Digital TV News

Freesat to show high-definition 2010 Winter Olympics

Tuesday 19 January, 2010

By Becca Talbot - becca@consumerchoices.co.uk

Customers with subscription-free satellite TV provider Freesat will be able to watch all the action from this year’s Winter Olympics in high-definition.

Freesat, the free-to-view satellite TV service from the BBC and ITV, has confirmed that households with a Freesat HD box will be able to watch the games in high-definition on the BBC HD channel at no extra cost.

The 2010 Winter Olympics, held in Vancouver, will begin on 12 February with the game’s opening ceremony.

Sports fans will be able to cheer on over 50 British hopefuls competing for gold in events such as alpine skiing, snowboarding, bobsleighing and the ski jump.

Freesat viewers will also be able to watch the 2010 World Cup, the Rugby Six Nations, the Golf Masters and Wimbledon on BBC HD in glorious high-definition, as well as the FA Cup, all England World Cup internationals and Uefa Champions League matches in high-definition on ITV1 HD.

Jon Ingram, operations director at Digitalchoices.co.uk, said: “Sports fans with Freesat are in for a real treat this year.”

“If your household hasn’t already made the switch to digital, or you live in an area where the Freeview reception isn’t brilliant, getting a Freesat set-top box could be the answer,” added Ingram.

Freesat is a subscription-free digital TV service that is available to 98% of the UK. It has over 140 channels, and set-top boxes can be purchased from as little as £49.