BBC confirms Sky agreement

The BBC has confirmed to Digital Spy tonight that it has reached a five-year distribution agreement with BSkyB.

The news brings an end to wrangling between the two organisations that began in March, shortly after the BBC announced it would stop using Sky's conditional access system and broadcast in the clear. In a statement sent to Digital Spy, the BBC confirmed it will begin broadcasting unencrypted from July 10th.

Sky fought back against the BBC's decision, threatening to pull BBC One and BBC Two from the flagship EPG positions of 101 and 102 respectively. This prompted the BBC to file a complaint with the Independent Television Commission in April. The compromise agreement announced tonight has resulted in that complaint being withdrawn.

The substance of the new agreement is that BBC One and BBC Two will continue broadcasting on EPG positions 101 and 102. For viewers using a "Solus" card, BBC One London will broadcast on 101 and BBC Two England will broadcast on 102. Other regional variations will be accessible through the EPG. For viewers using a Sky card, the BBC has purchased a "regionalisation package" from Sky that will result in viewers receiving their local BBC One region and BBC Two nation at 101 and 102 respectively.

All 22 regional and national variations of the BBC's channels are expected to be on digital satellite by this autumn, the corporation has also confirmed.