The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on Telewest's digital cable service, and soon afterwards on the NTL digital cable service. On 30 August 2005, ABC1 was launched on the Sky Digital satellite platform. The channel was encrypted as part of the basic Sky package, and is therefore wasnot free-to-air, in contrast to its unencrypted status on Freeview and cable television. From October 2005, ABC1 was carried on the NTL Ireland digital TV platform.