BBC One London, West, East (Oxford), Channel Islands; BBC Two England; CBBC/BBC three; red button text; Channel 5 (for Freesat).
Astra 2D, transponder 46 (BBC DSAT5) 10788 V 22000 5/6
BBC Parliament; BBC One West Midlands, East Yorkshire, East Midlands, East (Norwich), Wales; BBC Two Wales
Astra 2D, transponder 47 (BBC DSAT2) 10803 H 22000 5/6
BBC News; BBC One Scotland, North West, Yorkshire, South East; BBC TWO Scotland; BBC FOUR/Cbeebies; Radio 5 Live, 5 Live Sports Extra
Astra 2D, transponder 48 (BBC DSAT6) 10818 V 22000 5/6
BBC Alba; BBC One South, South West, North East, Oxford, Northern Ireland; BBC TWO Northern Ireland
Astra 2D, transponder 50 (BBC DSAT4) 10847 V 23000 7/8
BBC One HD; BBC HD; ITV 1 HD Meridian South East
Astra 2B, transponder 13 (BBC DSAT7) 11954 h 27500 2/3
BBC Red Button x 5; BBC “news multiscreen”; BBC Radios 1, 2, 3, 4, 4LW, Scotland, Wales, Ulster, Asian Network, World Service, Cymru, 1Xtra, 6 Music, 4 Extra, nan Gaidheal, London
Astra 2D is the satellites whose channels can only be received on a “large” 1.8m 1.9m or 2.4m satellite dish in Spain
Astra 2B is the satellites whose channels can be received on a smaller 80cm 1m satellite dish in Spain
During this week – commencing 19 September 2011
BBC News will move to new frequency 10803 H 22000-5/6
BBC Alba will move to new frequency 10818 V 22000-5/6
BBC Parliament will move to new frequency 10788 V 22000-5/6
BBC News will be moving to a weaker satellite beam, and this beam may not be available 24/7 even on the big 2.4m Portuguese satellite dishes in Spain.
According to information from the BBC:
It is expected that BBC News, BBC Alba and BBC Parliament will change requency and satellite on 22nd September 2011.
The Red button “stream” services are expected to change frequency on the 23rd September 2011.
The EPG tuning information will be updated as follows:
22 September 2011
Freesat will change their channel lists to point to the new location
Virgin Media will update their platform
26 September 2011
Sky will update their channel listings
The dual-illumination period ends and these services will no longer be available at their old locations.
Phase 2:
Move all ETV streams to DSat7 (Astra transponder 13)
28 September 2011
Second period of dual-illumination with ETV services at old and new locations
Virgin Media will update their platform
Freesat and Sky will change their channel lists to point to the new location
07 October 2011
The BBC’s ‘DSat3’ transponder feed closes
The BBC is reorganising its channel line-up on digital satellite during September in advance of closing its (‘DSat3’) feed on Astra 2B on 7 October 2011.
All TV channels and radio services will remain but some ‘Enhanced TV’ (ETV) red button video streams will close on digital satellite (Sky and Freesat) and digital cable (Virgin Media) platforms.
The BBC News, BBC Parliament and BBC ALBA TV channels will move onto different satellite transponders with the same footprint as the BBC One service
The current seven ETV video streams will be reduced to five and one of the mosaic video streams used to provide embedded content in some ‘red button’ applications will also be closed. The News video mosaic stream, or “multiscreen”, is unaffected by these changes.
Most viewers will not need to take any action:
Sky viewers should find their Sky boxes update automatically. Any that do experience problems should call Sky on 08442 411 653.
In most cases, Freesat viewers should not need to take any action either. However for some Freesat models it might be necessary for the user to turn it off and back on again, or to do a retune using the box or TV menu. They should also check any scheduled recordings for BBC News, BBC Parliament or BBC ALBA.
Those needing help with a Freesat box or integrated TV are being advised by the BBC to contact Freesat on 08450 990 990 or the receiver manufacturer.
Virgin Media uses satellite as the source for BBC standard definition TV channels and will therefore need to make a few technical changes, but its viewers should not need to do anything.
The details and timing
The changes will be made in two stages on dates below (these are provisional and subject to possible change).
There will also be a period of dual-illumination where both the new and old locations for BBC ALBA, BBC News and BBC Parliament will apply:
Phase 1:
Move BBC News, BBC Parliament and BBC ALBA off DSat7 (Astra transponder 13)
BBC News will move to DSat2 (Astra transponder 47)
BBC Parliament will move to DSat5 (Astra transponder 46)
BBC ALBA will move to DSat6 (Astra transponder 48)
The services will be available in their new locations (as well as the old) on 20 September 2011.
The changes are not switchover related but are in response to the BBC Trust’s review of the BBC Red Button service, published in November 2010. It challenged the BBC to reduce the cost of the Red Button service, particularly its distribution costs and highlighted the disparity in the number of video streams offered to satellite and cable viewers compared with terrestrial viewers.
This afternoon, Sky have remapped their EPG to the new frequencies for BBC News, Parliament, Alba.
The BBC News, Parliament, Alba on the old frequency (11954 H ) have been stopped.
So no more BBC News, Parliament, Alba on small satellite dishes in Spain.
And no more access to the BBC SPorts streams via these channels on Sky or freesat boxes.
Five BBCi streams, have now appeared on frequency 11954 h.
The streams are labelled on this frequency as 3711, 3712, 3713, 3714 and 3715 they are currently available on a Sky box
It is unknown if they will be available like this when the “officially” move over later this month.
And Sky and Freesat receivers have now been mapped across to these new stream channels, so no changes are required for Sky and Freesat box users.
However, the channels labels are now “6711 6712 6713 6714 and 6715”.
If you have a non Sky and Non freesat box, then you will have to scan frequency 11954 h, so you can add these new BBC Sports streams to your box.
The old streams on the old frequency are currently showing a test card.
When adding the new BBC Streams from the 11954H frequency, they will appear in the the Sky box’s “other channels” list.
However, there will be video, but no audio.
So the current workaround is:
In the services menu, go to 4 systms set up,
then language and subtitles,
and change the Favourite language to anything other than English,
You can currently get audio on the new “streams”, and its still fine on most of the other channels also
Users of Sky HD and Sky+HD boxes that have had the new style EPG downloaded, may find that they can now receive sound on these BBCi “stream” channels.
Users of Sky HD and Sky+HD boxes that do not have the new style EPG will still receive no audio on these BBCi “stream” channels if they are added to “other channels”.