JANUARY 23, 2025 – An upcoming satellite change for the four-channel AFN TV programming package will impact some audience members in the Pacific who use a satellite dish and decoder to get their AFN service.
Customers in Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania will have to re-point their satellite dish to a new satellite and update their decoder settings during a 58-day transition period starting February 2, 2025.
The satellite currently used to deliver programming to audience members in the impacted area is nearing its end of life and its owner plans to decommission and deorbit the spacecraft, which is forcing the satellite transition.
Starting February 2nd, impacted customers can realign their satellite dish to acquire the AFN signal on the Horizons 3e satellite, and update their decoder settings to maintain uninterrupted AFN reception.
The updated decoder settings are available on AFN’s website, AFN.mil. The decoder settings guides also include information on the satellite orbital location and transponder.
Customer satellite dishes and decoders currently used to get the AFN four-channel service in the affected area will work with the new satellite and decoder re-registration is not necessary to acquire AFN programming.
AFN service ends on the current satellite on March 31, 2025. Impacted customers will lose their AFN service on that date if they have not migrated to the new satellite.
Service on the AFN digital applications, AFN Now and AFN Go, is not impacted by this change.
AFN helpdesk technicians can assist customers with technical questions on the change and they can be reached 24 hours a day at +1 (951) 413-2339 or via email at sathelpdma@mail.mil.