BSkyB Drops More Analogue Channels In Favour Of Digital

BSkyB has announced its intention to drop more channels from its analogue satellite service in order to encourage more customers to move over to its digital services. Sky Cinema and Sky Travel are set to transfer completely to the digital satellite platform from the end of August, although they will continue to be available on analogue cable. Playboy TV, The Adult Channel Nightly and Sky Box Office Events will also be ceasing analogue satellite transmissions at this time.

In April this year Sky Box Office and FilmFour became digital only, following an announcement in February (see Sky Drops Analogue Channels To Drive Digital). It was hoped that the move would bring Sky closer to its target of having all customers converted to digital by 2002.

The broadcasters have decided not to continue leasing its two analogue transponders, despite the fact that the leases could have continued beyond September. It claims that “the vast majority” of Sky viewers have migrated to the digital satellite platform, saying it now has 3.4m digital customers. Meanwhile the number of Sky analogue subscribers has fallen from a peak of 3.58m in March 1998 to 1.4m two years later.

BSkyB: 020 7705 3000