After months of waiting, UK homes now have a brand-new way to tune in and watch TV. Freely was first announced late last year with this service promising to match devices like Sky Stream and offer UK telly addicts the option to view live and on-demand content via their broadband. That means there’s no need to have an aerial drilled into the chimney.
Sky has been offering this smart way of viewing content for a number of years but its Glass television and Steam set-top box both come with a monthly fee. Prices for these gadgets – including content – start from over £25 per month.
That’s not the case with Freely. Although you will need to buy a new television with this app built-in, there are no additional subscriptions or extra charges to pay. Just like Sky Glass, everything comes packed inside the TV itself so you don’t need additional set-top boxes or dongles to enjoy an evening of entertainment.
TESTED: Find out how we got on when testing Freely for the first time
All you have to do is plug things in, type in your Wi-Fi password and you’ll get instant access to what’s currently being broadcast by providers such as the BBC, Channel 4 and ITV along with a whole swathe of on-demand content.
Freely also includes helpful recommendations, a full channel guide and a neat MiniGuide plus there’s easy ways to see what’s being shown next along with finding previous episodes of shows you are watching.
You can also pause live TV for up to 15 minutes then restart where you left off.
If some of this sounds familiar then that’s probably because Freely has been created by Everyone TV – that’s the same team behind Freeview and Freesat. As we mentioned earlier, the big difference with this new platform is that it’s a full streaming platform rather than receiving content over the airwaves.
So how do you access Freely?
A number of TV manufacturers are launching TVs with Freely built-in. Hisense is one of the big names to confirm its screens will have this service built-in with more firms, such as JVC, Toshiba and Bush, expected to join the party soon.
TVs will be available in stores across the UK and online at retailers such as Currys, Argos, AO and Very.
How many channels will you get?
At launch, Freely can’t match the might of Sky. Around 30 live channels are available via this streaming service including BBC, ITV, Channel and Channel 5 services. More providers look set to sign up in the future so watch this space.
How much does it cost?
Freely won’t be available on current TVs with the app only coming pre-installed on new screens. There’s no word on how much these televisions will cost but once you have purchased them there are no additional fees to pay.
Speaking about the launch, Kieran Clifton, Director, BBC Distribution & Business Development, said: “The launch of Freely is a historic moment for UK television. Collaboration between the UK PSBs is critical to connecting and protecting all audiences as we transition towards the streaming era – and delivering live TV over broadband for free is a ground-breaking innovation that will futureproof public service broadcasting.”
