Satellite installers in Barking
Your Sky or Freesat dish looks at satellites parked high over the equator, tens of thousands of kilometres away, and it has very little room for error. Wind, a ladder leant against the wall or a loose bolt can move it enough to lose the picture once the weather turns. That’s why every alignment and every repair we do in Barking is checked on a meter.
Around IG11 we install new dishes, relocate them for loft conversions, extensions and new windows, replace worn-out LNBs and build communal systems for blocks of flats. We also set up dishes for channels from abroad. Thinking of leaving satellite for a broadband service? We can explain what each option needs at your address.
Satellite services across Barking
Sky dish installation
A new dish and LNB for Sky Q or an older Sky box, with enough outputs for every box you have. If you’re moving to Sky Glass or Sky Stream, which run over broadband without a dish, we can take the old dish away or keep it for Freesat.
Freesat installation
Freesat gives you live channels from satellite with no subscription. In flats with a poor aerial feed, or where a taller block shades the London signal, it can be the steadier choice.
Dish realignment and LNB replacement
Picture failing in showers, or one tuner losing channels? A dish that has shifted or a failing LNB, the part at the end of the arm, is normally behind it. We put the dish back on target and change the LNB if it’s worn.
Moving a dish
Dishes often have to come down for scaffolding, rendering, new windows or an extension. We find a fresh position with an open view to the south-east, refit and realign it, and seal the cable entry.
Multi-room and communal satellite
Multiswitch systems share one dish between several rooms or dozens of flats. We extend and repair them in older blocks around the town centre and connect new outlets in newer ones.
Foreign-language satellite
Many channels from abroad are on Hotbird and other European satellites rather than the ones Sky and Freesat use. We fit and align a second dish, or a dish with more than one LNB, where there’s room.
When the box says ‘no satellite signal’
Most of the time the cause is outdoors: a dish knocked by wind or by workers on the roof, a tree that has grown into its line of sight, or an LNB at the end of its life. Inside, a loose cable or a dead multiswitch in a block of flats produces the same message.
First, switch the box off at the wall and back on, and look out for snow or a cloudburst, which clear by themselves. If the message keeps returning, call us and we’ll find the cause.
Where a dish can go in Barking
Dishes need an unobstructed view south-east, so a north-facing wall or a garden under big trees may not work. Most houses don’t need planning permission. In the Abbey and Barking Town Centre and the Abbey Road Riverside conservation areas, Barking and Dagenham Council asks you to get its agreement before fitting a dish to a chimney, or to a roof slope or wall that faces the road. Listed buildings need consent, and flat leases often need the freeholder’s permission. We’ll suggest a position that works and stays within the rules.
Areas we cover in and around Barking
Satellite installation and repairs across IG11 and the neighbourhoods around Barking.
Barking neighbourhoods
- Barking town centre
- Barking Riverside
- Thames View
- Creekmouth
- Gascoigne
- Eastbury
- Longbridge
- Upney
- Northbury
- Abbey
Neighbourhoods nearby
- Becontree
- Dagenham
- Mayesbrook
- Goodmayes
- Seven Kings
- Ilford
- East Ham
- Beckton
- Chadwell Heath
Nearby towns we also cover
Barking questions
Why does Freesat cut out when there’s a heavy shower?
Dense rain weakens satellite signals a little. A dish that is spot on copes, so frequent drop-outs mean it has moved or the LNB is ageing. A realignment, and sometimes a new LNB, sorts it.
Is a dish still needed for Sky?
For Sky Q and earlier Sky boxes, yes. Sky Glass and Sky Stream work over broadband. If you change over, the dish can be kept for Freesat.
Can I have a dish on my flat at Barking Riverside?
Check your lease first. Many blocks have a shared satellite system so residents don’t need their own dishes, and the managing agent can tell you how to connect. If you need a private dish, the freeholder usually has to agree.
Do I need permission for a dish near Barking Abbey?
The Abbey and town centre area is a conservation area, so the council’s agreement is needed for a dish on a chimney, or on a roof slope or wall facing the road. A position at the back of the house is often fine.
Can you fit a dish for channels from other countries?
Yes. We align dishes to Hotbird and other satellites, and can often add one next to your existing dish.