The Türksat 3A communication satellite will complete its service life and retire on August 15, 2026, after operating at 42 degrees East orbit for approximately 17 years. All television channels broadcasting on Türksat 3A will transfer to the Türksat 4A satellite on the same night.
Recent claims that standard-definition SD channels will close completely on August 15 do not reflect reality, as satellite operator Türksat has taken no decision to end SD broadcasts. Television channels currently broadcasting in SD can continue doing so on Türksat 4A, with the choice resting entirely with individual broadcasting organizations.
Standard Definition Broadcast Options and Costs
Several national television channels have chosen to end their SD broadcasts due to high satellite capacity expenses. According to industry sources, monthly capacity costs for a single SD channel can reach between 30,000 dollars and 40,000 dollars, prompting many broadcasters to operate exclusively in high definition HD. The upcoming satellite transition on August 15 has no direct effect on these corporate decisions.
Approximately 271 television channels currently broadcast in SD across Türksat satellites. An estimated 1 million viewers in Turkey still rely on SD satellite receivers. Broadcasters seeking to retain this audience can continue offering SD content, and owners of SD satellite receivers can keep watching channels that transmit in the DVB-S format.
Frequency Changes and Receiver Settings
Frequencies for television channels already broadcasting on Türksat 4A will remain unchanged. Channels that broadcast exclusively on Türksat 3A will also retain their existing frequencies once transferred to Türksat 4A.
Manual updates are only required for channels broadcasting simultaneously on both Türksat 3A and Türksat 4A. For these dual-broadcasting channels, the Türksat 3A frequency will close, and only the Türksat 4A transmission will remain active. Viewers must delete the Türksat 3A frequency from their receiver channel list and add the current Türksat 4A frequency, which can be found on each channel's website. Viewers who already tune to the Türksat 4A frequency do not need to make any changes.
Subscribers to digital platforms including Digiturk, D-Smart, and Tivibu, as well as viewers using TV sets and satellite receivers with the Türksat Channel Upgrading System TKGS, do not need to adjust settings manually. Their channel lists will update automatically.
Industry Dispute Over Satellite Receiver Upgrades
The rumor that SD broadcasts would end on August 15 emerged following an announcement by equipment manufacturer Next&NextStar. Next&NextStar claimed that national television channels would terminate DVB-S broadcasts on August 15 and end SD transmissions, advising viewers with SD receivers to upgrade to HD equipment.
The Telecommunication Satellite and Broadcast Business People Association, known as TUYAD, rejected those claims. TUYAD President Hayrettin Özaydın stated that reports of Türksat terminating SD broadcasts were incorrect.
Özaydın emphasized that whether a channel continues SD broadcasting is strictly up to the broadcaster itself rather than a collective decision. He added that Türksat operates as an infrastructure service provider and does not hold the authority to make such a determination.
