Freely to replace Freeview

[IwantToRetire]

Apparently this is going ahead. ie tv will no longer be broadcast via aerial within the next 10 years.

Given how many places in the UK still dont have internet coverage, will they go ahead if this isn't fixed by then.

Also, which is bit of a cheek I think, you cant buy a didgy box or dongle, you have to buy a tv with Freely installed.

Not forgetting that many users of Freeview are older people, and despite newspapers stories, they dont all have bulging bank accounts.

If Freeview goes, and Freely which just uses catch up tv options, is that the end of schedule broadcasting by different channels.

How awful

Once they did the phone lines though, this was coming

I cant remember the phone lines ever being down in my youth

The broadband is down once a week now!

It will be interesting to see what happens about the TV Licence if live TV no longer exists.

Given how many places in the UK still dont have internet coverage, will they go ahead if this isn't fixed by then.

Yes, given that they've already gone ahead with the phone lines and a lot of the personal home alarms don't work properly anymore. Shame our elected MPs didn't make more of a noise about it 😠

What's the source of your story?

There have been a number of news paper articles and a House of Commons debate.

My OP was just a summary of what is being said.

My interest was I thought they had decided to let Freeview continue.

What I couldn't find, but remember from a few years ago, that what it is really about is the (dont know what they are called!) the broadcast channels(!) that would be free for other uses, if tv was no longer being broadcast in this way.

I didn't read / watch these, but used the simpler news articles

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002jdj3

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cdp-2025-0169/

Ah what! I still have and use Freeview!
I still have and use my Tele aerials
What if the WiFi goes down!
I don't want this

Agreed. The idea that the internet could go down, whether locally let alone nationally is quite a worry.

And in fact when there were 3 days when VM was down, I was really glad I still had Freeview.

Although am still quite put out that the think the alternative should only be available via buying a new tv. I bet there wont be any in the cheaper range!

Thank heaven for DVDs.

Can't watch EastEnders on DVD though. I'm not elderly, but sufficiently old and financially challenged to require things to be on their last legs before I can justify the upgrade. And in my house, the digital service, though technically a high spec, isn't always reliable enough to guarantee smooth streaming on my TV.