Freesat to offer BBC Red Button Olympics
August 1, 2016
UK subscription-free satellite TV service Freesat is to carry the BBC broadcast of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games live, across eight channels in HD and SD. Available via the BBC Red Button and accessible via the Freesat EPG, viewers will be able to watch the world’s greatest athletes achieve sporting success live from Rio de Janeiro when the games commence on Friday, August 5th.
Freesat will also provide access to BBC Red Button+, an interactive service that provides direct access to BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport App to watch 24 live and on-demand streams in HD. Through BBC Red Button+, viewers will be able to watch over 2,500 hours of live sporting action throughout the two-week event.
“We’re really pleased to bring Freesat viewers access to the BBC’s live coverage from Rio 2016,” commented Jennifer Elworthy, Freesat’s director of marketing and communications. “With eight live streams to enjoy viewers will be spoilt for choice with classic events from track and field, to newer sports like Golf.“
Eight live HD streams will be available on Freesat channels 261-268 to viewers with the latest set-top boxes, with a further eight live SD channels available on channels 271-278.