Major changes to UK satellite television services are taking place in 2024, affecting viewers who watch channels via Sky, Freesat or generic satellite receivers. Broadcasters including the BBC, ITV and Sky are making significant technical changes to how their channels are transmitted, with the biggest impact being the gradual shutdown of standard definition (SD) broadcasts in favour of high definition (HD) services.

One of the first major changes is the closure of the BBC’s SD channels on satellite in January 2024. After this shutdown, BBC channels will only be available in HD on satellite platforms. This means viewers using older SD-only receivers will no longer be able to watch BBC television channels unless they upgrade their equipment.

ITV is also making similar changes. Several ITV channels have already moved to HD-only broadcasting, and further adjustments to satellite frequencies and regional services are expected throughout the year. As part of this transition, some ITV SD channels have already been removed or replaced by their HD versions.

Sky is also making technical changes to its satellite platform. The company is gradually moving to newer broadcast standards such as DVB-S2, which allow for more efficient use of satellite bandwidth but are not supported by some older satellite receivers. As a result, viewers with older Sky or Freesat boxes may begin losing channels as these changes roll out.

For most viewers using modern HD-capable receivers such as Sky Q, Sky+HD or newer Freesat boxes, these changes will happen automatically and should not cause any disruption. However, households still relying on very old SD-only satellite receivers may suddenly find that channels disappear.

In some cases, Sky has warned that customers who continue using outdated equipment could lose access to their channels entirely unless they upgrade to newer hardware.

These changes reflect a wider trend across the television industry, where broadcasters are moving away from SD broadcasting in order to free up satellite capacity and improve picture quality. HD has now become the standard format for television, and the remaining SD services are gradually being phased out.

For satellite viewers — particularly those watching UK television outside the UK — it is important to understand these changes and ensure that your satellite receiver is capable of receiving HD broadcasts to avoid losing access to channels.