Insiders at both Sky and the BBC are predicting something of a battle over that decision last week for the Beeb to no longer scramble their satellite broadcasts, and therefore sidestep paying £85 million to Sky to administer the distribution of unscramblers.
As reported yesterday insiders at Sky are threatening to remove the BBC's main channels from the first two slots in their electronic programme guide, relegating them down to the fifties, and pushing the Sky channels to the top position.
But some reckon BBC boss Greg Dyke will welcome the threats as a way to test the government, and to give ammunition to those in the media who feel the same company shouldn't own the main satellite broadcasting infrastructure and some of the key channels that broadcast via that infrastructure.
Sky are meant to distribute positions on their electronic guide in a "fair way" considering ease of use for the consumer. If Sky do move the BBC's terrestrial channels out of the top two spots the Corporation will look to Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell to take action, forcing her into the 'BSkyB are becoming too powerful' debate.
One industry observer told the Media Guardian yesterday: "The BBC will try to paint Sky as some sort of evil operation and force the government to take sides."