Freeview’s Streaming Expansion: More Channels Planned

Although Freely, the new broadband-based Freeview replacement platform is grabbing all the attention these days, Freeview is still very much alive and kicking – and Everyone TV is proposing changes that will better prepare it for the streaming-rich future.

In recent years, streaming has become an increasingly popular way to watch TV, with more and more broadcasters looking to launch streaming channels alongside (or in place of) traditional broadcast channels.

As a result, Freeview, the UK’s largest free TV platform, has seen a surge in demand for space to accommodate these new hybrid streaming channels.

Hybrid streaming channels, which use a technology called HbbTV (Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV), combine traditional broadcast technology with internet streaming.

When you tune into a hybrid channel on Freeview, your TV first uses the aerial connection to pick up a special application. This application then tells your TV where to find the channel’s content on the internet, which your TV then fetches using its broadband connection.

The advantage of HbbTV is that it allows for a more interactive and on-demand viewing experience, and it allows for more channels to be available on Freeview, without needing more spectrum capacity.

However, the reliance on a broadband connection means that viewers without a reliable internet connection may have difficulty accessing these services.

So in a way, HbbTV channels offer – at the same time – the best of both worlds, and the worst of both worlds. They give you a wider channel selection on Freeview, thanks to streaming, by requiring broadband, but they ALSO require an aerial connection.

Despite these limitations, the popularity of hybrid streaming has grown rapidly on Freeview.

In the past year alone, 21 new hybrid streaming channels have launched on the platform, which now includes channel hubs like Channelbox (on connected Freeview Channel 271), news and international channels, and even TalkTV, which recently replaced its aerial channel with a connected channel on Freeview.

As more broadcasters look to enter this space, Freeview is facing a capacity crunch, with limited channel numbers available for new services.

What Are The Planned Freeview Changes?

To address the lack of enough channel numbers, Everyone TV, the company responsible for managing the UK’s free TV platforms (Freeview, Freesat and Freely), has recently published a consultation proposing changes to the way hybrid streaming channels are organized on Freeview’s Electronic Programme Guide (EPG).

Under the current system, the Freeview EPG is divided into several “genres” (groups), each with its own range of channel numbers, known as Logical Channel Numbers (LCNs).

Hybrid streaming channels are typically found in the “Streamed Services” genre, which occupies LCNs 260-299.

Adjacent to this is the “Text” genre (LCNs 250-259), which was originally intended for text-based information services but has become largely obsolete, with only one active channel remaining – BBC Red Button.

Everyone TV proposes merging the “Text” and “Streamed Services” genres (groups) into a single “Hybrid Streamed and Text” genre, spanning LCNs 250-299. This would provide 50 channel numbers for hybrid streaming services.

Current LCN Ranges:

Proposed LCN Ranges:

As part of the merger, Everyone TV is also proposing a one-off “shuffle-down” process, which would allow existing streaming channels to move to lower channel numbers within the new combined genre.

This would help to fill any gaps left by the merger and ensure a logical channel numbering sequence – but if this happens, get ready for a major Freeview numbering reshuffle.

The proposed changes are a direct response to the growing demand for hybrid streaming channels on Freeview –  by expanding the available channel numbers, Everyone TV hopes to create more opportunities for broadcasters to launch new services and broadband-based channels.

While the changes are still in the proposal stage, with Everyone TV seeking feedback from industry stakeholders and the public (by the deadline of May 31, 2024), they represent another step in the evolution of free TV in the UK, and the move towards streaming.

Of course, some may see this as just a stepping stone towards a fully broadband-based free-to-view service, which Freely intends to eventually become.

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