‘Freeview is going to be switched off.’ That’s the message you may have taken from some recent headlines. But the truth is far less alarming.
Freeview will remain available until at least 31 December 2034, and the government is consulting on whether any move to internet-based television should happen then or be delayed until 2044. So with Freeview as we know it guaranteed for at least another eight years, there’s no need to replace your TV, remove your aerial or change how you watch anything today.
And even when a switch-off eventually happens, it won’t mean familiar channels such as BBC One, ITV or Channel 4 suddenly disappearing. What would change is how those channels reach your television.
Well, that was a short article. But there’s a bit more you might be interested in.
Is Freeview really being switched off?
Most likely, yes. But as we’ve just said, this won’t happen for a good few years yet.
The government’s preferred direction is to move television away from traditional broadcasting and towards delivery over the internet. But the date hasn’t been decided.
The two options currently being considered are the end of 2034 and the end of 2044. The government says there’s a strong case for the earlier date, while recognising that a transition of this scale would bring significant challenges.
Any change would need to work for people who don’t have suitable broadband, find digital services difficult to use or simply rely on Freeview as it works today. Cost, accessibility and the reliability of internet-delivered TV would all need to be addressed.
Why is this being discussed now?
Freeview is the familiar service that delivers live television through an aerial. The technology behind it is known as digital terrestrial television, or DTT. And given that the analogue TV switch-off only finished in 2012, it hasn’t really been around for that long compared to what came before it.
The licences supporting the main national services currently run until 2034, so a decision will be needed about what happens after that. But this isn’t simply an admin-related conversation prompted by an approaching licence date.
Our viewing habits have changed considerably.
More of us now watch television through smart TVs, streaming boxes, phones and tablets. Maintaining the national terrestrial broadcasting network also comes at a cost, particularly as fewer viewers depend on it as their main way to watch.
Freeview also uses radio frequencies that could potentially be used for other forms of wireless communication. But that’s another discussion entirely.
Changes this significant take years to plan. That’s why the discussion is happening now, even though the earliest proposed transition is still more than eight years away. The government is considering how television can move online while continuing to be accessible, resilient and available to everyone.
What could replace Freeview?
One possible clue comes from Freely.
Despite their similar names, Freeview and Freely deliver television in different ways.
- Freeview receives channels through an aerial.
- Freely delivers live and on-demand television through your broadband connection.
Freely brings together programmes and channels from broadcasters including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5. It works through compatible TVs and plug-in streaming devices, without needing an aerial for its internet channels.
It isn’t replacing Freeview today, and there’s no need for existing viewers to switch. But it does show what television could increasingly look like in the future: familiar channels and programmes, delivered over broadband rather than through a rooftop aerial.
That’s similar to the way that the traditional phone network has now almost completely been replaced by voice calls over broadband.
Television is already moving online
For many households, that online TV future has already partly arrived.
We regularly move between live channels, BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Netflix, YouTube and other streaming services without giving much thought to how the picture reaches the screen.
Missed last night’s drama? Open the catch-up app. Want to start a box set from the beginning? Stream it when it suits you. Watching live sport in another room? You may be doing that through an app too.
Even Sky – a name long associated with satellite dishes – now has a major TV service delivered entirely over broadband. Sky Stream brings live channels, on-demand programmes and streaming apps together through a small box connected to your television, with no satellite dish required.
Streaming once sat alongside normal television, but increasingly it simply is television.
Whatever the final Freeview switch-off date proves to be, the way we watch has already changed.
What does streaming TV mean for your broadband?
When television arrives through the internet, your broadband connection becomes part of the viewing experience.
You don’t need the fastest package available simply to watch a programme. But you do need a connection that’s reliable and consistent.
A poor connection can mean buffering, interruptions or a drop in picture quality. And when you’re watching something live, even a brief problem can mean missing the moment everyone’s talking about.
The television probably won’t be the only device using your broadband either. Another screen could be streaming upstairs, while someone else is gaming, making a video call or watching videos on their phone.
Your WiFi matters too. A strong connection reaching the router is only part of the story if the signal struggles to reach the room where you watch TV. Our guide to improving your home WiFi explains what you can do about that.
And when multiple people are streaming, gaming or using the internet at once, there’s another challenge. We explored that in The WiFi wars: why your family’s streaming is pushing your broadband to its limits.
Where full fibre comes in
Full fibre is particularly well suited to homes that increasingly depend on broadband for entertainment and everyday life.
Older part-fibre services still use copper for the final section of the connection to your home. Full fibre uses fibre-optic cable all the way into your home, removing that older copper section and providing a more reliable and consistent connection.
It’s available at a range of speeds, so you can choose a package that fits the way your household uses the internet. That could mean one person streaming television today, or several screens and devices being used at the same time in the years ahead.
Full fibre can’t guarantee perfect WiFi in every room, and you don’t need to buy the highest speed just because you enjoy streaming. But it’s particularly well suited to homes where live TV, catch-up services and the rest of everyday life increasingly rely on the same connection.
Nothing changes yet – but television already has
There’s no need to worry about losing Freeview any time soon. It will remain available until at least the end of 2034, and the final timetable for any switch-off hasn’t yet been decided.
But television is already becoming more reliant on broadband. That makes the quality of your connection – and the provider behind it – increasingly important.
We’ve been a Which? Recommended Broadband Provider for six years running and named PC Pro’s Best Broadband ISP for 22 consecutive years. We’re also rated Excellent on Trustpilot. That’s independent recognition of the broadband and support we provide.
