A new long-term agreement between UKTV and satellite operator SES has confirmed that some of the UK’s most popular television channels will remain available via satellite until at least the end of the decade.

The new multi-year deal ensures that UKTV channels will continue broadcasting from the Astra satellite position at 28.2° East, securing their availability for both Sky and Freesat viewers across the UK and Ireland.

The announcement provides important reassurance for millions of satellite TV viewers at a time when many people have been questioning the long-term future of satellite television.

Which UKTV Channels Are Included?

The agreement covers UKTV’s portfolio of popular entertainment and factual channels.

These include free-to-air channels such as:

• Dave
• Drama
• W
• Yesterday

as well as subscription channels including:

• Gold
• Alibi
• Eden

Many of these channels remain extremely popular with satellite viewers, especially among Freesat users who rely heavily on free-to-air television services.

What Does the New Deal Include?

Under the agreement:

• UKTV renews satellite capacity on SES Astra satellites
• SES will provide uplinking services
• Additional ground services will also be included
• UKTV retains flexibility to expand channel capacity in future

The deal secures UKTV’s presence at the key Astra 28.2° East satellite position through to the end of the 2020s.

This satellite position is the main broadcasting location used for:

• Sky UK
• Freesat
• BBC
• ITV
• Channel 4
• UKTV channels

and remains one of Europe’s busiest television satellite locations.

Good News for Satellite TV Viewers

The announcement is especially important because recent years have seen increasing speculation about the future of satellite television.

Broadcasters have increasingly been investing in:

• Streaming platforms
• Internet TV
• Hybrid services
• On-demand viewing

Sky itself has heavily promoted:

• Sky Stream
• Sky Glass

which operate entirely over broadband without satellite dishes.

However, the UKTV agreement demonstrates that satellite broadcasting still remains strategically important for major broadcasters.

For millions of households, satellite TV continues to offer:

• Reliable reception
• Nationwide coverage
• Stable HD broadcasts
• No internet buffering
• Free-to-air viewing

Andrew Kemp, Head of Operations at UKTV noted:

“We have relied on SES for distribution of our video content for many years and we are pleased to extend our agreement with additional services. As we continue to strengthen and invest in our linear business, it is key for us to ensure we have a reliable, high-quality satellite distribution across the UK and Ireland.”

Norbert Hölzle, Global Head of Media at SES added:

“From comedy and entertainment to drama and history, UKTV continues to be a driving force for developing creative and compelling TV content that is innovatively packaged in their iconic channels. This multi-year extension with added services underscores the continued importance of our 28.2 degrees East orbital position, and the on-going strategic value satellite brings to broadcasters as they look to distribute their high-quality content to the broadest audience possible.”

Satellite Still Reaches Huge Audiences

Despite the growth of streaming services, satellite television continues reaching millions of viewers across:

• The UK
• Ireland
• Spain
• Europe

Satellite remains especially important in:

• Rural areas
• Areas with poor broadband
• Holiday homes
• Locations with unreliable internet

For British viewers in Spain, satellite TV remains one of the most reliable ways to receive UK television services.

Streaming platforms can often suffer from:

• Geo-blocking
• VPN problems
• Internet buffering
• ISP throttling
• Sports blackout restrictions

Satellite broadcasting avoids many of these issues entirely.

What This Means for Freesat

The deal is also positive news for Freesat.

Because UKTV channels form a major part of the Freesat channel lineup, the agreement strongly suggests that Freesat itself will continue operating on satellite well into the future.

Channels such as:

• Dave
• Drama
• Yesterday
• W

are among the most watched free-to-air entertainment channels available on Freesat.

Without these channels, Freesat would become far less attractive to viewers.

The agreement therefore provides important confidence in the continued viability of free satellite television.

Future Channel Expansion Possible

Interestingly, the agreement also includes flexibility for UKTV to add further satellite capacity in the future.

This has led to speculation that UKTV could potentially:

• Launch additional channels
• Expand HD services
• Introduce FAST channels
• Increase streaming integration

Some industry observers have speculated that more UKTV channels could eventually become free-to-air in the future.

At present, channels such as Gold remain subscription-only on Sky satellite systems.

HD Migration Continues

While satellite broadcasting remains secure for now, the industry is still continuing its transition away from older SD transmissions.

Broadcasters including:

• BBC
• ITV
• Sky
• UKTV

have increasingly moved channels to DVB-S2 HD transmissions in order to:

• Improve efficiency
• Reduce costs
• Free satellite bandwidth

This means viewers with older SD-only receivers may gradually lose access to some channels over the coming years.

Modern HD-compatible receivers are increasingly essential for long-term satellite viewing.

Satellite vs Streaming

The agreement arrives during a major shift in television viewing habits.

Streaming services continue growing rapidly, but satellite still offers several major advantages:

• Reliable live sport coverage
• Stable picture quality
• No broadband dependency
• Lower latency
• Better rural coverage

Many viewers still prefer traditional broadcast television, particularly for:

• News
• Live sport
• Linear TV channels
• Older audiences

Online discussions regularly show viewers expressing concern that streaming alone may not yet fully replace the reliability of satellite broadcasting.

What About the Future Beyond 2030?

While the new agreement secures UKTV’s satellite future through to the end of the decade, the longer-term future of satellite television remains uncertain.

Current Astra satellites are expected to remain operational into the late 2020s, although broadcasters are increasingly developing internet-based alternatives.

However, the new UKTV agreement strongly suggests that broadcasters still see substantial value in satellite broadcasting for many years to come.

Final Thoughts

The new agreement between UKTV and SES is excellent news for Sky and Freesat viewers.

It confirms that major channels including Dave, Drama, W and Yesterday will remain available via satellite until at least 2030, helping reassure viewers concerned about the future of satellite television.

While streaming services continue expanding rapidly, the deal shows that satellite TV still plays a major role in delivering reliable television services to millions of households across the UK, Ireland and Spain.