The British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) is celebrating the tenth anniversary of its MiPlayer platform, a significant technological innovation designed to deliver media and communication services to UK Armed Forces in remote locations. Launched in January 2016, MiPlayer has expanded from providing services on HMS Iron Duke to a wide range of military and civilian applications, including disaster-stricken areas and remote communities. Key milestones in its development include its official launch at DSEI in 2017, a partnership with the Nepalese government, and integration with Low Earth Orbit satellite technology in 2023. The platform has become an essential tool for maintaining morale and connectivity, evolving to meet diverse global needs across various industries.
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Peter J. Knight FBKS
_Moving Image __Specialist_
Mobile: +447974 930772
www.mcp.guru [1] www.madcornishprojectionist.co.uk [2] www.peterjknight.co.uk [3] www.cinematech.today [4]
——– Original Message ——–
SUBJECT:
BFBS’ MiPlayer Platform Turns Ten: A Decade Of Innovation Delivering
Welfare Media and Communications in Disconnected Environments
DATE:
2026-01-16 08:25
FROM:
Angela Lee
TO:
peter@madcornishprojectionist.co.uk
For immediate release
BFBS’ MiPlayer Platform Turns Ten: A Decade Of Innovation Delivering
Welfare Media and Communications in Disconnected Environments
16 January 2026: BFBS [5] (British Forces Broadcasting Service) today
celebrates the tenth anniversary of its MiPlayer [6] platform, the
innovative and powerful platform originally developed to keep UK Armed
Forces connected to home and entertainment, when they’re serving in the
most remote and hostile environments. MiPlayer is now deployed in other
civilian scenarios with the same problem set such as oil and gas
exploration and communities in remote and difficult to access locations
such as mountainous regions and those impacted by natural disasters. We
also work with UK Defence Exports to promote the platform capabilities
globally. MiPlayer utilises GEO (Geostationary Earth orbit) satellites
to deliver linear and on-demand services via DVB (Digital Video
Broadcast).
What began in January 2016 as a modest onboard system delivering 10 TV
channels and six radio stations to HMS Iron Duke, has grown into one of
BFBS’ most significant and far-reaching innovations, now operating
across the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary fleets, operational
bases, remote islands and soon, even on submarines.
Reflecting on the milestone, Nick Beer, Director of BFBS Development and
Strategy, said: “_MiPlayer started as a bold idea to solve a seemingly
impossible problem: how do you bring welfare and cultural “connection”
to people serving in the most remote and demanding environments on
Earth? And how do you do that in the way users demand: on their
personal devices and with catchup when there is little or no internet
available?_
_Ten years later, the platform is doing exactly that, whether on land,
at sea, in the air and is now available for users beneath the waves. It
has grown into far more than a platform; delivering the outstanding
range of content BFBS and its partners provide it is a lifeline, a
morale booster, and a constant reminder that no matter where users are,
they are never truly cut off from home_.”
MiPlayer’s journey from experimental idea to global lifeline gathered
pace in 2017, when the platform was officially named and unveiled at
DSEI (Defence and Security Equipment International). A live
demonstration to senior military leaders at PJHQ (Permanent Joint
Headquarters) later that year directly led to its first operational
deployments in South Sudan, Iraq, and Somalia, followed by an
international showcase at the Pacific Maritime Defence Symposium in
Sydney.
Later in 2017, the platform crossed new frontiers through a unique
collaboration with the Nepalese Government, delivering a bespoke
MiPlayer Lite service to communities devastated by earthquakes and
monsoon flooding. It became the platform’s first non-MOD deployment, its
first non-English user interface, and the moment it proved its
technology could be adapted to serve far beyond traditional defence
audiences.
By 2018, the service had become an essential service for UK forces,
expanding across the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, as well as
operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Eastern Europe. Newspapers and
magazines were added, the user experience refreshed, and later that year
MiPlayer was rolled out across accommodation at UK Naval Support
Facility Bahrain, delivering content to personal devices and televisions
via the newly developed MiPlayer Set Top Box.
In 2020, the technology’s impact reached an entirely new dimension when
it became a public service for the Falkland Islands Government,
providing island-wide access to live and catch-up television and radio,
including local broadcasters, entirely over the local network, without
consuming internet capacity.
The next major leap came in 2023, when BFBS announced a development
partnership between MiPlayer Edge and Eutelsat OneWeb, unlocking new
ways to deliver rich media services through Low Earth Orbit satellites
to the world’s most remote locations. MiPlayer Edge is now compatible
with multiple LEO providers including Starlink and Amazon Kuiper,
future-proofing the platform for decades to come.
As BFBS marks this ten-year anniversary, MiPlayer stands as one of the
organisation’s proudest achievements, a constantly evolving platform
that continues to redefine what connection looks like for Armed Forces,
and other users in a variety of industries today, tomorrow and beyond.
Press Contact
Strategic Communications Manager: Angela.Lee@bfbs.com
About BFBS (British Forces Broadcasting Service)
BFBS is a military charity and media organisation that entertains,
informs, connects, and champions the UK Armed Forces. We bring trusted
and secure entertainment, news, sport, and information services to the
military, their families, and veterans worldwide. We spread happiness
and keep people in touch, helping build morale among the military
overseas and at sea, offering them a way to share experiences, as well
as a valuable connection to life back home. BFBS is a leader in defence
news. Our broadcast teams have specialist military knowledge and produce
unique, exclusive content for our BFBS Forces News channels. And our
commercial offering – which provides income for the charity – spans
training, digital, and creative services, as well as pioneering
technology solutions that enable media and communication in the hardest
to reach places.
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[4] http://www.cinema-tech.today
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Source: Press Release