TV channels available via satellite on the SKY platform
SKY platform TV channels are available
Here’s a detailed guide to TV channels available via satellite on the SKY platform, including their full names, categories, and details. Please note that availability may vary depending on your country (e.g., UK, Ireland, Germany, Italy, etc.), subscription package, and regional restrictions.
🌍 Overview of SKY Satellite TV Platforms
Sky operates in several European countries with different channel lineups:
- Sky UK & Ireland
- Sky Germany (Sky Deutschland)
- Sky Italy
- Sky Austria
We’ll focus primarily on Sky UK & Ireland, as it is the largest and most comprehensive service.
📡 Sky UK – Satellite Details
Satellite Position: Astra 28.2°E (formerly at 28.5°E)
This is the primary satellite used for broadcasting Free-to-Air (FTA) and encrypted (subscription-based) channels across the UK and Ireland.
Transmission Standard:
- DVB-S2
- MPEG-4
- HD/SD content
Encryption:
- Channels are encrypted using Nagravision 3.
- Requires a valid Sky+HD box or Freesat receiver with a viewing card for access.
📺 Full List of Major Channels Available on Sky (UK/Ireland)
Below is a categorized list of major channels available through Sky satellite services. Some are FTA; others require a subscription.
🔹 News & Current Affairs
| Channel | Full Name | Details |
|---|---|---|
| BBC One | British Broadcasting Corporation One | Main public broadcaster, national news, drama, entertainment |
| BBC Two | British Broadcasting Corporation Two | Arts, documentaries, comedy, learning |
| ITV1 | Independent Television One | Commercial network, news, soaps, reality TV |
| Channel 4 | Channel Four Television Corporation | Public service broadcaster, diverse content |
| Channel 5 | Channel Five | Entertainment, documentaries, films |
| Sky News | Sky News Limited | 24-hour news channel by Sky |
| BBC News | BBC News | National and international news |
| Al Jazeera English | Al Jazeera Media Network | International news from Qatar |
| CGTN | China Global Television Network | Chinese state-owned global news |
🔹 Entertainment
| Channel | Full Name | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Sky Max | Sky Max | Drama, action, blockbuster movies |
| Sky Comedy | Sky Comedy | Stand-up, sitcoms, comedy series |
| Sky Showcase | Sky Showcase | Highlights of Sky’s best shows |
| Sky Witness | Sky Witness | US-style dramas and action series |
| E! | Entertainment Television | Celebrity, red carpet events, reality shows |
| Dave | UKTV Dave | Comedy, puzzles, gaming |
| Gold | UKTV Gold | Classic comedy, sitcoms |
| Yesterday | Yesterday TV | History, science, nature documentaries |
| Really | Really TV | Lifestyle, home, food, paranormal |
| W | Women’s lifestyle, fashion, beauty, health | |
| Discovery Channel | Discovery, Inc. | Science, tech, nature, exploration |
| National Geographic | National Geographic Partners | Wildlife, adventure, science, history |
| TLC | Discovery Networks | Lifestyle, family, real-life stories |
| MTV | Paramount Global | Music, youth culture, reality TV |
| Comedy Central | ViacomCBS | Comedy, late-night shows, animations |
🔹 Movies
| Channel | Full Name | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Sky Cinema Premiere | Sky Cinema Premiere | New releases and premieres |
| Sky Cinema Hits | Sky Cinema Hits | Popular films |
| Sky Cinema Greats | Sky Cinema Greats | Classic films |
| Sky Cinema Family | Sky Cinema Family | Family-friendly movies |
| Sky Cinema Cult | Sky Cinema Cult | Cult classics and indie films |
| Disney+ | The Walt Disney Company | Streaming integration; available via Sky Q |
| Netflix | Netflix, Inc. | Streaming app integrated into Sky Q boxes |
| Amazon Prime Video | Amazon.com | Available via apps on Sky Q |
🔹 Sports
| Channel | Full Name | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Sky Sports Main Event | Sky Sports | Premier League football, cricket, boxing |
| Sky Sports Football | Sky Sports Football | Dedicated to football coverage |
| Sky Sports Cricket | Sky Sports Cricket | Live cricket matches |
| Sky Sports F1 | Sky Sports F1 | Formula 1 racing |
| Sky Sports Golf | Sky Sports Golf | Golf tournaments |
| Sky Sports Racing | Sky Sports Racing | Horse racing |
| BT Sport 1 / 2 (Now TNT Sports) | Warner Bros. Discovery | Rugby, WWE, UFC, cycling |
| Eurosport 1 / 2 | Discovery | Tennis, Olympics, motorsports |
🔹 Children & Family
| Channel | Full Name | Details |
|---|---|---|
| CBBC | Children’s BBC | For children aged 6–12 |
| CBeebies | BBC Preschool Channel | For pre-school children |
| Cartoon Network | Turner Broadcasting | Animated cartoons |
| Boomerang | Warner Bros. Discovery | Classic cartoons |
| Nick Jr. | ViacomCBS | Pre-school programming |
| Nickelodeon | ViacomCBS | Kids’ entertainment, animation |
| Disney Channel | The Walt Disney Company | Family-friendly shows and movies |
| Pop | Pop TV Ltd | Kids’ and family shows |
| Tiny Pop | Sony Pictures Television | Preschoolers’ content |
🔹 Lifestyle & Reality
| Channel | Full Name | Details |
|---|---|---|
| HGTV | Scripps Networks Interactive | Home improvement, renovation |
| Food Network | Scripps Networks | Cooking, chefs, food shows |
| Living | Sony Pictures Television | Lifestyle, travel, reality |
| Travel Channel | Warner Bros. Discovery | Travel, culture, adventure |
| TLC | Discovery Networks | Real-life stories, family shows |
| Quest | Quest | Documentary, factual, adventure |
| Quest Red | Quest Red | Lifestyle, crime, true stories |
| Drama | Acorn Media Enterprises | Classic dramas, mysteries |
| Alibi | Acorn Media Enterprises | Crime dramas |
| Together TV | Charity channel promoting inclusion and community | |
| Eden | BBC Scotland | Nature and environment documentaries |
🔹 Music & Arts
| Channel | Full Name | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Sky Arts | Sky Arts | Classical music, theatre, visual arts |
| MTV Hits | Paramount Global | Music videos |
| MTV Base | Paramount Global | Urban, hip-hop, R&B |
| Magic | Magic Radio | Smooth and easy listening music |
| Absolute Radio | Global/Radio Today | Rock, pop, classic hits |
| Jazz FM | GMG Radio | Jazz and soul music |
🔹 International & Multilingual
| Channel | Full Name | Details |
|---|---|---|
| SABC International | South African Broadcasting Corporation | African news, culture |
| France 24 | French public news | World news in French and English |
| Deutsche Welle | German public international broadcaster | News in German, English, other languages |
| RT | Russia Today | Russian state-funded international news |
| Press TV | Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting | Iranian state-run news |
| CCTV News (CGTN) | China Global Television Network | Chinese news |
| Mnet | South Korean entertainment | |
| Zee TV / Sony Mix / Star Plus | Indian channels for Bollywood, soap operas, Hindi content | |
| ARY Digital / Geo TV / Hum TV | Pakistani channels | |
| Al Arabiya | Saudi news | |
| Al Jazeera | Qatari news | |
| TRT World | Turkish state news |
📡 How to Get These Channels?
1. Freesat Box
- Use a Freesat HD box or Sky Q box without a card.
- Scan for channels on Astra 28.2°E.
2. Sky Subscription
- Rent or own a Sky+ HD / Sky Q box.
- Insert an active Sky viewing card.
- Access premium and sports channels.
3. Dish Setup
- Minimum 1m dish pointing to Astra 28.2°E.
- LNB must support Universal Ku-band.
✅ Tips
- Free-to-air (FTA) channels can be accessed without a subscription.
- Sky Q supports streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, etc.
- Channel numbers and names may differ slightly between platforms (Sky vs Freesat).
🧾 Summary
| Category | Number of Channels Approx. |
|---|---|
| News | 10–15 |
| Entertainment | 30–40 |
| Movies | 10–15 |
| Sports | 8–12 |
| Kids/Family | 15–20 |
| Lifestyle | 10–15 |
| Music | 5–10 |
| International | 20–30 |
| Total | Over 150+ channels |
