Archive:List of channels on Sky Digital (1 October 1998)
Sky Digital launched in the United Kingdom and Ireland on 1 October 1998, introduced by BSkyB as a new digital satellite television platform to replace its earlier analogue service. The launch marked a major step forward in UK broadcasting, offering significantly improved picture and sound quality, a fully interactive Electronic Programme Guide (EPG), and access to around 140 television and radio channels via the new Sky Digibox set-top receiver. The service also introduced early interactive features through the Open… platform, allowing viewers to access additional information and services through their television. Sky Digital rapidly gained subscribers after launch and played a key role in accelerating the UK’s transition from analogue to digital television during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Channels
Entertainment
Notes:
- Channels on 103 launched on 21 November 2001.
- Before this date, channel 103 was a placeholder channel. Users needed to press the "TV" button and then "3" on their remote to watch the analogue version.
- When launched, Ireland received ITV London (Carlton Television/London Weekend Television)
| Channel number | Logo | Channel name | Notes/Region available | Owner/parent company |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 101 | 
|
BBC One | BBC | |
| 102 | 
|
BBC Two | BBC | |
| 103 | 
|
Anglia Television | East of England & East Midlands | Anglia Television |
|
Border Television | Border region of England & southern Scotland | Border Television | |
|
Carlton Television | London (weekdays) (Also received in Ireland) |
Carlton Communications | |
|
Central Independent Television | Midlands (West / East variants) | Carlton / Central | |
|
Channel Television | Channel Islands | Channel Television | |
|
Grampian Television | Northern Scotland | Scottish Television | |
|
Granada Television | North West England | Granada | |
|
HTV Wales | South Wales | United News & Media | |
| HTV West | West of England | |||
|
London Weekend Television | London (Weekends) (Also received in Ireland) |
Granada | |
|
Meridian Television | South & South East England | Mills / Mills / Carlton / Granada | |
|
Scottish Television | Central Scotland | Scottish Television | |
|
UTV | Northern Ireland | UTV | |
|
Westcountry Television | South West England | Westcountry Television | |
|
Yorkshire Television | Yorkshire & Lincolnshire | Yorkshire-Tyne Tees Television | |
| 104 | 
|
Channel 4 | Channel Four Television Corporation | |
| 105 | 
|
Channel 5 | Channel 5 Broadcasting Limited | |
| 106 | 
|
Sky One | BSkyB | |
| 109 | 
|
UK Gold | UKTV | |
| 110 | 
|
UK Gold Classics | UKTV | |
| 112 | 
|
Living | Flextech | |
| 115 | 
|
Disney Channel | The Walt Disney Company | |
| 118 | 
|
Granada Plus | Granada Sky Broadcasting | |
| 121 | 
|
Challenge TV | Flextech | |
| 124 | 
|
Bravo | Flextech | |
| 127 | 
|
Paramount Comedy Channel | Viacom | |
| 130 | 
|
Sci-Fi Channel | Vivendi | |
| 133 | 
|
Discovery Home & Leisure | Discovery Inc. | |
| 136 | 
|
Granada Breeze | Granada Sky Broadcasting | |
| 139 | 
|
Granada Men & Motors | Granada Sky Broadcasting | |
| 142 | 
|
Sky Soap | BSkyB | |
| 145 | 
|
Sky Travel | BSkyB | |
| 148 | 
|
UK Style | UKTV | |
| 151 | 
|
UK Arena | UKTV | |
| 160 | 
|
BBC Choice | BBC | |
| 178 | 
|
Tara Television | UPC/ RTÉ CEL |
Movies
| Channel number | Logo | Channel name | Notes/Region available | Owner/parent company |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 301 | 
|
Sky Premier | BSkyB | |
| 302 | 
|
Sky Premier 2 | BSkyB | |
| 303 | 
|
Sky Premier 3 | BSkyB | |
| 304 | 
|
Sky Premier 4 | BSkyB | |
| 305 | 
|
Sky Premier Widescreen | BSkyB | |
| 308 | 
|
Sky Moviemax | BSkyB | |
| 309 | 
|
Sky Moviemax 2 | BSkyB | |
| 310 | 
|
Sky Moviemax 3 | BSkyB | |
| 311 | 
|
Sky Moviemax 4 | BSkyB | |
| 315 | 
|
Sky Cinema | BSkyB | |
| 316 | 
|
Sky Cinema 2 | BSkyB |
Sports
| Channel number | Logo | Channel name | Notes/Region available | Owner/parent company |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 401 | 
|
Sky Sports 1 | British Sky Broadcasting | |
| 402 | 
|
Sky Sports 2 | British Sky Broadcasting | |
| 403 | 
|
Sky Sports 3 | British Sky Broadcasting | |
| 410 | 
|
MUTV | British Sky Broadcasting/ITV/Manchester United FC | |
| 413 | 
|
Sky Sports News | British Sky Broadcasting | |
| 416 | 
|
The Racing Channel | Satellite Information Services |
News
| Channel number | Logo | Channel name | Notes/Region available | Owner/parent company |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 501 | 
|
Sky News | British Sky Broadcasting | |
| 504 | 
|
Bloomberg Television | Bloomberg L.P. | |
| 507 | 
|
BBC News 24 | British Broadcasting Corporation | |
| 508 | 
|
BBC Parliament | British Broadcasting Corporation | |
| 510 | 
|
CNBC Europe | General Electric/Dow Jones and Company | |
| 513 | 
|
CNN International | Time Warner |
Documentaries
| Channel number | Logo | Channel name | Notes/Region available | Owner/parent company |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 531 | 
|
Discovery Channel | Discovery Communications | |
| 532 | 
|
Discovery +1 | Discovery Communications | |
| 533 | 
|
Discovery Travel & Adventure Channel | Discovery Communications | |
| 534 | 
|
Discovery Civilisation Channel | Discovery Communications | |
| 535 | 
|
Discovery Sci-Trek Channel | Discovery Communications | |
| 538 | 
|
National Geographic Channel | British Sky Broadcasting/National Geographic Society | |
| 541 | 
|
The History Channel | British Sky Broadcasting/A&E Television Networks | |
| 544 | 
|
UK Horizons | UKTV | |
| 547 | 
|
.TV | British Sky Broadcasting | |
| 550 | 
|
Animal Planet | Discovery Communications/BBC Worldwide |
Kids
| Channel number | Logo | Channel name | Notes/Region available | Owner/parent company |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 604 | 
|
Nickelodeon | Nickelodeon UK Limited (MTV Networks Europe (Viacom)/British Sky Broadcasting) | |
| 607 | 
|
Trouble | Flextech | |
| 610 | 
|
Fox Kids | Fox Kids Worldwide |
Music
| Channel number | Logo | Channel name | Notes/Region available | Owner/parent company |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 631 | 
|
MTV | MTV Networks Europe (Viacom) | |
| 632 | 
|
M2 | MTV Networks Europe (Viacom) | |
| 638 | 
|
VH1 | MTV Networks Europe (Viacom) | |
| 641 | 
|
The Box | EMAP | |
| 644 | 
|
UK Play | UKTV |
Shopping
| Channel number | Logo | Channel name | Notes/Region available | Owner/parent company |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 660 | 
|
QVC | QVC Inc. | |
| 673 | 
|
Shop! | Granada plc/Littlewoods | |
| 688 | 
|
TV Travel Shop | Flextech |
Other
| Channel number | Logo | Channel name | Notes/Region available | Owner/parent company |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 700-750 | 
|
Sky Box Office | British Sky Broadcasting | |
| 850-894 | 
|
Music Choice | Music Choice Europe Limited | |
| 931 | 
|
BBC Choice Scotland | British Broadcasting Corporation | |
| 932 | 
|
BBC Choice Wales | British Broadcasting Corporation | |
| 933 | 
|
BBC Choice Northern Ireland | British Broadcasting Corporation |
Information
| Channel number | Logo | Channel name | Notes/Region available | Owner/parent company |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 970 |
|
SkyDigital Information Channel | British Sky Broadcasting | |
| 997 |
|
Sky Retail Info Channel | British Sky Broadcasting | |
| 998 |
|
SkyGuide Info | British Sky Broadcasting | |
| 999 |
|
SkyDigital Information Channel | British Sky Broadcasting |
Adult
| Channel number | Logo | Channel name | Notes/Region available | Owner/parent company |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 977 | 
|
Television X | ||
| 980 |  
|
After Midnight | Playboy Enterprises |
See also
List of line-up changes on Sky (UK and Ireland)
| 1982 to 1999 | ||||
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
| 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 |
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 |
External links
- Official website (via Wayback Machine)