About 20,000 Sky TV viewers have experienced disruption but help on way

Wednesday, 29 January 2025

Sky’s issues have been caused by an Optus satellite running out of fuel earlier than expected and the delayed deployment of its replacement.

As many as 5% of Sky TV satellite customers, or between 20,000 and 25,000 households, have been experiencing intermittent interruptions to their viewing, the pay-TV firm believes.

The company told investors on Monday that a “small” number of customers were experiencing some signal loss as a result of the dying satellite from which it transmits programmes moving out of a stable orbit.

But it said the numbers were growing.

“For some, it’s a brief loss of signal and for others it lasts longer,” a spokesperson said.

Sky TV believes it has since mitigated the problem for many with a technical change that means Sky boxes will continue to show programmes even with a degraded signal.

Optus is moving a satellite to provide temporary cover for the D2 satellite, which it can longer keep in a fixed position.

“Early signs are that has gone well, but we need to track the response from customers over a couple of days to know for sure,” its spokesperson said.

Sky TV expects viewing will be restored for all customers by early April.

Optus, which owns the ageing D2 satellite used to broadcast its channels, is moving a temporary replacement satellite into the orbit usually occupied by D2.

D2 will then be decommissioned and the last of its fuel used to move it into a satellite ‘graveyard’ further out in space.

Sky believes the replacement satellite will be able to serve New Zealand customers until a new more powerful satellite, Optus 11, is launched to upgrade its satellite service in about 2027.

“The satellite that we have now chosen as our primary satellite is being drifted by Optus to the correct orbital slot, 160 degrees East, of the equator.

“We expect this drift to be completed in the coming weeks,” Sky said.

Optus has not so far identified what satellite is being moved to temporarily replace D2 or what functions it had been providing for other customers.

However, the time-frames suggest it is being moved from relatively far afield.

“Optus has secured third-party capacity and has procured alternative satellites for our customers to provide continuity of services,” a spokesperson said.

Sky cautioned on Monday that there remained “inherent technology and logistical risks to the successful migration, some of which are outside Sky’s control”.