Czech TV Channel A11 Cuts Satellite Service, Shifting to Terrestrial and Online
In a significant shiftโ for viewers across โคEurope, Czech television channel A11 is ending it’sโ satellite broadcasts via the Astraโค satellite, effective January 2, 2025. This means that โmillions who previously enjoyed free access to the channel will needโ toโข find โalternative viewing options.
The proclamation, made via โsocial โmedia, was stark: โโ2.1.2025 the A11 program ends broadcasting on the ASTRA satellite, please tune in to terrestrial broadcasting, IPTV or your cable operator,โโ stated โฃan A11 representative. This abrupt change leavesโข many viewers scramblingโ to adjust โคtheir viewingโข habits.
Previously,A11’s signal,broadcast from theโ Astra satellite atโ 23.5ยฐE,โข was freely available (FTA) across a large swathe of Europe. No subscription or special equipment was required. The โคchannel’s distribution was handledโฃ by M7 Group, a Luxembourg-based company and part of CANAL+, alsoโค the operatorโข of the โฃSkylink Czech-Slovak satellite โplatform.
The move marks a significant change inโฃ how viewers access A11.With the cessation of โAstra broadcasts, satellite viewers will no longer โbe able โto receive the channel. โA11 โwill now be exclusively โavailable through terrestrialโฃ transmitters onโข the nationwide Broadcasting Network 23 โค(DVB-T2โ multiplex 23), as well as select IPTV and OTT providers. โ This transition mirrorsโฃ similar shifts in the U.S. โtelevision landscape, where streaming services are increasingly replacing conventional cable and satellite providers.
For those technically inclined, here are the technical โparameters of the now-defunct satellite broadcast: Satellite: Astra (23.5ยฐE); Frequency: 12.090 GHz; Polarization: โVertical; SR: 29900; FEC: 3/4; Norma: DVB-S2; Modulation: 8PSK.
A11 isn’t alone in this shift. โThe move coincides with the end of satellite broadcasting for another Czech channel, the Christian TV show Noe, also โขceasing transmission on Astra on New Year’s Eve. This trend highlights the evolving media landscape and the increasing reliance on digital distribution methods.
The change โคpresents challenges for โviewers accustomed to receiving A11 via satellite, but โitโฃ also reflects a broader trend towards โคdigital distribution and the increasing availability ofโ online streaming services.โฃ โViewers will need to adaptโฃ to new methods of accessing their favoriteโ programming, muchโ like the transition many โคU.S. viewers have experienced in recent years.
