- First TVs that support the new free-to-stream service hit the market. But there’s not a lot to watch if you want to ditch the aerial.
The first TVs that support Freeview streaming replacement Freely are reaching retailers ahead of a big summer of events for the free-to-air broadcasters behind the service.
Hisense has become the first manufacturer to launch Freely-compatible TVs, with devices from other manufacturers to follow soon.
Freely is now available on all new 2024 model 4K Hisense TVs in the UK.
But early adopters wanting to ditch the aerial face a reduced channel line-up, with many free-to-air channels only available if the TV is connected to an aerial. Freely TV are designed to work as standard Freeview receivers when not connected to the internet – however this means smart TV apps are not available.
At launch only channels from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 are available – the broadcasters who directly have shareholdings in Everyone TV, the company behind both Freeview and Freely.
Services from Sky (e.g. Sky News and Challenge), UKTV (e.g. Dave), Warner Bros Discovery (e.g. Quest) are missing from the wi-fi/ethernet launch line-up.
The only way to receive these and more channels is to connect to a traditional TV aerial.
Will this ever change?
In time, the goal is for more channels to become available via streaming. UKTV, which is owned by BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC, is already preparing to make its channels available via streaming.
As additional channels become available, broadcasters will be able to set a flag telling Freely receivers to switch from the terrestrial signal to the online stream of the channel.
Where channels are streamed instead of delivered via the terrestrial broadcast network (transmitter to your aerial), HD picture quality is available.
Freely and satellite TV
Everyone TV anticipates Freely devices with satellite capability will become available in time. This will allow viewers to use an existing satellite dish to complement the streaming channels.
Freely launch line-up (streaming only option)
Channels available if you only use the internet to receive services (i.e. you don’t use a TV aerial)
| Number | Channel | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BBC One | |
| 2 | BBC Two | |
| 3 | ITV1 | |
| 3 | STV | Central and Northern Scotland |
| 3 | UTV | Northern Ireland |
| 4 | Channel 4 | except Wales |
| 4 | S4C | Wales |
| 5 | Channel 5 | |
| 6 | ITV2 | |
| 7 | ITV3 | |
| 8 | Channel 4 | in Wales |
| 8 | BBC Scotland | in Scotland |
| 10 | BBC Three | |
| 11 | BBC Four | |
| 12 | BBC ALBA | in Scotland |
| 13 | Film4 | |
| 14 | E4 | |
| 15 | More4 | |
| 16 | 4seven | |
| 19 | U&Dave | |
| 20 | U&Drama | |
| 21 | ITV4 | |
| 22 | ITVBe | |
| 25 | 5STAR | |
| 26 | 5ACTION | |
| 27 | U&Yesterday | |
| 28 | U&W | |
| 29 | 5USA | |
| 30 | 5SELECT | |
| 63 | BBC Scotland | outside of Scotland |
| 64 | BBC ALBA | outside of Scotland |
| 79 | S4C | outside of Wales |
| 301 | BBC News | |
| 302 | BBC Parliament | |
| 351 | CBBC | |
| 352 | CBeebies | |
| RADIO | ||
| 601 | BBC Radio 1 | |
| 602 | BBC Radio 1Xtra | |
| 603 | BBC Radio 2 | |
| 604 | BBC Radio 3 | |
| 605 | BBC Radio 4 | |
| 606 | BBC Radio 5 Live | |
| 607 | BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra | |
| 608 | BBC Radio 6 Music | |
| 609 | BBC Radio 4 Extra | |
| 610 | BBC Asian Network | |
| 611 | BBC World Service | |
| 612 | BBC Local Radio or BBC Wales/Scotland/Ulster | |
| 613 | BBC Local Radio or BBC Cymru/nGaid/Foyle | |
| 614 | BBC Local Radio or BBC Cymru 2 (Wales) | |
| 615 | BBC Local Radio | in England, varies depending on region |
| 616 | BBC Local Radio | in England, varies depending on region |
| 617 | BBC Local Radio | in England, varies depending on region |
| 618 | BBC Local Radio | in England, varies depending on region |
| 692 | BBC Radio Scotland | except Scotland |
| 693 | BBC Radio nan Gaidheal | except Scotland |
| 694 | BBC Radio Wales | except Wales |
| 695 | BBC Radio Cymru | except Wales |
| 696 | BBC Radio Cymru 2 | except Wales |
| 697 | BBC Radio Ulster | except Northern Ireland |
| 698 | BBC Radio Foyle | except Northern Ireland |
| 699-739 | OTHER BBC LOCAL RADIO STATIONS | All BBC Local Radio stations that aren’t in your region. See channels 612-618 for your local services. |
| 699 | BBC Radio Berkshire | except London and South regions (see channels 612-618) |
| 700 | BBC Radio Bristol | except West region (see channels 612-618) |
| 701 | BBC Radio Cambridgeshire | except East region (see channels 612-618) |
| 702 | BBC Radio Cornwall | except South West region (see channels 612-618) |
| 703 | BBC CWR | except West Midlands region (see channels 612-618) |
| 704 | BBC Radio Cumbria | except North East and North West regions (see channels 612-618) |
| 705 | BBC Radio Derby | except East Midlands, West Midlands, as well as parts of North Midlands and S Yorks (see channels 612-618) |
| 706 | BBC Radio Devon | except South West region (see channels 612-618) |
| 707 | BBC Essex | except East, South East and London regions (see channels 612-618) |
| 708 | BBC Radio Gloucestershire | except West and West Midlands (Ridge Hill) and South (Oxford) regions (see channels 612-618) |
| 709 | BBC Radio Guernsey | except Channel Islands (see channels 612-618) |
| 710 | BBC Hereford & Worcester | except West Midlands region (see channels 612-618) |
| 711 | BBC Radio Humberside | except Yorkshire and E Yorks/Lincs regions (see channels 612-618) |
| 712 | BBC Radio Jersey | except Channel Islands (see channels 612-618) |
| 713 | BBC Radio Kent | except South East region (see channels 612-618) |
| 714 | BBC Radio Lancashire | except North West region (see channels 612-618) |
| 715 | BBC Radio Leeds | except Yorkshire region (see channels 612-618) |
| 716 | BBC Radio Leicester | except East Midlands region (see channels 612-618) |
| 717 | BBC Radio Lincolnshire | except Yorkshire, E Yorks & Lincolnshire and East Midlands regions (see channels 612-618) |
| 718 | BBC Radio London | except London and South East regions (see channels 612-618) |
| 719 | BBC Radio Manchester | except North West region (see channels 612-618) |
| 720 | BBC Radio Merseyside | except North West region (see channels 612-618) |
| 721 | BBC Radio Newcastle | except North East & Cumbria region (see channels 612-618) |
| 722 | BBC Radio Norfolk | except East and E Yorks & Lincolnshire regions (see channels 612-618) |
| 723 | BBC Radio Northampton | except East Midlands and East (Sandy Heath) regions (see channels 612-618) |
| 724 | BBC Radio Nottingham | except East Midlands and E Yorks and Lincolnshire regions (see channels 612-618) |
| 725 | BBC Radio Oxford | except South (Oxford) region (see channels 612-618) |
| 726 | BBC Radio Sheffield | except Yorkshire and E Yorks & Lincs regions (see channels 612-618) |
| 727 | BBC Radio Shropshire | except parts of West Midlands region (see channesl 612-618) |
| 728 | BBC Radio Solent | except South (Rowridge, Hannington, Midhurst) region (see channels 612-618) |
| 729 | BBC Radio Solent for Dorset | except South (Rowridge, Hannington, Midhurst) and South West regions (see channels 612-618) |
| 730 | BBC Radio Somerset | except West and South West regions (see channels 612-618) |
| 731 | BBC Radio Stoke | except West Midlands and North West regions (see channels 612-618) |
| 732 | BBC Radio Suffolk | except East region (see channels 612-618) |
| 733 | BBC Radio Surrey | except South East and London regions (see channels 612-618) |
| 734 | BBC Radio Sussex | except South and South East regions (see channels 612-618) |
| 735 | BBC Radio Tees | except North East and Cumbria region (see channels 612-618) |
| 736 | BBC Three Counties Radio | except London, South (Oxford) and East (Sandy Heath) regions (see channels 612-618) |
| 737 | BBC Radio Wiltshire | except South and West regions (see channels 612-618) |
| 738 | BBC Radio WM | except West Midlands (see channels 612-618) |
| 739 | BBC Radio York | except North East & Cumbria and Yorkshire regions (see channels 612-618) |
| OTHER BBC REGIONS | You won’t be able to watch your regional BBC One here. Go to channel 1 for your local service. | |
| 751 | BBC One London | except London |
| 752 | BBC One South | except South |
| 753 | BBC One East | except East |
| 754 | BBC One East Midlands | except East Midlands |
| 755 | BBC One West Midlands | except West Midlands |
| 756 | BBC One E Yorks and Lincolnshire | except E Yorks and Lincolnshire |
| 757 | BBC One West | except West |
| 758 | BBC One South West | except South West |
| 759 | BBC One Channel Islands | except Channel Islands |
| 760 | BBC One North East and Cumbria | except North East and Cumbria |
| 761 | BBC One North West | except North West |
| 762 | BBC One Yorkshire | except W/S Yorks, parts of N Mids |
| 763 | BBC One South East | except South East |
| 764 | BBC One Scotland | except Scotland |
| 765 | BBC One Wales | except Wales |
| 766 | BBC One Northern Ireland | except Northern Ireland |
| 768 | BBC Two Wales | except Wales |
| 769 | BBC Two Northern Ireland | except Northern Ireland |
TV: * Border Scotland ** Central and Northern Scotland
RADIO: ^ Depending on your region, you’ll receive your local and neighbouring area’s BBC Local Radio station in these slots. Alternatively, you can access any BBC radio station further down the channel list.
If you plug your aerial into your Freely TV, you’ll receive a much wider range of TV channels. You can find out more about what’s available in our dedicated separate article.
By: Marc Thornham | Image: Everyone TV