Channel 5’s advertising regions merged

As of August 1 2015, Channel 5 has merged its five advertising regions, Viacom considered them to be financially unviable.
Currently all five Channel 5 versions on satellite are broadcasting the same stream. This will allow Viacom to free up capacity on the Channel 5 transponder, only one Channel 5 and one Channel 5 +1 will need to be broadcast.
The merger of the advertising regions allowed Channel 5 HD for Sky HD viewers to swap with the standard-definition version of Channel 5 on the Sky EPG.

The move could allow Viacom to move Channel 5 HD to their own transponder, this could contractual obligations permitting, pave the way for the HD simulcast to go  free-to-air.
This would greatly improve the channels availability, allowing it to join Freeview and Freest.
Channel 5 HD is currently only available to Sky ‘Family Bundle’ customers or those with the HD pack.

Neither Viacom nor Channel 5 have confirmed or hinted on the channel going free-to-air at the present time.