Viasat is a satellite and pay television brand, founded in Sweden in 1991. The brand was previously owned by Modern Times Group (MTG). The channels of both companies were broadcast from London.
In 2018, MTG sourced out the television/streaming division, forming three companies: Viaplay Group (serving Nordic countries), Viasat World (Europe and Ukraine) and Viasat Russia (Russia and CIS).
In 2020, Viaplay Group formed a joint venture with Telenor to form the company Allente, that offers satellite television services in the Nordic countries. The merger was completed on April 13, 2021.
Contents
Satellite platforms
The Viasat signals was received from the Astra 4A and SES-5 satellites at 4.8°E with any DVB-S receiver equipped with a NDS VideoGuard descrambling module.
Viasat (now Viaplay) does not operate own platform outside the Nordic and Baltic countries. So they have to rely on third party distributors in Eastern and Central Europe.
In May 2016, MTG announced the launch of Viasat Ultra HD, the first ultra-high-definition television (UHD) channel in the Nordic region and its first UHD Sports channel. The channel will feature selected live sport events especially produced in Ultra HD and launch in the autumn in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland via SES-5. Viasat will also be launching an Ultra HD set-top box from Samsung and a TV-module to enable existing UHD TVs to display the channel.
TV channels
Nordic countries
The Nordic operations are owned by Viaplay Group (Viasat brand is no longer used in the Nordic countries)
V Film and V Series channels are common for the four Nordic markets.
V Film Premiere
V Film Action
V Film Hits
V Film Family
V Series
The available sports television channels differ across the Nordic markets due to the varying broadcasting rights. In Denmark most of the Viaplay-owned sports channels use the brand TV3 (TV3 Sport and TV3 Max).
V Sport Ultra HD (Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark)
V Sport Golf (Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark)
V Sport Live 1-5 (Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark)
V Sport 1 (Sweden, Finland, Norway)
V Sport Extra (Sweden)
V Sport Premium (Sweden and Finland)
V Sport Football (Sweden and Finland)
V Sport Vinter (Sweden and Finland)
V Sport Motor (Sweden and Finland)
V Sport Premier League (Norway)
V Sport Premier League 1-4 (Norway)
V Sport+ (Norway)
Europe and Ukraine
Viasat World operates the European and Ukrainian channels (owned by Irina Gofman):
Viasat Nature (Central and Eastern Europe)
Viasat Explore (Central and Eastern Europe)
Viasat History (Central and Eastern Europe)
Viasat Epic Drama (Central and Eastern Europe)
Viasat True Crime (Central and Eastern Europe)
Viasat Serial (Ukraine)
Viasat Kino (previously TV1000 East) (Baltic states and Ukraine)
Viasat Kino (Balkan states and Moldova)
Viasat Kino Action (previously TV1000 Action East) (Baltic states and Ukraine)
Viasat Kino World (previously TV1000 World Kino) (Baltic states and Ukraine)
Viasat Kino Comedy (previously ViP Comedy East) (Baltic states and Ukraine)
Vision TV and 1+1 Media offer satellite television in Ukraine, branded Viasat Ukraine.
Russia, Central Asia, Caucasus and Moldova
These countries are served by Viasat Global (Russia). It owns many pay channels:
Viju Nature (previously Viasat Nature)
Viju Explore (previously Viasat Explore)
Hungary
Antenna Group operates Viasat-branded channels in Hungary.
Pay channels:
Viasat 2
Viasat 3
Viasat 6
Viasat Film
DBS channels
In addition to their own channels, Viasat (now Allente) carry several third-party channels on their platform.
Country specific
Sweden:
SVT1 (also in HD)
SVT2 (also in HD)
SVT24 (timesharing with Barnkanalen)
SVT Barnkanalen (timesharing with SVT24)
Kunskapskanalen
TV4
Sjuan
TV4 Film
TV4 Fakta
TV4 Science fiction
TV4 Sport
TV4 Komedi
TV4 Guld
TV4 News
Kanal 5
Kanal 9
Kanal 11
TNT
MTV Sweden
Nickelodeon Sweden
Comedy Central Sweden
Denmark:
DR1
DR2
DR3 (HD)
DR K
DR Ramasjang
DR Ultra
TV 2 Denmark
TV 2 Charlie
Transnational
Animal Planet Europe (only in the Baltics)
BBC World News
Cartoon Network (6.00-21.00, time-sharing with TCM Europe)
CNBC Nordic
CNN International
Discovery Channel Europe (only in the Baltics)
Disney Channel Scandinavia
E!
Euronews
Boomerang (Nordic) (launched on 30 September 2010 as a 24-hour channel)
The God Channel
MTV Live HD
Nat Geo Scandinavia
Nat Geo HD
Nat Geo Wild
Nickelodeon Scandinavia (6.00-18.00, time-sharing with VH1 Europe)
Nick Jr. (Sweden)
NHK World
NTV Mir (only in the Baltics)
Playboy TV (time-sharing with Viasat Nature/Crime)
Disney Junior Scandinavia (time-sharing with Viasat Film Drama)
Ren TV (only in the Baltics)
RTR Planeta (only in Estonia and Lithuania)
World record
The live 3D broadcast of the 2011 UEFA Champions League final match between Manchester United and Barcelona was provided by Viasat in 3D format in Gothenburg (Sweden). The football match was broadcast on EKTA screen. This Ukrainian produced 3D LED TV made The Guinness Book of World Records.