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Agreement: BSkyB and BBC director general Greg Dyke in unison over EPG

The BBC and BSkyB have finally reached an agreement over the positioning of the BBC's channels on Sky's electronic programme guide following months of squabbling between the two broadcasters.

However, the BBC will continue to pay Sky for the distribution of some of its regional services in what could be seen as a U-turn by director general Greg Dyke, who announced plans to sever the BBC's financial ties with the digital satellite broadcaster earlier this year.

As part of the deal, BBC's 3 and 4 will be moved up the EPG to positions 115 and 116.

Dyke sparked the row in March when he announced that the BBC was terminating its estimated £85m conditional access deal with Sky and moving from Astra satellite 2A to 2D to broadcast "in the clear".

Since then, the two broadcasters have been locked in talks over the 101 and 102 positions on the Sky EPG and the Independent Television Commission was called in to mediate.

It is understood that Sky initially threatened to exile the BBC's channels to the ends of the EPG among the shopping and sex channels, but the positions of BBC1 and BBC2 on the EPG is now secure.

The BBC will pay Sky an undisclosed sum to make sure that its 6.7 million viewers receive the right regional services for their area.

Terrestrial broadcaster Five scuppered industry expectations that other broadcasters were going to follow in the footsteps of the BBC this week. The channel signed a 10-year conditional access agreement with Sky for an undisclosed sum.