Freeview successor is coming to Roku TVs with premium perks to rival Sky

The Sun

10-06-2025

Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor
Published: Invalid Date,
FREEVIEW'S successor will appear on even more screens after landing a deal with one of the world's biggest TV brands.
Freely, made from the same company as Freeview, is encouraging viewers away from the humble TV aerial to using Wi-Fi instead.
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This means you don't need to worry about pesky signal issues - nor having to place your telly near the aerial port in the wall.
For the moment, the service is hybrid so it can take Freeview channels the traditional way as well as via broadband.
Just recently, more than a dozen channels you can't get with an aerial were added.
This includes a channel for game show favourite The Chase, all Channel 4's best property shows on 4Homes, plus 5 Cops for all ofmi 5 's real crime hits.
Freely - which is run by BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5's Everyone TV - has been adding a number of device partners since bursting onto the scene over a year ago.
Fire TV was a big newcomer but now Roku is getting on board too.
Freely will be available on the next generation of smart TVs powered by the Roku operating system.
Roku can be found on a number of major TV models, such as Sharp, Polaroid, and METZ.
"Offering Freely on the Roku operating system is a major milestone for us, as we continue to expand reach for the free streaming platform," said Jonathan Thompson, CEO of Everyone TV.
Just last month, Freely announced some new features to rival premium services like Sky's own streamed TV alternative Sky Glass.
A new backward TV guide was introduced, allowing people to scroll back on the screen and instantly see what's been on recently, with a quick link directly to a catch up stream if one is available.
You can scroll back a full seven days.
A Never Miss feature was also added, which highlight programmes coming up, on now, and those you just missed, alongside the biggest and best shows available on demand.
And My List will let you save up to 50 of your favourite shows from the UK's biggest free-to-air broadcasters all in one place so you can keep track of them.
FREELY ON A STICK?
So far, Freely has only been made available on new smart TVs for sale.
But BBC boss Tim Davie recently hinted that a Fire Stick-like device with Freely on it could come in the future.
'We have been working hard to build digital platforms and content to meet changing audience needs, enriching our offer and welcoming the possibilities of a post broadcast world,' he said during a speech at Salford's Lowry Theatre.
'We want to double down on Freely as a universal free service to deliver live TV over broadband.
'And we are considering a streaming media device with Freely capabilities built in, with a radically simplified user interface specifically designed to help those yet to benefit from IP services.'
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE WE REPLACE FREEVIEW
Analysis by Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun
DTT - digital terrestrial television - is the system used for Freeview broadcasts today.
About 18million homes still use it as their main way of watching TV.
Before we even begin to think about switching it off, we have to make sure no one is left behind.
So any internet-based alternative - Freely or otherwise - needs to be just as easy to install and use.
Then there's the matter of broadband.
The UK needs to have reliable broadband everywhere so everyone has access.
Emphasis on reliable - no one wants buffering mid-way through a live football match.
So not only will broadband need to be pretty much everywhere it will need to be fast enough to handle demand all the time.
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