Freeview is an operator of free digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom, using the DVB-T and DVB-T2 standards. The Freeview brand name, owned by DTV Services, is used to promote free digital terrestrial television services as a whole and those services operated by companies who rent capacity from Freeview Consortium shareholders.
Freeview was launched on 30 October 2002 at 6 am when it took over the digital terrestrial television (DTT) licence to broadcast on three multiplexes from the defunct ITV Digital (originally called ONdigital).
The founding members of DTV Services were the BBC, Crown Castle UK (now known as National Grid Wireless) and British Sky Broadcasting. On 11 October 2005, they were joined by ITV plc and Channel 4.
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The Freeview service broadcasts free-to-air television channels, radio stations and interactive services from the BBC, Sky and other broadcasters.
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Approximately 27% of households are in a location that can not receive Freeview broadcasts, despite the TV licence being the same for every region.
Maximum Freeview coverage of the UK whilst analogue and digital services are running in tandem has now been reached. The British government plans to switch off analogue transmitters region-by-region, starting in 2007, to allow for an increase in both Freeview coverage and transmitter power.
The government estimates that the coverage level of the three public service broadcasting multiplexes will reach 98.5% of the population (the same as analogue television) and six-multiplex reception will cover 90% of the population once the digital switchover has been completed in 2012.
Areas which can not receive Freeview services, or have poor reception, can opt for a satellite option such as Freesat, though not all Freeview channels are free on satellite.
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Freeview+, as well as Freeview, are consumer brands created in the UK by the DTG Group to "raise consumer awareness and promote sales" of Freeview-capable digital video recorders. Players which meet specified quality and functionality criteria are permitted to carry the Freeview+ logo, and benefit from joint marketing and consumer confidence.
Freeview do not manufacture the units, but they have awarded the Freeview+ label to manufacturers that are able to meet a series of specifications that have been drawn up by the UK’s Digital TV Group.
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Freeview HD completed a "technical launch" on 2 December 2009, carrying BBC HD and ITV1 HD from Crystal Palace and Winter Hill operating on multiplex BBC B (Multiplex B or PSB3) from that date, in regions that switched-over on or after that date, with the service coming to all regions by the end of 2012.
Channel 4 HD commenced test broadcasts on 25 March 2010 with an animated caption, ahead of its full launch on 30 March 2010, coinciding with the commercial launch of Freeview HD. S4C Clirlun will launch on 30 April 2010 in Wales, where Channel 4 HD will be broadcast.
Five HD was due to launch during 2010 but was unable to reach 'key criteria' to keep its slot. Spare allocation on multiplex B will now be handed over to the BBC though Ofcom intends next year to give the Commercial Public Service Broadcasters another opportunity to apply to provide an additional HD service from 2012. On 30 March 2010, the BBC has said that it "expects and hopes" to see another high definition channel launch on Freeview by the end of 2010 but it "might not be a BBC channel".
A fifth HD channel may be able to launch during 2013. On 30 March 2010, Ilse Howling confirmed that there are still two more slots to be filled in Freeview HD’s line-up. “There will be two more channels, sooner rather than later” adding, “I think we know it won’t be coming from Channel 4, if you ask Five when they think they’ll be on, they’ll say the end of 2012."
Freeview HD is the first operational TV service in the world using the DVB-T2 standard, which will require the purchase of new compatible reception equipment.
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| Freeview in the Channel Islands |
Freeview is currently unavailable in the Channel Islands, the digital transmissions use a different frequency bandwidth which for the Channel Islands would interfere with French broadcasts.
There has been a lot of uncertainty over when and if the switchover will happen in the Channel Islands. It has been announced that islands will be switched over during November 2010.
The digital switchover will be coordinated by Digital UK. |
| However the islands will not receive all of the 40 or so channels currently on Freeview in large parts of the UK. The Channel Islands will receive all the public service channels including the BBC channels, ITV channels, Channel 4 channels and five channels. Digital UK expects the Channel Islands will get around 18 or 19 channels at switchover on top of all the BBC digital radio stations through the TV. Viewers in the Channel Islands will have to rely on digital satellite transmissions until 2010. |
There will be no transision period. It will go from being analogue one day to digital the next and this is due to signal interference.
Freesat, the free-to-air satellite platform from the BBC and ITV is available in the islands, see www.freesat.co.uk. |
| Freeview on the Isle of Man |
The Isle of Man was the first nation in the British Isles to switch over fully from analogue to digital television. Digital terrestrial (Freeview).
Switchover began on June 18th 2009, when the BBC Two analogue service was switched off on the Glenmaye transmitter and replaced by the BBC's digital services.
On July 16th 2009, the remaing analogue services ceased and transmission of the remainig Freeview services commenced..
NOTE: Not all Freeview multiplexes will be available from the Glenmaye transmitter, reception of the others may be possible from the mainland.
Freesat, the free-to-air satellite platform from the BBC and ITV is available on the island, see www.freesat.co.uk.
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The Isle of Man is a dependency of the British Crown, it is not part of the United Kingdom or a member of the EU. The local government controls broadcasting on the island.
The island is close to the British mainland, has no local television channels and receives television and radio services from the British mainland. There are also a number of local analogue radio channels on the island. |
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