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The timetable means that the earliest Sky would be able to make the change, if approved, would be after a final decision by Ofcom early next year.

In reaction, Sky said it was "regrettable that Ofcom feels unable to begin its consultation before the autumn" and also pointed out that the regulator has previously allowed other pay-TV channels, such as Top Up TV and Setanta, to be launched without a public consultation.

Sky had aimed to counter rival Setanta's launch of pay-TV football coverage on Freeview from this summer, by using Freeview to sell its own football coverage and other premium content.

It would mean Sky withdrawing its three free channels -- Sky News, Sky Three and Sky Sports News -- from the platform.

However, after Sky revealed the plan in February, Ofcom said it needed more information from Sky before it could review the proposals and prepare a consultation.

Ofcom has now said it has sufficient information to do so and will issue a consultation document in the autumn.

Sky today drew attention to an announcement by the regulator in April 2006 that it was minded to remove the free-to-air requirement on channels on Freeview multiplexes B, C and D in response to a request from the relevant licencee "without additional public consultation".

Sky also has also slightly changed its position on a technical issue associated with this particular application.

Previously its application was for a pay-TV offering using the MPEG4 transmission standard as well as the current Freeview standard MPEG2.

Using MPEG4 would allow it to fit four channels in the spectrum currently used by its three free-to-air channels broadcasting in MPEG2.

It has now dropped the MPEG4 proposal from its application to Ofcom, but stressed that it would remained committed to introducing MPEG4 at the earliest opportunity.

Sky said: "The adoption of MPEG4 technology is an inevitable step forward for digital terrestrial television, bringing increased choice for viewers by making more efficient use of scarce capacity."

Sky's championing of MPEG4 means that consumers will have to buy new Freeview boxes capable of receiving MPEG4 transmissions in order to watch its proposed channels, although these boxes will also work with the current MPEG2 standard used by other channels.