menuMENU    UK Free TV logo Freeview

 

 

Click to see updates

Two new Freeview channels - almost everywhere

A nice match between the BBC and Arqiva will provide two full time Freeview channels.

A nice match between the BBC and Arqiva will provide two full t
published on UK Free TV

If you are using, or will use a Public Service (small relay) transmitter, please look away now.

For everyone else, the removal of the BBC News Interactive and one Interactive channel has an upside.

The BBC is selling the capacity used by these services to provide two more slots to the commercial market. This means two more channels in areas that have not switched over yet.

At the same time, Arqiva is adding two more full-time video streams (TV channels) over Multiplexes ARQA and ARQB, for those regions that HAVE switched over.

This means, in effect, that as soon as next month there could be two new full-time channels on Freeview.

No doubt it will be ITV3+1 or More4+1+1, but we can hope. Perhaps Yesterday will expand again?



(The most watched non-premium, non-Sky, non-plus-one channels are 0.6%: Living TV; 0.4%: Comedy Central, G.O.L.D., Hallmark, Sci-Fi Channel, Watch; 0.3%: Alibi, Nick Jr, Nicktoons; 0.2%: Boomerang, Bravo, Cartoon Network, Challenge TV, FX, Good Food, Nickelodeon.).

Which two channels would YOU like on Freeview next month?



Help with Television sets?
Why are all TVs on sale not digital?1
Do I still have to pay for a TV licence?2
I had perfect channel 5 reception - until I got a digital TV box!3
I Have a Pocket Tv For taking out so I can keep up with news and sport. Will thi4
The pictures from my digital box are all green!5
In this section
Why did the BBC just use 1.1 Million TV Licences to buy UKTV from Discovery? 1
ITV and Freeview2
New Freeview Mobile App Launching in January 20193
Freeview 2024?4
Broadcasters collaborate to secure future of free-to-view TV 5
BBC Local Radio on Freeview 6

Comments
Friday, 20 December 2019
S
StevensOnln1
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

2:13 PM

F Vallis: Those are both subscription channels so it is unlikely that they will appear on Freeview.

link to this comment
StevensOnln1's 3,607 posts GB flag
Saturday, 4 January 2020
T
TK
10:48 PM
Colchester

I think as old non-internet connected TV/receivers die off it would be useful to have ALL +1 channels removed from OTA DVB-T/T2 and placed as a red button option on each channel supporting it to stream the +1 channel content and free up OTA Freeview multiplexes for unique channels with the original OTA channel still being available for delayed viewing using PVR facility that is quite common via dedicated devices or external USB storage. Similar to how 4Music provides other streaming channels via the MHEG controlled buttons or some programs offer a HD internet stream of their normally SD content. (I wish more broadcasters would do that while freeview HD is such a patchwork for coverage of the full 15 HD channel service)

link to this comment
TK's 6 posts GB flag
TK's: mapT's Freeview map terrainT's terrain plot wavesT's frequency data T's Freeview Detailed Coverage
T
TK
10:56 PM
Colchester

L Wilkins: are any of your sky package you want on NOW TV platform? There could be a cheaper option to stream using a NOW TV subscription alongside FreeviewHD+ Play

link to this comment
TK's 6 posts GB flag
TK's: mapT's Freeview map terrainT's terrain plot wavesT's frequency data T's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Friday, 7 February 2020
T
Tish
7:51 PM

Alibi and W on freeview please...more useful than any plus ones...

link to this comment
Tish's 1 post GB flag
M
Michael
sentiment_satisfiedGold

10:33 PM

Not all can be pleased all of the time... Not all can afford a smart TV. Not all have a 3G or 4G mobile-phone signal. Not all have internet; not all have sufficient download speed for streaming TV, not all have access to Freesat. The BBC relegated BBC3 to the internet, but with limited success, so is now repeating some BBC3 programmes on its main channels. All viewers would never agree on which channels to prioritise on Freeview.. Not a few channels might seem to have limited appeal. Viewing statistics determine which channels are commercially viable. A standalone TV recorder is a good alternative to the +1 option, but not cheap and demand is evidently fading. In short : life ain't fair...

link to this comment
Michael's 869 posts GB flag
S
StevensOnln1
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

11:00 PM

Tish: W and Alibi are both pay channels, there is little chance of them appearing on Freeview or Freesat any time soon.

link to this comment
StevensOnln1's 3,607 posts GB flag
Thursday, 1 July 2021
S
Steve C.
4:31 PM

It would NICE if the BBC transmitted BBC 4 in HD on Freeview instead of leasing it to commercial interests. CBBC HD is transmitted during the daytime, so without interrupting, there is technically space in the evening.
It was available on COM 7 now closed, although only a smaller number of transmitters broadcasted it anyway.
It's almost as if the BBC want to run down the service, from Arts to "archive". If funding is an issue, then there are plenty of daytime dreck 'Pimple in the attic paint competion' style monstrosities waiting to be slayed.

link to this comment
Steve C.'s 2 posts GB flag
S
Steve C
4:33 PM

It would NICE if the BBC transmitted BBC 4 in HD on Freeview instead of leasing it to commercial interests. CBBC HD is transmitted during the daytime, so without interrupting, there is technically space in the evening.
It was available on COM 7 now closed, although only a smaller number of transmitters broadcasted it anyway.
It's almost as if the BBC want to run down the service, from Arts to "archive". If funding is an issue, then there are plenty of daytime dreck 'Pimple in the attic paint competition' style monstrosities waiting to be slayed.

link to this comment
Steve C's 2 posts GB flag
S
StevensOnln1
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

4:51 PM

Steve C: BBC Four HD is still being broadcast on COM7, sharing capacity with CBeebies HD, it hasn't closed although COM7 is set to close within the next 12 months. The BBC are making major changes to their HD channels on Freeview in order to make all BBC One regions available in HD, so it is possible that BBC Four HD and CBeebies HD may move to the PSB3 multiplex (although this is just speculation and has not been confirmed).

link to this comment
StevensOnln1's 3,607 posts GB flag
C
Chris.SE
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

10:13 PM

Steve C:

Just a few more facts - There were 30 IIRC main transmitters broadcasting the two temporary multiplexes COMs 7&8. This went down to 25 during the 700MHz Clearance programme, this was because the equipment and antennae at the transmitters where they closed were not suitable for the move to the SFN UHF channels 55 & 56, nor would it have been commercially viable to upgrade the equipment for a temporary period.
COM8 was closed in June 2020 by Arqiva for commercial reasons - in the main due to the advertising climate during that stage of the pandemic. Some +1 channels closed and BBC Four HD and BBC News HD moved to COM7. Coverage of COM 7 is around 70% of the country (it never was a lot more, likewise COM8).

link to this comment
Chris.SE's 4,103 posts GB flag
Select more comments

Your comment please
Please post a question, answer or commentUK Free TV is here to help people. If you are rude or disrespectful all of your posts will be deleted and you will be banned.







Privacy policy: UK Free Privacy policy.