BBC TRUST DECIDE FREESAT FUTURE.

AS REPORTED BY THE BBC TRUST IN APRIL 2007.

Pie chart showing that 93% of respondents answered "Yes" and 7% answered "No" to the proposition "Are the proposals valuable to licence fee payers who cannot access Freeview?"Again we can see that this is of particular significance in Northern Ireland, Scotland and
Wales, with higher than average responses in favour of 100%, 98% and 96% respectively.

The proposal is valuable to Licence Fee payerswho cannot access Freeview50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
NorthernIrelandScotlandWalesEnglandOverallNo location
Sample of comments from those who believe the proposals will13
be valuable to
those Licence Fee payers who cannot currently access Freeview
“It would be valuable to those withpoor reception and no reception.”
“PSB Freesat will enable licence fee payers outside Freeview coverage areas to switch to
digital TV without having to wait for DTT coverage to expand. They will be able to enjoy the
same benefits now as those living in Freeview areas. Without it, they pay the same licence

Breakdown by location of those agreeing that: "The proposal is valuable to licence fee payers who cannot access Freeview". Northern Irelan: 100%; Scotland: 98%; Wales:96%; England:94%; Overall: 93%; No location: 84%.
fee, but without digital channels. The BSkyB offering is confusing because of the proliferation
of unavailable subscription channels which cannot be removed from their EPG and does not
allow non-subscription PVR use.”
“Those unable to receive Freeview will find this an attractive solution to the Sky option.”
“I think it will be only those who cannot receive Freeview. But it does depend upon the free
package on offer.”
“We recognise that because Freeview is currently unavailable to over one quarter ofhouseholds, for many people the only digital option they have is Sky. A Freesat offering
would provide a valuable alternative route to digital for people who are unwilling for
whatever reason to take up Sky’s subscription or “Freesat from Sky” offerings.”
“It is worthwhile to offer the same freeview channels to those who cannot receive freeviewby whatever means necessary, however I would not like to see a massive increase in satellite
dishes that would result if more material was made available through freesat than through
freeview.”
“I receive Freeview and value the additional programmes available. Licence fee payers who
can not receive Freeview would find the alternative Freesat valuable.”
“Yes - as it would give me coverage when freeview is lost during high pressure in summer.”
“PSB Freesat will enable licence fee payers outside Freeview coverage areas to switch to
digital TV without having to wait for DTT coverage to expand. They will be able to enjoy the
same benefits now as those living in Freeview areas. Without it, they pay the same licence
fee, but without digital channels. The BSkyB offering is confusing because of the proliferation
of unavailable subscription channels which cannot be removed from their EPG and does not
allow non-subscription PVR use.”
Sample of comments from those who believe the proposals will not be valuable
to those Licence Fee payers who cannot currently access Freeview
“The BBC "Freesat" proposals do not offer anything substantially different to services
available elsewhere, e.g. "Freesat from Sky" and "Freeview".”
Question 4 – Should the BBC seek to future-proof the "Freesat" proposition by
offering a range of set-top boxes so that users can choose either standard
definition (the standard that BBC channels are currently broadcast in) or a box
that would be capable of receiving high definition broadcasts in the future?
Of the 587 responses to question 4, 91% consider that the BBC should seek to future-proof
the ‘Freesat’ proposition, while only 9% do not.