BBC is removing six channels as part of a major switch-off plan – check your TV box now

SIX BBC channels have disappeared from some TV set-top boxes as the broadcaster continues its major switchover plan.

But don’t worry, the channels are not fully available yet.

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The BBC is ditching all of its standard definition (SD) satellite channels and switching exclusively to HD instead.

At the beginning of next year, all of the group’s SD channels via satellite will be switched off.

This means anyone with an old Freesat or Sky SD-only set-top box will no longer be able to watch BBC channels.

The first major step was to delist SD versions of BBC Three, BBC Four, BBC Scotland, BBC News, CBBC and CBeebies from some Freesat receivers.

So anyone who has used the SD channels will have to switch to the HD counterpart in order to continue watching their favorite shows.

Owners of older Freesat receivers who are not yet able to display HD channels will not be affected by the change, it is said RXTVInfo.

But they have until January 8th to upgrade their box or they will lose all BBC channels.

Some viewers can apply for vouchers for brand new equipment.

The BBC recently brought forward its switch-off deadline by three months after take-up of support was “much lower than expected”.

Kieran Clifton, Director of BBC Distribution & Business Development, said: “Demand for these resources, as measured by activity and take-up of support offered since our announcement in March this year, has been much lower than expected and we believe this to be the case “The number of households still using pure SD satellite equipment is now far lower than expected.”

“Following the introduction of bottom-third-of-screen messaging in September, we are now in the final stages of migrating the remaining SD-only satellite households to HD-capable devices.”

“For this reason, we are slightly postponing the shutdown date of our SD channels on satellite platforms from March 2024 to January 8, 2024.”

After the interruption, SD channels on satellite will display a “Channel Closed” message.

People will still be able to receive support “for a short time afterwards”.

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