If you’re looking to upgrade to a new Smart TV in the coming months – the switch is likely to mean giving up Freeview. That’s because Freely, a new broadband-powered alternative from the Freeview team is fast becoming the new standard for TV manufacturers across the UK.
Freely, which launched in April with a single TV brand on board, it’s not a software update available to existing Freeview and Freesat viewers. it’s only available on brand new hardware designed for software.
Since its initial launch, Freely is now the default way to watch linear TV channels from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, Sky Arts and dozens of other popular channels in new models from six different manufacturers: Hisense, Bush, Panasonic, Toshiba, Sharp and Metz.
With Freely, the redesigned Mini Guide provides additional information about the program you’re watching, a shortcut to additional episodes from streaming services, and the ability to restart from the beginning with a single tap.
OFFICE OF THE FREE PRESS | GBN
The biggest omission remains Samsung, the world’s best-selling TV brand for the past 18 years. All TV has teased that we can expect “new smart TV brands to appear over the next few months,” but there’s no guarantee that Samsung will decide to adopt this new platform.
Freely has been developed by the teams at Everyone TV – the same organization behind the likes of Freeview and Freesat – and supported by the UK’s biggest broadcasters, including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. One of the most Its big selling point is the ability to stream live television and on-demand content over a Wi-Fi connection.
This means that you will be able to place your TV EVERYWHERE in your home, not just where there is an antenna.
It also unlocks a bunch of new features that you’re more likely to see like Sky Glass, Heavenly flowAND Virgin StreamAND EE TV box — like the ability to restart a show from the beginning with a single tap if you missed the start of the broadcast. Freely has also worked hard to seamlessly bring together its library of on-demand episodes from broadcasters such as BBC iPlayer and ITVX, as well as upcoming live episodes.
However, this industry-wide trend has some experts warning that those without a good internet connection could be left unable to watch live television by 2040.
It’s also worth noting that while Freely offers some impressive functionality similar to Sky Stream, there are some areas where existing Freeview TV doesn’t. While the Freely can stream some of the most popular linear channels over a Wi-Fi or ethernet connection, you’ll STILL you need to hook up an aerial to access a channel list that’s closer to what you’d expect from Freeview.
It boasts 28 free-to-air TV channels transmitted over a Wi-Fi connectioncompared to the 100 or more linear channels available with Freeview via a traditional aerial.
Freely provides quick access to previously aired episodes of a show, without having to search for and launch a specific app – such as the BBC’s iPlayer – from the service’s main menu
OFFICE OF THE FREE PRESS | GBN
Since the new TV platform has been designed from the ground up, the channel numbers have been changed. If you’ve memorized the channel numbers for Freeview, you’ll have to forget everything you know. For example, Sky Mix appears on Freeview channel 11 but is bumped to channel 23 on Freely.
And finally, Free will always favor live TV over a broadband connection, as this will be in high definition (HD) compared to the lower resolution feed available via a traditional aerial. This should make for a better viewing experience, but means you’ll need a good internet connection to continue watching.
Freely requires a minimum broadband speed of 10Mbps, which should be possible as the average home broadband speed in the UK is 69Mbps. However, if you live in a busy household with lots of people trying to tune in and watch live streaming via Freely – you’ll need at least 10Mbps for current.
For context, Netflix only requires a minimum of 5Mbps for 1080p HD picture quality, while Sky Stream viewers will need at least 25Mbps to ensure a good viewing experience.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
As long as you’re covered by a valid TV license, everything on Freely brings together live, on-demand content in one place for free. The launch of this broadband-powered platform comes as research reveals that half of UK homes will watch TV exclusively over Wi-Fi by 2030.
As well as channels from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, Everyone TV confirmed discussions are taking place with UKTV to bring its portfolio of free-to-air channels to Freely over your broadband connection. UKTV, the award-winning brand that owns and operates channels such as Dave, Drama, Yesterday and W, has announced plans to undergo a sweeping rebrand this week.