Changes to the Sky TV guide - December 2020

[garyneville1]

Didn't see above sorry Timmy that's fair enough, it does make a combo saorview box all the more appealing.

[Margaret2018]

Hi can you let me know if there are any changes to my sky package as a result of Brexit?

[Aus65]

Does this mean all the BBC channels and other UK channels will disappear from Sky IE? 

[plymouthbloke]

It's unlikely anything else will change in this regard.

[Marc+Tierney]

Maybe part of the issue here is that Sky makes those "free" channels very difficult to access, more so on the Sky Q box for some unknown reason. No shortcut for example.  

I get the Brexit is having all sorts of licensing issues. But if the channel is broadcasting into Ireland anyway, isn't it Sky who are controlling the inclusion on the EPG?  Where has Sky been told to remove it , and is Sky no longer being paid for the inclusion?  After all channels don't appear on the EPG for nothing! 

[caesarome]

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@Margaret2018 wrote:

Hi can you let me know if there are any changes to my sky package as a result of Brexit?

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If you are in Ireland @Margaret2018  then yes there are some changes which is what is being discussed here as some free mostly music channels are being removed as per the post back on page 1.

[P-Tnov]

Why is this a big secret? Why didn't sky tell customers of this BEFORE hand?

Also, what's the difference between say BBC 1 and Virgin Radio broadcasting in Ireland? Where does 8t say all those music and radio channels will lose their licence to broadcast on Ireland after Brexit? Someone put up a link here please. Or is that a secret too? 

[Mark39]

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@P-Tnov wrote:

Why is this a big secret? Why didn't sky tell customers of this BEFORE hand?

Also, what's the difference between say BBC 1 and Virgin Radio broadcasting in Ireland? Where does 8t say all those music and radio channels will lose their licence to broadcast on Ireland after Brexit? Someone put up a link here please. Or is that a secret too? 

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Why would you expect Sky to tell customers? They're not Sky channels and it's not Sky's responsibility to tell customers on the channels' behalf.

[nolte]

Sky did make broadcasters aware of their obligations to have a license from an EU country

If the broadcaster chose not to comply, then how is sky at fault? 

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/consumer/irish-sky-subscribers-may-lose-access-to-dozens-of-channels...

[plymouthbloke]

As stated before, the PSB broadcasters are covered under existing UK-Irish agreements and can continue to broadcast in either country.

Virgin Radio must have got themselves an Irish licence if it's still on the EPG.

For those stating Sky is controlling it, well yes they are. As well as a broadcaster in their own right, they also run the EPG platform for the service and in order to be listed in the EPG, they need a valid licence for the country they wish to broadcast to. The fact you can tune in manually is a moot point. 

You could in theory move your dish to Astra 1 at 19.2E and there are a lot of German FTA channels on there such as ARD/ZDF/Sat-1/Pro7 etc. None of those have an OFCOM broadcasting licence for the UK but you can pick them up. The fact that 99% of domestic dishes in the UK/Ireland point at Astra 2 at 28.2E and the German channels make no attempt to market themselves in the UK or include themselves in the Sky EPG means they don't need an OFCOM licence.

With Ireland, its close proximity to the UK means as long as it's off the EPG the remainder can be classed as broadcast overspill.

[Siggy2012]

If you have removed a bulk amount of stations due to Brexit.. will this then  reduce the monthly subscription? Out of interest did sky notify all irish members of the  withdrawal  of such stations  if so what was the method this was communicated via?

[caesarome]

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@Siggy2012 wrote:

If you have removed a bulk amount of stations due to Brexit.. will this then  reduce the monthly subscription? 

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As stated numerous times the channels that are gone are free ones so no your subscription will not be reduced. Sky did not nofify anybody as they don't need to because these channels are owned by other companies and apart from being on the paltform are nothing to do with Sky in the same way that Sky doesn't own the BBC channels.

[PandJ2020]

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@Siggy2012 wrote:

Out of interest did sky notify all irish members of the  withdrawal  of such stations  if so what was the method this was communicated via?

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The first post of this thread identifies the changes in advance.  But your angst needs to be directed at the individual broadcasters who it seems decided not to apply for the necessary licence.

[P-Tnov]

They are on their box **bleep**

[Mark39]

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@P-Tnov wrote:

They are on their box **bleep**

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...as they are on all satellite receivers. They're  free to air channels.