Technical changes across a number of Freeview multiplexes, plus ongoing vacant slots following recent channel closures means there’s room for new channels.
- Natural history channel Eden secures Freeview licence.
- Bandwidth vacated by TalkTV in the spring is still empty.
As digital terrestrial television, aka Freeview in the UK, enters its last decade in its current form, recent technical changes suggest there’s still room for new services.
Bandwidth used for TalkTV and Seen On TV remain unoccupied. Another recent technical change on the fifth national multiplex (COM5) has created space for yet another channel.
This means there’s currently empty capacity for another three full time channels on Freeview.
This follows technical changes on the second national multiplex (PSB2), which created space for an additional channel – That’s Memories (due to be rebranded as That’s TV 3).
Freeview capacity is limited by the amount of bandwidth available on the six national multiplexes, plus local multiplexes. New encoder technology makes it possible to increase the number of concurrent videostreams on the platform. But most broadcasters are reserving high quality (HD) feeds of their channels for their fledgling streaming services.
Which new channels could join Freeview?
Major international broadcasters and UK public service broadcasters have signalled a withdrawal from traditional broadcast channels. As a result, most additional capacity looks set to be snapped up by smaller commercial broadcasters.
That includes the BBC Studios-owned UKTV. Two and half years since it converted W (now U&W) to a free-to-air channel, the next launch appears to be on its way. It has recently obtained a new DTPS licence from Ofcom, which will allow it to add nature channel U&Eden (currently still branded as Eden on Sky and cable) to the Freeview platform. The move would leave just Gold and Alibi behind the paywall.
UKTV hasn’t yet commented on its plans.
That’s TV meanwhile has also continued to hoover up new slots to expand its eclectic range of niche channels. It holds Ofcom DTPS licences for yet-to-launch services including That’s History and That’s TV Extra.
How much longer has Freeview got?
All non-BBC national multiplexes have recently had their licences renewed until 2034. That’s when terrestrial TV in its current form is expected to end. Terrestrial TV was facing a 2030 cliffhanger, until a new international agreement secured the ongoing use of spectrum for TV services. However, beyond 2034, digital terrestrial TV may continue as a simple backup service for the main channels only. Alternatively, we may see greater adoption of 5G Broadcast, which is being trialled in a number of European countries as a way of delivering live TV to traditional TVs, mobiles and tablets using the same signal.
For the next decade, commercial multiplex operators SDN and Arqiva continue to work on filling available capacity. By adding more channels to their multiplexes, more broadcasters can share the cost of keeping the Freeview service on air. SDN, which is owned by ITV plc, recently reported an 8% decline in revenue from carriage of non-ITV channels, which makes filling available capacity all the more important.
In the meantime, the public service broadcasters continue to push Freely as their solution to migrating viewers from digital terrestrial TV to IP-streaming. But until more commercial broadcasters join Freely’s streaming offer, the terrestrially delivered service remains relevant.
By: Marc Thornham | Image: UKTV