I have heard that the satellites that provide many expats with tv programmes will be ending in 2029.
If that is true what options are there to still receive the programmes?
ogrammes
Rogrammes
Set up a VPN to make it appear that youāre in the UK and use a device with the Freely app built into it.
I think the new SkyStream TV āessentialsā service would achieve the same with a suitable VPN, but thatā Ā£15 a month for free content.
Other options are available if you are prepared to hoist the Black Flag and go āYāarr, I be a pirate now!ā
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What is your source of information please?
Can you provide a link?
Google summary:
UK satellite TV faces an inevitable phase-out by the end of the decade. The current fleet of Astra satellites (2E, 2F, and 2G) will reach the end of their operational lifespans between 2027 and 2029. Because launching new satellites is commercially unviable, broadcasters are migrating viewers from dishes to internet streaming (IPTV). [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Current Satellite Lifespan & Commitments
2027ā2029: The primary Astra satellites (located at 28.2Ā° E and 28.5Ā° E) will run out of positioning fuel.
2029 Agreements: Sky has secured carriage agreements with satellite operator SES to broadcast via satellite until at least 2029.
Uncertain Beyond 2029: Broadcasters are reluctant to invest the hundreds of millions required to launch replacements as viewer numbers shrink. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
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Did you lapse into Welsh there @Welshgirl ? If so you got it wrong āchaglenā according to my dictionary.
Not many people know that. Especially Len.
No, what is chaglen?
Chaglen is a traditional Bhutanese greeting and sign of respect 
It also has a meaning in Welsh, but Iām not sure @David_Spardo meant to use that word. Actually, I mixed up Chaglen which isnāt a Welsh word with Caglen which is 
I was confused that the two options to still receive the programmes were either ogrammes or Rogramnmes. I will have to google these options before I make my decision as Iām clueless which is best at this point in time.
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That was my fault for not deleting the two attempts at programmes typing sometimes doesnāt go as planned!!
Tips of two fingers lost through an argument I had with a lawn mower blade , the blade won! 
Caglen is gallows.
David likes a bit of gallows humour every now and then.
I thought it came from Cagl which is similar to Dag in Strine.
i must admit my expectation was that they would rejig the agreements to allow service after 2029 but if the hydrazine is going to be exhausted by 2029 thatās game over. Even if they can stretch it out itās unlikely they will be able to keep them functional beyond 2032 or so and no new birds are planned - TV over broadband is much easier to control and gets much better/more voluminous info for advertisers etc.
I misread my dictionary, the word is rhaglen. ie the Road Haulage Association and the bit of land between Scottish mountains. Love, Daffydd.
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Itās the control over broadband that the authorities will have I donāt like ā¦ At least with Satellite aTV one can listen and view stations which are banned for political reasons ā¦ I think for instance it was a mistake to ban RT English language after Russia invaded Ukraine .. I for one like having both Turkish English channel , TRT as well as BBC and France24 and CNN and others
You said it! Also everyone needs a new data centre to run it?
I donāt think so - satellite broadcasting uses computers too and needs ground stations and are really really expensive to put into space in the first place - thatās why they are not being replaced.
Iām not sure why TV over broadband is āeasier to controlā but defer to those with greater technical knowledge. Lots of us on here seem to get round āinternet controlsā with VPNs quite well. 
Easier to restrict to a geographic area (consider all the shenanigans required to watch UK catch up in France). Ok VPNs can get round that to an extent but they can spot them and block them. Itās a game of whack-a-mole on both sides of course.
Plus you can be required to log in so what content is available and logs of what content you watched can be controlled at the granularity of the individual subscriber.
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Yes theyāll even know when you go for a toilet break so theyāll know which slots to charge Andrex for
.
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Chris ā¦.. TV over broadband is travelling on the wire to your individual house The authorities know your IP Address and everything else they need or want to know ..this is not tin hat paranoia ..itās how the internet works ..they need your address to send you the packets of data. On satellite TV ..or even Terrestrial TV they donāt know what channel you are watching ..if any . But on Terrestrial TV they can limit what is being Broadcast in any region , whereas on unencrypted Satellite they cannot ā¦ The Broadcaster has full control of his output and nobody can cut him off. That is why totalitarian regimeās donāt like Satellite TV for the masses .
Actually I am being a little economical with the truth and advertisers and others are very interested in what we are watching on Terrestrial TV so they have got broadcasters inserting tiny messages into the images ..different for each channel ,and get the Smart TV to send this data back to them from your modem . Then they know whether to send more adds for kitchen cleaning products or DIY kit to your mobile phone or tablet
The VPN path you think is secure just is not .. Itās just that you are not yet valuable enough
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Surely that would only apply if your smart TV is connected to the internet?
If you are watching a terrestrial broadcast on a smart TV with no internet connection there is no way it can ātalk backā to anywhere.