Free DBS Services
Germany is likely the leader in free-to-air (FTA) DBS, with approximately 200 digital FTA channels (including 18 HDTV channels and various regional channels) broadcast from the Astra 19.2°E satellite constellation. These are not marketed as a DBS service, but are received in approximately 12 million homes, as well as in any home using the Sky Deutschland commercial DBS system. All German analogue satellite broadcasts ceased on 30 April 2012.
The United Kingdom has approximately 160 digital channels (including the regional variations of BBC channels, ITV channels, Channel 4 and Channel 5) are broadcast without encryption from the Astra 28.2°E satellite constellation, and receivable on any DVB-S-compliant receiver (a DVB-S2 receiver is required for certain HDTV services). Most of these channels are included within the Sky EPG, and an increasing number within the Freesat EPG.
India's national broadcaster, Doordarshan, promotes a free-to-air DBS package as "DD Direct Plus", which is provided as in-fill for the country's terrestrial transmission network. It is broadcast from Insat 4B at 93.5°E and contains about 57 FTA channels.
While originally launched as backhaul for their digital terrestrial television service, a large number of French channels are free-to-air on satellites at 5°W, and have recently been announced as being official in-fill for the DTT network.
In North America (US, Canada and Mexico) there are over 80 FTA digital channels available on Galaxy 19 (with the majority being ethnic or religious in nature). Other FTA satellites include AMC-4, AMC-6, Galaxy 18, and Satmex 5. A company called GloryStar promotes FTA religious broadcasters on Galaxy 19.
Read more about this topic: Direct-broadcast Satellite
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