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Freeview (UK)

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This article is about the United Kingdom digital terrestrial television service. For the New Zealand digital terrestrial and satellite television service, see Freeview (New Zealand).
Freeview
(DTV Services Ltd)
Company typeDigital terrestrial television provider
IndustryMedia
Founded2002
HeadquartersUnited Kingdom London
Key people
Cary Wakefield (General Manager)
ProductsPackage of free-to-air digital terrestrial television channels
Websitewww.freeview.co.uk

Freeview is the operator of free digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom, using the DVB-T standard. The Freeview brand name, owned by DTV Services,[1] is used to promote the free digital terrestrial television service as a whole and those services operated by companies who rent capacity from Freeview Consortium shareholders.[2]

Overview

Freeview was launched on 30 October 2002 at 6 am when it took over the digital terrestrial television (DTT) licence to broadcast on three multiplexes from the defunct ITV Digital (originally called ONdigital).

The founding members of DTV Services were the BBC, National Grid Wireless and British Sky Broadcasting. On 11 October 2005, they were joined by ITV plc and Channel 4. The Freeview service broadcasts free-to-air television channels, radio stations and interactive services from the BBC, Sky and other broadcasters.

2007, Q2, UK's 60 million TV sets (not homes, Ofcom figures[3])

As of the end of December 2006, 30.4% of first sets and 25.6% of all TV sets in the UK use Freeview. 7,703,000 of the 25.3 million UK homes are 'Freeview only', with 15.3 million Freeview enabled TVs (and integrated digital televisions) in 10.5 million homes.

[3]

The Freeview model has been copied in a number of countries including France and Spain.[citation needed]

Service costs

Freeview offers no premium or pay-per-view channels and no subscription channels; the name distinguishes the service from ITV Digital, cable and satellite digital TV services. To receive the Freeview services, a set-top box (typically available from £20) or a new television with an integrated digital tuner is required. DTT reception cards for computers are also available for a similar price. Some viewers also need an aerial upgrade which can cost around £80 to £180.[4] In addition, the annual television licence must be purchased, as is required for all viewers of broadcast television in the UK irrespective of the method of reception.[5]

In addition to Freeview, a subscription-based service, Top Up TV, launched in March 2004 using unused channel space on Multiplexes that were owned by parties, who at the time, were not members of the Freeview consortium. The Top Up TV service is not connected with the Freeview service; it simply runs alongside it on the DTT platform. It was possible to receive Top Up TV selected Freeview set-top boxes or televisions equipped with a card slot or CI slot, however, this was discontinued in 2006 in favour of "Top Up TV Anytime", a service which depends on a proprietary set top box.

The Digital TV Group made up of all the multiplex owners, is responsible for co-ordination between Freeview and Top Up TV services.

Coverage and reception

Approximately 73% of households are in a location that can receive Freeview broadcasts.[6] Maximum Freeview coverage of the UK whilst analogue and digital services are running in tandem has now been reached.[7] The British government plans to switch off analogue transmitters region-by-region, starting in 2007,[8] to allow for an increase in both Freeview coverage and transmitter power. The government estimates that the coverage level of the three public service broadcasting multiplexes will reach 98.5% of the population (the same as analogue television) and six-multiplex reception will cover 90% of the population once the digital switchover has been completed in 2012.

Freeview Playback

Main article: Freeview Playback

Freeview Playback is a consumer brand created in the UK by the DTG Group to "raise consumer awareness and promote sales" of Freeview-capable digital video recorders. Players which meet specified quality and functionality criteria are permitted to carry the Freeview Playback logo, and benefit from joint marketing and consumer confidence.

Freeview channels

A full list of digital terrestrial television channels in the UK is also available, which includes the additional Top Up TV and Setanta Sports services.

TV channels

  1. BBC One (some regional variations in programming)
  2. BBC Two (some regional variations in programming)
  3. ITV1, STV or UTV[9] (some regional variations in programming)
  4. Channel 4 (except Wales) or S4C Digidol (Wales only)
  5. Five
  6. ITV2
  7. BBC Three
  8. Channel 4 (Wales only) or TeleG (Scotland only)
  9. BBC Four
  10. ITV3
  11. Sky Three
  12. UKTV History (does not broadcast for its full hours on Freeview)
  13. Channel 4+1[10]
  14. More4
  15. QVC (reduced hours in Wales)
  16. The Hits
  17. Dave
  18. Virgin 1 (does not broadcast for its full hours on Freeview)
  19. TMF
  20. Ideal World
  21. bid tv (reduced hours in Wales)
  22. price-drop tv
  23. ITV4
  24. E4
  25. E4+1[10]
  26. ITV2+1[10]
  27. Film4
  28. Five US
  29. Five Life
  30. SmileTV
  31. Nuts TV
  32. Gems TV (launching soon)
  33. CBBC Channel
  34. CBeebies
  35. CITV Channel
  36. BBC News 24
  37. BBC Parliament
  38. Sky News
  39. Sky Sports News
  40. S4C2 (Wales only)
  41. Community Channel (does not broadcast for its full hours on Freeview)
  42. Teachers' TV (does not broadcast for its full hours on Freeview)
  43. Television X/Red Hot (does not broadcast for its full hours on Freeview only 10 minute free viewing at 11PM)

Radio stations

  1. BBC Radio 1
  2. BBC Radio 1Xtra
  3. BBC Radio 2
  4. BBC Radio 3
  5. BBC Radio 4 (FM version)
  6. BBC Radio 5 Live
  7. BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra
  8. BBC Radio 6 Music
  9. BBC 7
  10. BBC Radio Asian Network
  11. BBC World Service (English language European service)
  12. The Hits Radio
  13. Smash Hits (not available in Wales)
  14. Kiss 100
  15. Heat
  16. Magic 105.4
  17. Q
  18. Oneword
  19. 102.2 Smooth Radio
  20. BBC Radio Scotland (MW version; Scotland only), BBC Radio Wales (Wales only) or BBC Radio Ulster (Northern Ireland only)
  21. BBC Radio nan Gaidheal (Scotland only), BBC Radio Cymru (Wales only) or BBC Radio Foyle (Northern Ireland only)
  22. Mojo (not available in Wales)
  23. Kerrang!
  24. talkSPORT
  25. Clyde 1
  26. Premier Christian Radio
  27. U105 (Northern Ireland only)
  28. Virgin Radio
  29. Heart 106.2 (Northern England, Southern England, Wales, Southern Scotland and the Isle of Man only) or 100.7 Heart FM (West Midlands only) or Heart 106 (East Midlands only)

Text and interactive services

  1. Teletext
  2. Teletext Holidays
  3. Teletext Cars
  4. Teletext Games
  5. Teletext on 4
  6. BBCi
  7. Sky Text

Future channels

Gems TV[11]
4 Music[12][failed verification]

Former channels

See also

Notes and references

  1. ^ "DTV Services Limited Company Profile". February 22 2007. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ "Channel 4 buys new Freeview slot". 29 November 2005. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |published= ignored (help)
  3. ^ a b "The Communications Market: Digital Progress Report Digital TV, Q2 2007" (PDF). Ofcom. 22 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-22. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". Confederation of Aerial Industries Ltd. Retrieved 2006-06-22.
  5. ^ "TV Licensing - TV Licence Information". Retrieved 2007-05-04.
  6. ^ "Freeview Facts: When will I be able to get Freeview?". Retrieved 2006-12-06.
  7. ^ "Freeview FAQ: I have no coverage, what can I do now?". Retrieved 2006-12-06.
  8. ^ "First digital TV switch date set". BBC News. 15 March 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ ITV1 is the brand name for twelve of the fifteen regional ITV Network franchises and is used in England, Wales, southern Scotland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. Each of these twelve franchises has a separate brand name used prior to local programming (see ITV1). STV is the brand name for the franchises for central and northern Scotland. All fifteen franchises broadcast their services between 09:25 and 06:00. GMTV operates the franchise for national breakfast television and operates between 06:00 and 09:25.
  10. ^ a b c Channels whose name is the same as another channel with "+1" appended transmit the same content as the named channel delayed by one hour.
  11. ^ http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/tvlicensing/dtt/1689.htm
  12. ^ http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117962004.html?categoryid=18&cs=1
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