BBC to reduce satellite transponders from seven to six on 7 October 2011

To reduce the BBC costs of "red button" service distribution, the number of satellite transponders used by the corporation will be reduced to six.

^{Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV 26th August 2011 at 17:09}

The BBC will close two underutilised "red button" video streams at the start of October 2011. This is because the BBC Trust has required the cost of the "red button" services to be reduced - BBC Trust - Trust review of Red Button finds service has high reach but should look to tighten focus and reduce costs.

The following services will be changed by the BBC:

From 19th September 2011-08-26

The following services will be moved from Astra 2A, transponder 13 (11.95350GHz horizontal)

BBC News will move to Astra 2D, transponder 47 (10.80275 GHz horizontal)
BBC Parliament will move to Astra 2D, transponder 46 (10.78800 GHz Vertical)
BBC ALBA will move to Astra 2D, transponder 48 (10.81750 GHz vertical)

From 26th September 2011

Five interactive screens will move to Astra 2A, transponder 13 (11.95350 GHz horizontal)

Two interactive video streams will close, plus one multiscreen streams (on transponder 13), the "news multiscreen" remains (on 13).

7th October 2011

BBC closes on Astra 2B transponder 38 (12.441 GHz vertical)

How the change effect viewers

Sky (and fSfS) viewers will have the changes applied automatically.

Freesat viewers should find the changes happen automatically. If they do not, then power off and then on again your Freesat box.

If you have a generic free satellite receiver, you will need to perform an automatic scan, or apply the above changes manually.

Virgin Media will make changes to their services in their network, no user action needs to be taken.

Freeview viewers are unaffected - Freeview has only one (compared to the now five satellite) interactive screens.

Only the BBC radio (apart from Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra) and the interactive services will be on the pan-European beams: BBC News and BBC Parliament will be on the UK-focused Astra 2D satellite.

BBC transponders after move

Astra 2D, transponder 45 (BBC DSAT1)

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)

BBC Parliament; BBC One West Midlands, East Yorkshire, East Midlands, East (Norwich), Wales; BBC Two Wales

Astra 2D, transponder 47 (BBC DSAT2)

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)

BBC Alba; BBC One South, South West, North East, Oxford, Northern Ireland; BBC TWO Northern Ireland

Astra 2D, transponder 50 (BBC DSAT4)

BBC One HD; BBC HD; ITV 1 HD Meridian South East

Astra 2B, transponder 13 (BBC DSAT7)

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