The number of streaming channels available to viewers with a Freeview smart TV continues to grow faster than traditional over-the-air channels.
Channels including NOW 80s, Bloomberg and Euronews are available to stream via the platform.
Two portals – Vision TV (Freeview channel 264) and Channelbox (channel 271) provide access to the bulk of the so-called “FAST” (free ad-supported streaming television) channels, consisting of a mixture of niche, online-only channels and well-known channels not otherwise available via Freeview.
But as most streaming channels are accessed via a portal – below all the over-the-air channels and not directly listed on the Freeview channel guide – most services are effectively hidden unless you know where to look.
In October 2022, RXTV found the total number of such services available on Freeview had exceeded 100. In the past five months, numerous new services have launched, most recently two new Qwest music channels – Qwest Jazz and Beyond and Qwest Mix on Channelbox. Also since our last check-up:
- NOW 70s and 80s, now no longer broadcast as over-the-air channels on Freeview, can now be streamed through Channelbox on channel 271. They’re joined by Now Rock (which took over from Now 90s).
- Channelbox accounts for most of the extra streaming channels added to Freeview over the winter, with the service launching a dedicated movie channel section. But its Lifestyle & Travel channel section has been removed, with the loss of Heritage + and Sacred Sites channels. Additionally, the service has also lost the Rotana Arabic-language channels and Times Now Navbharat.
- Arise Play and Iran International are still available to stream on Vision TV (Freeview channel 264), even though both channels are currently not available on Sky satellite. This makes Freeview the only main platforms to currently offer the channels.
- GB News now offers an HD feed through Channelbox (subject to a user’s internet speed). Otherwise, the over-the-air Freeview signal is SD only.
Streaming channels, or portals, on Freeview’s channel list have been upgraded to use HbbTV, which is supported by any TV or receiver that comes with Freeview Play. Broadband connectivity of at least 2.5Mbps is required, or more for HD streams.
Channels are not necessarily regulated by Ofcom, with China’s CGTN (which had its Ofcom licence revoked) and US channel Newsmax available through Freeview streaming portals.
Freeview Streaming Channels – March 2023
Channel 264 – Vision TV
ENTERTAINMENT
- Arise Play
- Channel 7
- Edgy TV
- NTAi
- Supreme Master TV
- That’s TV
SHOPPING
- Best Direct
- JML
- TJC
NEWS
- Arise News
- CGTN
- DW TV
- France 24 English
- France 24 French
- Newsmax TV
SPORTS
- Sporty Stuff TV
- eSports24.tv
INTERNATIONAL
- Brit Asia TV
- British Muslim
- Iran International
- Islam Ch
- Sharjah TV
- Sikh Channel
RELIGION
- Daystar
- Faith World TV
- Good News TV
- Sum TV
NOTES: Genres as defined by Vision TV. Vision TV can also be streamed via the web or through an app. The web/app channel line-up is subject to variation to the above. For example, as of 17/03/23, That’s TV is available on Freeview 264, but not through the Vision TV website.
Channel 271 – Channelbox
ENTERTAINMENT
- AWE Plus
- Docs Ville
- Hellenic TV (Greek)*
- Fashion TV
- Fido TV ◇
- Law and Crime
- Stingray Naturescape ◇
- Vox Africa *
- Yanga!
MOVIES
- 30A TV Movies
- Action Hollywood Movies
- Bollywood*
- Bollywood Classic
- Film UA Drama*
- Free Classic Movies
- Nolly Africa*
- NYX
- Star Cinema*
- WeDo Movies
FEATURED
- WeDo Big Stories
- Other channels in the Featured section are listed in their respective genres.
NEWS
- Africa News
- Bloomberg
- Bloomberg Quicktake
- Current Time (Russian)*
- Euronews English
- Euronews Russian*
- France 24 French*
- France 24 Arabic
- GB News
- OAN Plus
- NHK World-Japan
- NTD
- TVP World
SPORTS
- Auto Allstars
- Billiard TV
- Channel Fight Masterclass
- English Football Channel
- Extreme Plus
- Fuel TV
- Unreel
- WBC Live
MUSIC
- Balle Balle*
- Music and Memories
- Now 70s
- Now 80s
- Now Rock (but still labelled Now 90s)
- Qello Concerts by Stingray
- Qwest Jazz and Beyond
- Qwest Mix
- Stingray Cmusic
- Stingray Karaoke◇
- Trace Brazuca
- Trace Latina
- Trace Urban
- Vivaldi
- Zoom*
FAMILY
- Duck TV
- Kartoon Channel
- Channels marked ◇ above are also listed in the family genre.
INTERNATIONAL
- Channels marked * above are also listed in the family genre
NOTES: Genres as defined by Channelbox. Some channels are listed in multiple genres by Channelbox. The above listing only includes the first appearance of the channel to avoid duplication. As of 17/03/2023, WeDo Big Stories hadn’t been assigned a genre, but can be accessed through the Featured area.
Channel 273 – Al Arabiya
- Al Arabiya
- Al Hadath
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Channel 277 – UK Channel Portal
The home of a number of smaller radio operators, including community and internet stations.
- Boom Radio
- Centreforce 883
- Easy Radio
- Frisk Radio
- Let’s Rock
- Lovelife
- Jukebox Radio
- Nation Radio
- News Radio UK
- Outreach Radio
- Outreach Dance
- Radio Tyneside
- Scotland’s Castle
- TRD1-4
Regional variations to the line-up may apply.
Single channel portals
Unlike the aforementioned portals, the following Freeview channel numbers open up a single channel:
263 Sonlife
269 Arise News
272 Asharq News
274 Fail Army
278 Pet Collective
280 ROK
281 Revelation TV
282 God TV
283 3ABN
284 Amazing Discoveries
On-demand portals
These channel numbers open up a portal containing a library of content available to watch on-demand:
Children’s
208 POP Player
209 Ketchup TV
210 Ketchup Too
211 YAAAS!
Factual
265 On Demand 365 (including genre specific ‘channels’ or groups of content, such as Planet Knowledge, Sports Channel Network)
Marc Thornham