Posted 22 September 2023

Freely - New service from UK public service broadcasters will deliver live free TV via IP

This is from the company that own Freeview. It will start with BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5 in 2024 - but eventually aims to stream all Freeview channels through the Internet and bring them together into one convenient user interface.

Useful for smart TVs not near an aerial socket.

Please note that you will need to pay for a broadband service and a TV license in order to use this.
everyonetv.co.uk/new…-ip
From the website...

Britain’s biggest broadcasters announce today their latest collaboration: the development of a new free TV service that will deliver live TV over broadband
For the first time for free, British viewers will be able to easily browse and watch live TV channels together with on demand content streamed straight to their smart TV via the internet.

It’s an evolution that puts the distribution of free TV at the centre of the streaming age. The new service will provide millions of broadband-only homes with easy access to a single consistent experience for live free TV over IP. Viewers will be able to seamlessly browse channels through a modern and intuitive programme guide, and use innovative functionality designed to make it easier to find and explore new shows directly from live TV.

Set for launch in 2024, the new service, called Freely, will be built-in to the next generation of smart TVs and feature a line-up of public service broadcaster content and other free-to-air channels. It will replicate the terrestrial TV experience, building on the heritage and popularity of the Freeview TV platform, currently used in 16m homes.

As viewers increasingly consume content online, this next phase for free TV is about the distribution and availability of the PSBs’ live channels for a streaming age. It will help ensure the availability of PSB services into the future and complement the new provisions for on demand and streaming prominence, set out in the draft Media Bill.

Freely is being developed by Everyone TV, the organisation which runs free TV in the UK and is jointly owned by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.
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  1. SassyTheSasquatch's avatar
    something tells me this will result in a lot more TV licencing visitations
    Daniel_Lane's avatar
    They don't do any as it is,
  2. EndlessWaves's avatar
    This obviously has no future on it's own, delivering programs in a form designed around a disappearing infrastructure is bound to have a shrinking audience. It might save a bit of money in delivery costs if it lets then discontinue the broadcast network earlier, but that's obviously subject to

    I suspect it's mainly just Digital UK (aka 'Everyone TV') wanting to keep their hat in the ring and the possibility of a unified British streaming app open. It's a lot easier to rebrand and tweak existing app to do this than to develop one from scratch. The existing Freeview app doesn't seem to have been very successful, does anyone use it?
    TristanDeCoonha's avatar
    Freeview, like Netflix, is more of an annoyance thanks to their easy to hit / conveniently placed buttons.
  3. jco83's avatar
    So it makes a big point of stating that you will need to pay for a broadband service, but makes absolutely no mention of needing to pay a TV license fee ? Edit: turns out the broadband required point was just added by the OP (edited)
    deleted2904274's avatar
    I know right, who would bother with a licence these days🤷
  4. Yolofknell's avatar
    This will make it a lot easier for Big Brother Corporation to track unlicensed users unless you use a VPN.
    BigDave's avatar
    One for the tinfoil hat wearers
  5. Daniel_Lane's avatar
    Why doesn't the BBC make it so you get an account by paying the TV licence with then you can only watch from 5 authorised devices

    So you could only share with 5 house holds


    As opposed to currently you can select any house and watch
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