UK Asian TV changes on Sky in UK

Revolutionary changes are taking place in the UK Asian TV market today. For the first time in the history of UK Asian television, Star TV Network, ZEE Network and Sony Pictures Networks will compete in the same package and on the same platform.

As of today, ZEE TV, ZEE Cinema, ZEE Punjabi, &TV, Zing, Sony Entertainment Television, Sony MAX, Sony SAB TV, Sony Mix, B4U Movies and B4U Music will join Star Plus, Star Gold, Star Utsav and Life OK in the Sky Original Pack, which means all these channels will be available to all Sky subscribers.

The changes take place only on the Sky platform (Virgin Media customers will be unaffected). Previous free-to-air channels like Sony SAB TV, B4U Music and &TV on Sky, will no longer be available without a basic Sky subscription.

BizAsiaLive.com will post regular updates on this page today as and when the changes take place on the Sky platform. Please refresh this page to see the latest updates.

20:05 BST
Sky rectified the glitch with Colors SD and Colors HD EPG slots.

19:05 BST
In a technical glitch, some viewers are experiencing Colors SD and Colors SD swapping EPG slots. Colors UK has confirmed it is aware of the issue and looking into it. Colors HD will continue to broadcast as a free-to-air channel on Sky EPG 786.

15:05 BST
B4U Music, Zing, Sony SAB TV and &TV have encrypted to viewers who don’t subscribe to a basic Sky subscription.

12:00 BST
Sony Entertainment Television HD and Sony MAX HD have launched on the Sky EPG line-up on 782 and 798 respectively. These channels are available only a part of the Sky Box Sets package or above. The standard definition channels will move to 866 and 867 if you have a HD subscription. Also from today, Sony TV HD and Sony MAX HD will join &TV HD and Star Plus HD in the Sky Box Sets subscription.

11:55 BST
Ummah Channel has been removed from Sky EPG 820.

09:45 BST
As things stand now, if you’re a Sky subscriber then you will from today get the following channels:

B4U Movies – 780
B4U Music – 781
Sony Entertainment Television – 782
Life OK – 783
Star Plus – 784
ZEE TV – 788
Zing – 789
ZEE Cinema – 790
&TV – 795
Sony MAX – 798
Sony SAB TV – 810
Sony Mix – 816
ZEE Punjabi – 835
MTV Beats – 865

09:40 BST
Tell us what you think of today’s changes, leave a comment or ask a question – scroll to the bottom of the page to comments.

09:35 BST
We’re expecting Sony Entertainment Television HD and Sony MAX HD to launch in the next couple of hours. These channels will be available to Sky Box Set customers. The standard definition channels will move to 866 and 867 respectively if you have the relevant HD subscription.

09:00 BST
ZEE Cinema has now become part of the Sky Original Pack. This formally signals the end of the Sky Asia Pack – the following channels are now available as part of the basic Sky subscription with immediate effect:

B4U Movies – 780
Sony Entertainment Television – 782
Sony MAX – 798
ZEE TV – 788
ZEE Cinema – 790
ZEE Punjabi – 835

08:20 BST
These previously free-to-air channels will also become part of Sky’s Original Pack today, meaning a basic Sky subscription will be required to watch these channels – Sony SAB TV, Zing, &TV and B4U Music.

Read more details here:
Zing & &TV to join Sky Original Pack in August
Rishtey Cineplex leaves Freeview line-up
Rishtey Cineplex leaves Freeview line-up
Sony SAB TV confirmed to join Sky Original Pack

08:05 BST
It looks like 5 out of the 6 channels are now available to all Sky customers. ZEE Cinema appears to be the only channel encrypted. We expect all the changes to be completed this morning – previous Sky EPG changes have taken place mainly around 11:00 (UK).

07:55 BST
Here’s a guide and some frequently asked questions on all the changes today.
Click here: 1st August 2017: Guide on UK Asian TV changes

07:25 BST
We’re expecting all the changes to be completed this morning – previous Sky EPG changes have taken place mainly around 11am BST.

07:18 BST
The following channels are now available to all Sky customers at no extra cost:
B4U Movies – 780
Sony Entertainment Television – 782
Sony MAX – 798
ZEE TV – 788
ZEE Cinema – 790
ZEE Punjabi – 835

07:08 BST
BizAsiaLive.com was the FIRST to bring readers details of the ceasing of the Sky Asia Pack, we’ll put the links on this page throughout the day.

07:05 BST
HD variations of Sony Entertainment Television and Sony MAX will also be available for Sky customers later this morning.

07:00 BST
Sky Asia Pack demolished, with ZEE TV, ZEE Cinema, ZEE Punjabi, Sony Entertainment Television, Sony MAX, Sony Mix, Sony SAB TV, B4U Movies and B4U Music entering the basic Sky subscription. These channels are now available to all Sky subscribers for the first time, along with Star Plus, Star Gold, Star Utsav and Life OK.