Sky - is the Astra 2 satellite safe up there?

[Hugh Sawyer]

Being grateful for my hard-wired landline (i.e. V+ Cable installation), I wonder what would happen in the (unlikely ?) event of the Astra 2 satellite failing?

It's only a thought.... Presumably, Sky have contingency arrangements in place?

[Taf]

They have stronger string holding it in orbit I think...

[Cobbydaler]

Moved to 'Other Digital TV Services Discussion'...

[Kymmy]

Astra 2?? I presume you mean the satellites that SKy uses to broadcast thier channels. It's not one but a few sats and they tend to just put another one into orbit a long time before the earlier ones fail. (they have about a 15year lifespan)

Have a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SES_Astra to see what astra sats are where and you'll see what I mean

Originally Posted by Hugh Sawyer

Being grateful for my hard-wired landline (i.e. V+ Cable installation), I wonder what would happen in the (unlikely ?) event of the Astra 2 satellite failing?

It's only a thought.... Presumably, Sky have contingency arrangements in place?

Apart from VOD, most BBC's, C4 (varies between the headends) and ITV, Virgin also take exactly the same satellite feeds Sky customers get. Sky satellite goes down so do the same channels on Virgin.

[dragon]

Originally Posted by Hugh Sawyer

Being grateful for my hard-wired landline (i.e. V+ Cable installation), I wonder what would happen in the (unlikely ?) event of the Astra 2 satellite failing?

It's only a thought.... Presumably, Sky have contingency arrangements in place?

You would probably lose a load of channels just like people on sky depending if its a channel VM get from a direct feed or off the satellite


they'd probbaly then prioritise the important channels onto other other satellites

I think Astra2 is a Constellation of Satellites rather than a specific Sateliite and if something was to take them all out we'd probably have something slightly more important to worry about than missing tv channels

[Hugh Sawyer]

I like your dry sense of humour, Dragon - and Taf !

[dragon]

Originally Posted by Hugh Sawyer

I like your dry sense of humour, Dragon - and Taf !

I was being Serious actually

There aren't that many things that would take out the whole lot of satellites at once (well I suppose its possible a solar flare might).

Something like a meteor or a Missile I suppose might take them out, but then we'd be more worried about that than the Reception of some tv channels.