When it comes to sheer user numbers, Freeview still leads the pack with millions of homes continuing to use this system for their nightly telly binge. With over one hundred channels that can all be watched for free, it’s no wonder so many people stick with Freeview rather than paying for premium services such as Sky or Virgin Media.
It’s a tough platform to beat, but it does have one thorn in its side—the weather. Just last weekend, a band of high pressure left some users facing signal issues, with Freeview issuing an alert and telling homes not to retune their TVs.
The problems lasted for a full 5 days, and it’s not the first time this has happened. Over the past year, there have been a number of occasions when high pressure has disrupted viewing.
It clearly won’t be the last time this happens, and, sadly, these conditions are completely out of Freeview’s control.
As the BBC explains, “High pressure can cause two potential problems.
“The first is that you receive a weaker signal, as the signal from your local transmitter is lifted higher into the sky. The second is that the signal from a distant transmitter interferes with your reception.”
If you are one of many UK Freeview users suffering from those weather nightmares, then there is another option.
Freely – which is actually run by the same team as Freeview – launched last year, and one thing it isn’t bothered by is the weather.
That’s because movies, TV shows and sporting action is all beamed to the big screen using a broadband instead. This makes things super easy to install and much more reliable. The only thing that will hamper it is if the internet connection goes offline.
There are other benefits of Freely as it now comes built into a swathe of new TVs, it gets features such as being able to pause live TV and seeing recommendations of things to watch.
With the Freeview license also running out in 2034, it seems there will be a huge push to get more people switched over to streaming.
This focus already seems apparent with Freely getting more and more updates and features aimed at making it seem more appealing.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen Freely getting a backwards TV guide, which lets users skip back in time and watch shows that have already aired on television.
A “My List” upgrade was also added, which makes it easier to find and keep favourite shows.
Since it launched back in May last year, more TV manufacturers have joined the Freely revolution, and the BBC has hinted that a Freely-powered set-top box could arrive in the future. This would mean homes without a compatible screen could get instant access as well.
With Sky’s streaming products – including Sky Stream and Sky Glass – now the firm’s best sellers and with Freely getting big improvements, it seems the way we all access TV is changing.
Speaking about the latest changes, Sarah Milton, Co-Chief Product Officer at Freely, said:”Our new features—Backwards TV Guide, Never Miss, and My List—make finding, saving, and jumping back into great content effortless, whether live or on demand. Freely keeps evolving, offering premium features for free that other streaming platforms don’t have.”