Can I listen via satellite & cable?
BBC World Service can be heard free-to-air and by subscription from a number of digital satellite and cable systems.
Europe
BBC World Service in English free-to-air, 24 hours a day from Eutelsat Hot Bird 8 at 13° East, transponder 50V, 11727 MHz, Service ID 13907. Hot Bird 8 covers the whole of Europe (including the UK, the Canary Islands, Madeira, the Azores, Iceland, eastern Greenland, Svalbard and Malta).
You should contact a local satellite/TV equipment dealer for information about the DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting) receiver required for reception from Hot Bird 8. This works in conjunction with a television set, but you can connect the audio output of the set-top receiver box to a Hi-Fi system for better quality sound.
BBC World Service can also be heard click WorldSpace satellite radio on special receivers by existing subscribers. WorldSpace is not currently taking new subscriptions from the European region pending the launch of new services.
Africa
BBC World Service in English, free to air, 24 hours a day across the African continent via Intelsat 10-02 at 1° West.
In northern parts of North Africa, free-to-air, 24 hours a day from Eutelsat Hot Bird 8 at 13° East.
The Worldspace satellite that carried BBC World Service's English language service in Africa ceased operating on 31 January 2010.
BBC World Service will continue to be available throughout Africa on the following formats:
- DST TV channels 150, 151 and 152
- online at click bbcworldservice.com
- FM stations
- shortwave
- IntelSat 10-02
Subscribers to Canalsat Horizons can hear BBC World Service in English and BBC Arabic.
Subscribers to MultiChoice DSTV can hear BBC World Service in English and selected language using a MultiChoice receiver (contact your local agent for details).
Middle East and Gulf
Free-to-air, 24 hours a day from Eutelsat Hot Bird 8 at 13° East, transponder 50, vertical polarisation, 11727 MHz. Hot Bird 8 covers Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian territories, Syria, Lebanon Israel, north-Eastern Egypt, northern & central Saudi Arabia and UAE.
Also from Intelsat 10-02 at 1° West, NileSat 102 at 7° West, Badr-4 (Arabsat) at 26° East and Orbit.
Across the Middle East (including the eastern Mediterranean and Turkey) from the north-east beam of the WorldSpaceAfriStar satellite (separate streams in English and Arabic). For information about receivers and subscriptions, visit the click
WorldSpace website.
Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia
Free-to-air, 24 hours a day from Telstar 10 at 76.5° East.
Free-to-air, 24 hours a day from Eutelsat Hot Bird 8 at 13° East, transponder 50, vertical polarisation, 11727 MHz.
In Central and eastern Iran, Afghanistan and parts of Central Asia, via WorldSpace. For information about receivers and subscriptions, visit the click WorldSpace website.
South Asia
Free-to-air, 24 hours a day from Telstar 10 at 76.5° East. Via WorldSpace digital satellite radio (English and other languages). For information about receivers and subscriptions, visit the click WorldSpace website (not available in India).
South-East Asia
Free-to-air, 24 hours a day from Telstar 10 at 76.5° East and Telstar 18 at 138° East. Via WorldSpace (English and other languages). For information about receivers and subscriptions, visit the click
WorldSpace website.
East Asia
Free-to-air, 24 hours a day from Telstar 10 at 76.5°East and Telstar 18 at 138° East.
Australia
BBC World Service in English is broadcast 24 hours a day direct-to-home via the click Optus Aurora, click Austar and click Foxtel networks.
North America
Sirius XM Radio offers digital radio services in Canada and the USA (except Alaska and Hawaii). XM Radio carries a mixed programme schedule 24 hours a day on channel 131 and Sirius Radio carries a news-based schedule on channel 141. These are subscription services requiring a special receiver. For full information, visit the click XM Radio and click Sirius Radio websites.
Cable
BBC World Service is available in many areas as one of the 24-hour audio channels offered by local cable television providers. Contact your provider to find out if they carry the BBC.
Schedules
click Visit our schedules page for satellite schedule details
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