Freeview is the UK’s free-to-air digital terrestrial television service. Launched in 2002, it is supported by all major UK free-to-air broadcasters. In recent years, a new hybrid service – Freeview Play – has been developed. It combines traditional linear TV with on-demand and catch-up TV.
Prerequisites
✔ Regular TV set (all regular TVs sold in the UK have an inbuilt tuner to receive Freeview channels; look for TVs with the Freeview Play branding to benefit from extra features)
✔ TV aerial
❌ You can’t receive Freeview via the internet, satellite or cable or via mobile or tablet devices. For satellite, choose Freesat. For a TV service delivered via the internet, try Sky Stream, Virgin Media Stream or the new Freely service, which launches in 2024.
What is Freeview?
Freeview provides access to the main UK free-to-air broadcasters via a traditional TV aerial.
It’s free in the sense that the signals are broadcast unencrypted, you don’t have to register a viewing card and you don’t have to pay a subscription to another service (e.g broadband) in order to access it. (As with all TV platforms, viewers need to be covered by a TV licence.)
What’s the difference between Freeview and Freeview Play?
Freeview is just the standard, traditional linear TV service.
Freeview Play combines linear TV via your TV aerial with on-demand and catch-up TV from BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, Legend, POP and UKTV on Smart TVs and boxes.
Catch-up TV is integrated into the Electronic Programme Guide allowing viewers to scroll back and watch programmes that have been broadcast in the last seven days on channels that support the service.
In addition, newer Freeview Play devices will auto-swap SD for HD channels, so you’ll see the HD versions on the top channel slots.
You can tell if the device you’re using is a standard Freeview device or a Freeview Play device by going to Freeview channel 100. If you can see a plain text screen, with black background, you’ve got the older Freeview service. If you can see a portal to Freeview Play with all the different catch-up services, you’re on the next generation service.
How do I get Freeview?
You need a working TV aerial and either a Freeview box or TV with Freeview built-in. Freeview Play contains the most up-to-date specifications for receiving Freeview going forward. Older Freeview receivers may not be able to receive the full set of Freeview channels and on-demand services.
Which channels can I receive on Freeview?
The number of channels available on Freeview depends on where you live and which TV transmitter you are receiving your signals from.
Visit the Freeview website for a prognosis of which channels should be available: https://www.freeview.co.uk/check-channels-home
You may need to consult a local aerial specialist if you find you can’t receive all the channels listed at the above site.
Why can’t I get all the Freeview channels?
Freeview reception is dependant on which transmitter your aerial is pointing at and what type of receiver you are using.
- Relay transmitters may typically only carry around 20 Freeview channels, while the main transmitters offer a wider choice of channels. Relay transmitters are designed to fill in coverage where hills or tall buildings stop reception from the main transmitter.
- You will need a Freeview HD or Freeview Play TV if you are unable to receive HD channels.
- Visit the Freeview website for a prognosis of which channels should be available: https://www.freeview.co.uk/check-channels-home
You may need to consult a local aerial specialist if you find you can’t receive all the channels listed at the above site.
Is Freeview available on Samsung TVs?
Newer Samsung TVs no longer specifically mention Freeview support or carry the Freeview logo, which has made some consumers wonder if the TVs can receive Freeview.
However, Samsung TVs can receive Freeview’s terrestrial TV service. This is subject to coverage and the condition of the TV aerial being used to receive the channels.
But newer Samsung TVs don’t support some of the newer Freeview services, like Freeview Play or the Accessible TV Guide.
Only devices that display the Freeview or Freeview Play logo on their packaging and marketing material fully support all the different elements of Freeview.
What do I need to watch Freeview and Freeview Play?
Freeview requires a normal TV aerial. For optimal reception, the aerial needs to be installed on the roof – although in strong signal areas, an indoor aerial may work – but could be more prone to interference.
You will also need a TV aerial for Freeview Play: it relies on a combination of TV signals via your aerial and content from the internet.
Connected Freeview devices that can access services such as the BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All4, My5 and more, require a broadband connection. At the very least 2.5Mbps is needed, but some devices require at least 10Mbps. The faster your broadband connection, the more likely you’ll be able to stream content in HD or even 4K UHD, where available.
Can I get Freeview without an aerial?
You need a TV aerial to receive Freeview.
However, the broadcasters behind Freeview are launching a new streaming platform called Freely in 2024. This will allow viewers to stream channels without an aerial. You’ll need a Freely device for this.
Can I get Freeview via satellite?
Freeview is not available via satellite, although many of the channels carried on Freeview are also broadcast on satellite. If you want to use a satellite dish to receive free-to-air television only, try Freesat.
Why is Freeview Channel numbering so weird?
Freeview channel numbering is governed by Everyone TV (formerly known as Digital UK), the manager of digital terrestrial TV services in the UK, under a series of complex channel listing rules.
Individual broadcasters may from time-to-time embark on a reshuffle of their Freeview channels, including removing services and adding new ones. Some channel numbers in the Freeview channel list will be blank, because they’re only being used in some areas, or they carry channels that can only be received on newer devices.
Certain channels, such as shopping channels, may appear in unexpected places on the Freeview channel list, as result of historic allocations of channel numbers (first come, first served). Some of these allocations dated back to before Freeview was launched and there has been repeated resistance by shopping channel operators at attempts to create a separate area for them. In 2011, the issue even reached the Houses of Parliament.
Retuning Freeview
If you have a Freeview Play device, you may not need to retune for every minor event. Some TVs process changes automatically. However, you should retune when there’s a major change, such as frequency change.
However, older TVs may need to be retuned more frequently, to ensure the channel list is up to date.
HD
To receive Freeview HD channels, you need a device with a DVB-T2 tuner. All newer devices with the Freeview Play logo have DVB-T2 support built in.
All viewers with compatible devices can receive the main 5 channels in HD on channels 101-105. Additional HD channels are subject to local coverage.
4K UHD
There are currently no 4K UHD channels on Freeview, although on-demand content in UHD is supported on newer devices.
4G interference
Freeview broadcasts alongside mobile phone services that use frequencies previously allocated to TV services (the so-called 800MHz frequency band). A small number of viewers may need to install a 4G filter to reduce unwanted interference. Please visit www.restoretv.uk for more information.
There were just over 22,000 cases of 4G interference to Freeview up to August 2017. That’s when the last set of figures were published. Sadly, these figures are no longer published in the public domain.