BBC Prime in America

It is possible for American residents to get BBC World, BBC Canada & BBC Kids. Several companies (on a gray market basis) offer cross-border satellite systems, which make available Canada's ExpressVu and Star Choice systems to folks on the US side of the border, and conversely they offer US-based DirecTV and Dish Network systems to Canadian residents.

For American's the Canadian/American exchange rate is very friendly to those wanting to get the Canadian systems and subscriptions. The only down side for either one is that Pay-Per-View movies are not available cross-border, due to the gray market nature of the sale. If the company in question (Star Choice/ExpressVu in Canada; Dish Network/DirecTV in the US) were to find that a customer were in a different country (which the PPV system would determine via phone number), they would immediately disconnect all service to that customer.

M


(Edited by mhking at 3:56 pm on Feb. 13, 2002)

You can't - unlike BBC World, BBC Prime is encrypted - you need to subscribe either directly to BBC Worldwide or a Satellite Network/Cable Company that host it on their system. BBC Worldwide will simply not sell subscriptions to UK Residents. And it ends there. And no, BBC Prime is not available in America - the footprint simply doesn't extend that far.

However, if you are extremely desperate and itching to get BBC Prime in the UK, you may do so by subscribing to DigiTurk Euro, who carry BBC Prime, World and other mostly Turkish-language channels in their EPG. You can also, I guess, get someone you know in Europe to buy the subscription for you, then send the digicard back home...but it's not worth that much effort!

Incidently, BBC Prime has started a regional opt-out of their own, probably the largest in the world! During prime-time hours, African viewers opt-out of the network feed serving Europe, Israel and the Middle East, getting their own separate programming.

(Edited by Michael Daventry at 7:32 pm on Feb. 13, 2002)

There was a 'celebrity' who is bit of a satellite TV buff, asked Worldwide if he could subscribe to BBC Prime in the UK. They of course turned him down. If Worldwide come across any people viewing in the UK they will not hesitate to disable that card.

Yes, there is currently an opt for S Africa. For five nights a week SA opts out and shows programmes and junctions seperately from the rest of the service. For example, EastEnders and Doctors are shown at 22.30 CAT. The other two nights in the week SA runs just the advert opts that have been running for the last year or so.

As for being one of the largest opts in the world, well, I can't comment on what other broadcasters do, but BBC World opt's out the whole of Asia and Australiasia several times a day, Europe opts away a few times a day, Canada often shows different programmes to core, and Latin America is optable too.

I would love BBC Prime, even though I've probablly seen all the programmes shown on the channel, and they're also on UK Gold, I would still like to view it! DREAM ON GARY:D

I think CNN International probably has the largest opt´s by number and size. I think they started doing them in 1995

who was the 'celebrity'?