Digital TV Guides

Satellite TV

By Becca Talbot - becca@consumerchoices.co.uk

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Satellite TV is a great choice if you want a huge variety of channels and increasing functionality with your TV service. But should you get a free service or a subscription? (Updated 20/10/09)

Satellite TV is available in 98% of the country so it’s a good choice for households who are unable to receive Freeview. Both Freesat and Sky, the two biggest satellite providers in the UK, offer over 100 channels, but which service should you choose?

Sky TV Only

Company	Package Name	Channels	Broadband	Home Phone
	Sky TV 1 Pack	Choose 1 Sky Entertainment 'pack' from a selection of 6
	Sky TV 1 Pack + Sky Sports + ESPN	Live cricket and football coverage
	Sky TV 1 Pack + Sky Movies + Sky Sports	100s of films from comedies to thrillers

Sky TV, Broadband and Phone Bundles

Company	Package Name	Channels	Broadband	Home Phone
	Sky TV 1 Pack + Sky Movies + Sky Sports Sky Broadband Everyday Lite + ESPN	Choose 1 Sky Entertainment 'pack' from a selection of 6 + Live sports coverage + Selection of movies
	Sky TV 1 Pack + Sky Broadband Unlimited + Talk Freetime	Choose 1 Sky Entertainment 'pack' from a selection of 6

What is satellite TV?

Satellite television is a digital TV service that is delivered via a satellite signal. The signal is received by a satellite dish and set-top box, which may be provided by your satellite provider or may have to be bought separately.

The two main satellite TV providers in the UK are:

• Sky - Sky has over nine million customers in the UK and offers up to 160 digital TV channels, plus more than 230 free-to-air channels. To join Sky call 0844 241 0582, or call 0844 241 4141 if you are an existing customer.
• Freesat - A free satellite TV service. Freesat has over 600,000 customers in the UK and offers up to 140 channels.

Find out more about each of these services by reading the Sky and Freesat provider guides.

Alternatively, if you live in a Virgin Media cable area (currently Virgin Media is available in just over 50% of the UK) and want a digital TV service with more channels than those on offer from Freeview, you could sign-up for cable TV.

Why should I choose satellite TV?

Advantages of satellite TV:

1. Satellite TV has the largest choice of channels in the UK, offering a variety of programmes
2. Satellite reception is generally better quality than Freeview reception, making the service available in most of the UK
3. You can tailor your package to suit you, subscribing for the channels you want
4. Depending on which service you choose, satellite TV can be quite reasonably priced - Freesat digiboxes (a one-off cost) start from £49, while Sky monthly subscriptions start from £17.50 a month
5. Providers often have special deals and cheap introductory rates, and sometimes offer discounted installation and hardware.

Disadvantages of satellite TV:

1. Be aware that some premium channels on satellite TV, such as Sky Sports, ESPN and Sky Movies can be expensive
2. Installing a satellite dish is a skilled job. Both Sky and Freesat recommend getting an engineer to do it for you (this costs £80 with Freesat, or is free with Sky)
3. Satellite TV services can be susceptible to atmospherics (poor signal if there’s a storm for example) - Virgin Media’s cable service is the only digital TV service that isn’t affected by weather conditions as it runs through an underground cable network
4. You must have a satellite dish in order to receive Sky or Freesat. This may not suit those living in a listed building or a conservation area. Similarly, people living in blocks of flats or renters may not be permitted to install a satellite dish.

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