BBC issues households with urgent warning as huge changes are coming
The BBC has issued an urgent warning for households with an older satellite box to upgrade their kit as in three weeks time selected BBC channels will be out of use.
Only those with HD capable satellite boxes will continue to show the channels as normal. The major change is set to happen next year so those with an older Freesat or Sky box will need to replace their box with an upgrade suitable to watch the ten selected channels. The change is to do away with older SD (Standard Definition) channels and make all BBC channels available in HD only.
The BBC is planning a huge overhaul in three weeks time (PA)In a bid to hurry the public, the broadcaster said: "We are urging impacted homes to act now to avoid disappointment and loss of any BBC channels. Demand for our help scheme resources that launched in March this year has been much lower than expected and we believe the number of homes still using SD-only satellite equipment is now far lower than anticipated."
The following channels will stop broadcasting on January 8, 2024:
BBC One SD
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BBC Two SD
BBC Three SD
BBC Four SD
CBBC SD
CBeebies SD
BBC News SD
BBC Scotland SD
BBC ALBA SD
BBC Parliament SD
The BBC and Sky are offering help to support customers with the transition and for those who remain unaware of their box being out of date, there are notices that appear regularly. The notice will say: "From Monday 8th January 2024, all BBC TV and radio services will only be available on HD-enabled satellite equipment.To continue to receive BBC services, you now need to upgrade." The change is only affecting satellite, which is Freesat or Sky, and not other methods of watching TV such as via aerial on Freeview or cable with Virgin Media.
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Like the BBC, Sky has listed all the models that will lose BBC services:
Digibox
4F01 to 4F08 (Amstrad)
4E01 to 4E05 (Grundig)
9F01 to 9F08 and 9F0A (Pace)
0F01 to 0F05 (Panasonic)
4E06 to 4E08 (Thomson)
Sky+
4F2001 to 4F2006 (Amstrad)
4F2101 to 4F2118 and 9F2101 to 9F2137 (Amstrad or Pace)
9F2001 to 9F2024, PVR2, 9F2201 to 9F2235, 9F2301 to 9F2339 (Pace)
4E2101 to 4E2141 (Thomson)
However, there is a hack to inform you of whether your box is in need of an upgrade by going to channel 799 which will tell you. Sky owners should go to channel 105 and if you see "Channel 5 HD" listed, then you're equipment is fine. But if you see "Channel 5" with no mention of HD then you will need to upgrade your kit.
A refund for older kits is not being granted but help towards an upgrade is being issued. And the BBC is offering vouchers for those who are vulnerable towards an upgrade. Sky is giving its customers a free upgrade to Sky Q. Last year it was rerported that the BBC was planning to close its broadcast channels including BBC One and move to an internet-only distribution of programmes
According to director-general Tim Davie at the time,the BBC could close more channels in the near future as it “consolidates activity under one simple, single brand,” he revealed to the Royal Television Society. BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three and BBC Four could be united under one single brand, which he described as “the BBC”.
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