menuMENU    UK Free TV logo Freesat

 

 

Click to see updates

BBC Trust on Freesat

The BBC Trust have released an update to their approval of Freesat.

The BBC Trust have released an update to their approval of Free
published on UK Free TV

The following comes from the BBC Trust:

Freesat, the not-for-profit joint venture between the BBC and ITV, would like to include an option for viewers to access paid-for on-demand content, in addition to its existing free-to-air television and on-demand offer. The BBC Trust has considered the BBC's continuing participation in the joint venture, and has decided that this remains appropriate.

In 2007, the BBC Trust approved the BBC's participation in the Freesat joint venture with ITV (Freesat (UK) Ltd). Freesat provides marketing for Freesat and a technical standard for set-top boxes (STBs) and other devices offering free-to-view content via satellite.

Now, the Trust has considered whether the BBC's continued participation would be appropriate following Freesat's plans to introduce and list on-demand pay content delivered via broadband on the Freesat platform. Freesat has informed the Trust that such content may include paid-for on-demand 'premium' content, such as films, but will exclude adult content and live streamed sports coverage. Live paid-for linear broadcast channels do not form part of these proposals. Freesat will not itself provide any on-demand content, but will make available such content via its Electronic Programme Guide.

Having first decided that further approval was required, the Trust had to decide whether any particular regulatory processes - which could include a Public Value Test - should be undertaken to assess the proposed change before deciding whether to approve it. Accordingly, the Trust principally considered whether the proposed change is "significant" in terms of its impact, financial implications, novelty and duration. Our assessment concludes that this is not a "significant change" in the context of the 2007 approval and that it would not be appropriate for the Trust to conduct a Public Value Test or any other process in this case.

The Trust has decided that the participation of the BBC in the joint venture remains appropriate, and so is extending its approval given in 2007 to include the provision and listing by the joint venture of the on-demand content as set out above. This document provides supplementary approval for the BBC's continued participation in the Freesat joint venture should Freesat decide to implement the changes set out within it.

Freesat would like to include an option for viewers to access paid-for on-demand content delivered via broadband alongside its existing free-to-air linear and on-demand television offer. Such paid-for content would not in any way affect the availability of the core free-to-air services on Freesat. However, some content may be made available via existing channels and services through, for example, an on-screen graphic or prompt which would take the viewer from the linear to the on-demand environment. Freesat plans to use the opportunity of the forthcoming launch of its new technical standard for set top boxes (which will also include support for Digital Rights Management software for premium content) to begin listing paid-for content delivered via broadband within its Electronic Programme Guide. Where technically possible, some on-demand services could also be made available on more recent current generation Freesat receivers.

Many existing Freesat customers with set-top boxes or integrated televisions that are connected to a broadband service can already access free on-demand content made available by Freesat in the form of BBC iPlayer. In addition, most television sets which connect to broadband can also access on-demand content, including paid-for content, via (for example) a suitable 'app'. These services are available outside of the Freesat Electronic Programme Guide in the television's user interface. Freesat has therefore proposed making paid-for services available from within the Freesat Electronic Programme Guide. To support this, the next generation of Freesat set-top boxes and Freesat integrated digital televisions will be based on a revised technical standard. This standard will incorporate broadband connectivity combined with support for Digital Rights Management software to enable the consumption and protection of premium content such as films.

The provision of any kind of paid-for content within the Freesat service falls outside the Trust's existing permissions for the BBC's participation in Freesat. Although the Trust does not have direct control over the Freesat joint venture between the BBC and ITV, it has powers of approval with regards to the BBC's continued participation in that joint venture. With this in mind, the Trust has carried out a formal assessment of the proposal and we have set out our decision to approve it at BBC Trust - Freesat. .



Help with Free satellite?
What can I do when my Sky Digibox says 'No Signal' or 'Technical fau1
Can I receive UK TV in Ghana?2
What is a CA module?3
My box says "No Satellite signal being received"4
Is there any way I can get free channels via satellite and have the kind of hard5
In this section
Freesat adds a plethora of new channels in time for Christmas including channel 1
A tale of a two Freesat boxes2
Yesterday, Drama and Really joining Freesat this month3
PBS America joins Freesat for Halloween4
Fixing the Freesat Freetime internet connection problem5
Satellite TV operators FRANSAT, TIVUSAT and our Freesat launch FreeTV Alliance 6

Comments
Wednesday, 24 August 2011
K
KMJ,Derby
sentiment_satisfiedGold

7:54 PM

John Smyth: The Digital UK postcode checker shows that if you are using the Banbridge relay transmitter you will have good reception on the 3 PSB muxes (this is a Freeview light transmitter). It also predicts that you should currently receive 5 muxes with good reception from the Divis transmitter- with the correct aerial. After switchover you are predicted to have good reception on all six muxes when receiving signals direct from Divis.

link to this comment
KMJ,Derby's 1,811 posts GB flag
Friday, 26 August 2011
N
Narian C Naidoo
11:05 AM

Dear Sir,

Will I able to receive the Free to View satelite broadcast service in Durban in South Africa.

Yours Sinceely.
Narian C Naidoo

link to this comment
Narian C Naidoo's 2 posts ZA flag
M
Mrs Anakillie Naidoo
11:16 AM

Dear Sir/Madam

Will I be able to receive the Freeview satellite broadcast service in South Africa, if I can, what broacast equipment do I need, or if I cannot, why?

Yours Truly.
Mrs Anakillie Naidoo

link to this comment
Mrs Anakillie Naidoo's 1 post ZA flag
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

1:39 PM

Mrs Anakillie Naidoo: No, you can't. The satellite footprints for FreeSAT (not Freeview) cover only the UK and Europe.

link to this comment
Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

1:40 PM

Narian C Naidoo: Same answer: no.

link to this comment
Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
M
Mel Bruce
7:21 PM

Been reading all the coments, I've an elderly father in Kent (Ramsgate) and at the back of his small garden is an end to a railway line, they decided to put a metal shed/cover over it causing him to lose all signal, he complained to the BBC (who he pays his tv licence to) and somehow he was set up with a satalite dish and a sky box. now the screen is reading 'technical fault' on his behalf i called sky who are unable to help as he's not a paying customer, were thinking of getting him a free sat box, what do you think? and can you recommend one? will the reception/signal work in Ramsagte? sorry for going on but would really appreciate your advice.

link to this comment
Mel Bruce's 1 post GB flag
J
jb38
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

8:22 PM

Mel Bruce: I find it a bit strange that your elderly father was set up with a Sky dish rather than a Freesat one in the first place, however as far as the problem is concerned its suggests that its the box at fault, so did you try re-setting it by removing the mains power to it, waiting about 10 secs or so before reconnecting, then after it starts to respond to the remote control when Sky is pressed letting it go through its usual "searching for listings" procedure.

A Freesat box works on the same dish as a Sky one, as there is no difference between the two as far as that side of things is concerned, and unless something has been added to the shed to obstruct the dish view to the satellite then nothing will have changed.

Satellite reception can be had anywhere in the UK provided the dish can view South and not into a "tall" obstruction like a tree or close by high rise building etc.

link to this comment
jb38's 7,179 posts GB flag
Tuesday, 13 December 2011
D
Dermot O'Regan
11:36 AM

I'm in the process of puting a Freesat system together it isn't actually fixed together and erected yet as I have bought a dish and reciever set, but I am trying to buy a freesat + HD PVR is there going to be a requirement on the PVR in the near future to have a pay per view card reader on the reciever?
As current models don't have this faccility I will be grateful for any info on this subject thanks.

link to this comment
Dermot O'Regan's 2 posts GB flag
Wednesday, 14 December 2011
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

1:58 PM

Dermot O'Regan: No, Freesat is free to air and does not support PPV cards.

link to this comment
Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
Tuesday, 3 January 2012
D
Dermot O'Regan
7:50 PM

Dermot O'Regan: To Briantist, thanks for your reply I have just read it today 03/01/2012
I don't want to seem like a time waster or an ignorant person but my original question about whether there was going to be a card reader on PPV recievers was genuine because I read somewhere that Freesat & the BBC trust were in discussions to include PPV on a not for profit basis for certain types of programs, I am not sure where I picked up the thread however I did read about it on the BBC Trusts website, any comments?

link to this comment
Dermot O'Regan's 2 posts GB flag
Select more comments
Page 2

Your comment please
Please post a question, answer or commentUK Free TV is here to help people. If you are rude or disrespectful all of your posts will be deleted and you will be banned.







Privacy policy: UK Free Privacy policy.