The British Satellite Broadcasting consortium was formed in 1986 by Granada Television, Pearson, Virgin, Anglia Television and Amstrad; awarded licence to broadcast on three channels in 1998; required by licence to construct and launch two satelites (Marco Polo 1 and 2), signal to be received by a 'Squarial' (Square aerial); went on air March 1990; financial problems and competition with rival satelite broadcaster Sky led to merge of the two companies in November 1990 as BSkyB.