The end of satellite TV and migration to broadband Internet for television services

[J-L]

We will see very soon if SES places or not orders for new satellites to replace the old ones at 28.5E . Before they do they will need a 15 years commitment by SKY to use them. I do not think SKY will do that as you said people now are opting for the streaming option. 

[PandJ2020]

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@J-L wrote:

We will see very soon if SES places or not orders for new satellites to replace the old ones at 28.5E . Before they do they will need a 15 years commitment by SKY to use them. I do not think SKY will do that as you said people now are opting for the streaming option. 

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It is almost certain Sky will not maintain a satellite option past 2028/9 - they have openly admitted pushing towards streaming.

Indeed, it was just announced more jobs are going as part of the push towards streaming.

[TechGuy007]

Sky still probably has millions of customers using their satellite service.  It's true it is becoming a niche product but it does set it apart from its rivals. If it decides to end the satellite service, it will effectively be forcing its customers to migrate to a streaming service, increasing the risk of losing them to other streaming-based competitors. My guess is that a technical workaround will be found to keep the satellite service well beyond 2029.

[GD1]

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@TechGuy007 wrote:

Sky still probably has millions of customers using their satellite service.  It's true it is becoming a niche product but it does set it apart from its rivals. If it decides to end the satellite service, it will effectively be forcing its customers to migrate to a streaming service, increasing the risk of losing them to other streaming-based competitors. My guess is that a technical workaround will be found to keep the satellite service well beyond 2029.

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Such as?    Fuel is running out, so unless there is a replacement bird they are simply going to start to be inoperational and moved to a graveyard orbit.

[Martin+S]

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@GD1 wrote:

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@TechGuy007 wrote:

Sky still probably has millions of customers using their satellite service.  It's true it is becoming a niche product but it does set it apart from its rivals. If it decides to end the satellite service, it will effectively be forcing its customers to migrate to a streaming service, increasing the risk of losing them to other streaming-based competitors. My guess is that a technical workaround will be found to keep the satellite service well beyond 2029.

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Such as?    Fuel is running out, so unless there is a replacement bird they are simply going to start to be inoperational and moved to a graveyard orbit.

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They could move a satellite from another slot possibly.

Interestingly Arqiva has just signed a new multi year deal with SES at 28.2e, the press release didn't say how many years though.

And lets not forget 28.2e also has an Afriican beam, so it isn't all about the UK

[TechGuy007]

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@GD1 wrote:

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@TechGuy007 wrote:

Sky still probably has millions of customers using their satellite service.  It's true it is becoming a niche product but it does set it apart from its rivals. If it decides to end the satellite service, it will effectively be forcing its customers to migrate to a streaming service, increasing the risk of losing them to other streaming-based competitors. My guess is that a technical workaround will be found to keep the satellite service well beyond 2029.

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Such as?    Fuel is running out, so unless there is a replacement bird they are simply going to start to be inoperational and moved to a graveyard orbit.

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Astra 4A still in use nearly 18 years after launch. Astra 1L only now about to be retired after 18 1/2 years. 

[Daniel0210]

@Martin+S 

There aren't satellites sat up there waiting to replace another one when it's fuel / lifespan ends. 

Comcast are now solely focused on providing Glass and Stream and I'm afraid the sooner Sky+ and then Sky Q pass away the happier their shareholders will be.

[GD1]

@TechGuy007   Doesn't take away the fact the current fleet at 28E will run out of fuel, it's going to happen, regardless. 

Astra 1L has already been moved to a graveyard slot.

4A was Sirius and made by a different company so may have different fuel consumption, it's not like for like

[TechGuy007]

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@GD1 wrote:

@TechGuy007   Doesn't take away the fact the current fleet at 28E will run out of fuel, it's going to happen, regardless. 

Astra 1L has already been moved to a graveyard slot.

4A was Sirius and made by a different company so may have different fuel consumption, it's not like for like

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www.intelsat.com/newsroom/intelsat-to-extend-life-of-additional-satellites-with-mission-extension-ve...

[GD1]

@TechGuy007  Which has nothing to do with the UK market and the companies who broadcast on Astra, such life extension would come at a cost and would need the broadcasters to commit another 5 years, they have all pretty much agreed contracts to the end of 2029.

SES won't go to the expense for such a small market, Intelsat covers far bigger markets than the UK.

Satellite TV in the UK is going to end,  Sky/Comcast want to move to streaming as it's way cheaper than satellite broadcasting, but this has been covered in other replies.

[TimmyBGood]

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@TechGuy007 wrote:

My guess is that a technical workaround will be found to keep the satellite service well beyond 2029.

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A 22,000 mile-long refueling hose, only to find there's no cap on the tank?

The only realistic hope for even exploring lifespan extension is if it's mandated by UK government, and I'd say that's rather unlikely (particularly when it's seen to benefit a division of an American corporation)

[TechGuy007]

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@GD1 wrote:

@TechGuy007  Which has nothing to do with the UK market and the companies who broadcast on Astra, such life extension would come at a cost and would need the broadcasters to commit another 5 years, they have all pretty much agreed contracts to the end of 2029.

SES won't go to the expense for such a small market, Intelsat covers far bigger markets than the UK.

Satellite TV in the UK is going to end,  Sky/Comcast want to move to streaming as it's way cheaper than satellite broadcasting, but this has been covered in other replies.

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I thought Astra 2's also serve the West Africa Market, with over 400 million households? 

[TechGuy007]

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@TimmyBGood wrote:

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@TechGuy007 wrote:

My guess is that a technical workaround will be found to keep the satellite service well beyond 2029.

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A 22,000 mile-long refueling hose, only to find there's no cap on the tank?

The only realistic hope for even exploring lifespan extension is if it's mandated by UK government, and I'd say that's rather unlikely (particularly when it's seen to benefit a division of an American corporation)

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There are other, non-commercial reasons for looking to extend the operating lives of geostationary satellites...

www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2024/10/RISE_mission_to_extend_life_of_geostationary_satellites

[TimmyBGood]

@TechGuy007 

Comcast doesn't want to do satellite: it's a cable company.  Q will be a decade old this coming February, can't output UHD to more than one screen and isn't their platform anyway, plus it's increasingly expensive to sustain when customers themselves are already transitioning to online services.

Frankly whatever happens up there on the edge of space isn't going to change the situation on the ground in UK & RoI.