Freesat launch date

The Freesat service from the BBC and ITV is scheduled to launch in "early May" according to their customer service representatives. When pushed for an exact date, they were not forthcoming and stuck to early May as the nearest they could give.

The Freesat satellite service will be the first fully packaged HDTV broadcast available in the UK without any monthly subscription costs. The Hig h Definition (HD) content will be broadcast alongside a range of standard definition channels.

It is currently possible to use a high definition satellite receiver to view a number of HD channels, but until Freesat is launched, free HD channels are likely to remain outside the scope of most viewers.

The Freesat package is set to include a number of broadcast channels, as well as a range of receiver equipment and installation options.

BBC and ITV to launch free satellite HD service

BBC and ITV are set to launch a free satellite service, offering both standard and High Definition (HD) channels this spring.

To receive this new HD service, you will need a satellite dish, HD satellite receiver box, cables and an HD-Ready television.

This will be the first subscription-free service offering the High Definition quality to the UK and promises to cover 98% of households.

Pre-launch details of the equipment costs are a bit sketchy, but expect to pay around £180 for the HD receiver box and £50 for installation. There will also be the option of a standard definition-only receiver box, as well as an HD receiver plus personal recorder system.

The best thing is that there will be no monthly subscription fees to pay - once you have bought and installed the system, there are no ongoing costs. This promises to be a serious rival to the HD channels offered by the bSkyb Sky HD Services that are available via an initial payment for HD equipment and a premium monthly subscription cost.

From the lack of pre-launch promotion on both BBC and ITV, it seems as though there are still a few issues to be resolved, but we expect that the launch will be accompanied by a fanfare of publicity.

One whisper is that a launch date of May the 5th is planned, but the Freesat people are still a bit vague and are still saying that it will be in Spring 2008.

Likewise, availability of the satellite receiver equipment is still a little secretive in the pre-launch phase, with none of the retailers that will provide the HD receivers actually promoting the gear as yet.

It seems that we may have to wait a couple of weeks for the full picture to emerge, but we at hdtvexpert.co.uk expect that when the Freesat service launches, both the BBC and ITV will do everything in their power to make it known to all.