Freeview changes: 29th/30th June as COM7 closes

[Brekkie]

More details now about the changes to Freeview as a result of COM7 closing.   Strangely they take place over two retunes next week (and oddly during Wimbledon - previously they've avoided making changes during higher profile events).

As previously announced Forces TV closes completely and now confirmed Freesports will leave Freeview.   More4+1 and PSB America +1 also close, whilst the CBS Channels rebrand and 4Music becomes E4 Extra.

However space has been found for Quest Red+1, the two That's TV channels and Together TV.   NOW 80s continues in Manchester only (how had that local mux not been snapped up for mobile coverage?)

HD wise BBC4/CBeebies HD move muxes whilst BBC News HD, QVC HD and Quest HD all close.

https://rxtvinfo.com/2022/two-days-of-fr...he-changes

[Robert Williams]

Not noted on the above article, but mentioned on the Freeview website is that CBS Drama, rebranding as RealityXtra, will have a 'reduction to coverage', so is presumably moving to the local mux, which means one space freed up for a channel moving from COM7.

https://www.freeview.co.uk/help/service-...-june-2022

Overall, for those of us who live outside of COM7's transmission area, the changes are good news as we are gaining channels rather than losing some!

[Charlie]

 now confirmed Freesports will leave Freeview.  

Doesn't that pretty much kill the 'Free' part in Freesports? Since it's no longer available on Freesat.

[London Lite]

Freesports is free on the STV player.

[Brekkie]

It's also on Samsung TV Plus, but I wonder if they might turn it into Premier Sports 3 as they could probably do with that now. However some of their rights (MLS for example) seem to be specific for free-TV and the UEFA Nations League / Qualfiers deal supposedly included a commitment to airing some home nations games FTA.

[Markymark]

Someone close to the project told me, regarding applying any changes during Wimbledon/Glastonbury is not a factor that affects the changes to PSB3 (on this occasion)

[seamus]

Honestly appalling that BBC News HD is being eliminated on Freeview. I understand that it is still available in HD via iPlayer but it certainly deserves terrestrial coverage in HD.

[Brekkie]

It is ridiculous we are in this situation of losing HD channels but as we are right that CBeebies/BBC4 is prioritised considering the news channel content is on other channels in HD for around 12 hours a day.

[telebox2001]

Honestly appalling that BBC News HD is being eliminated on Freeview. I understand that it is still available in HD via iPlayer but it certainly deserves terrestrial coverage in HD.

Agree, not everyone wants to use the iPlayer, especially old dears who must struggle to work it out, even if they have capable equipment and a broadband connection.

HD is a real point of difference over Sky, GB and Talk

[Blubatt]

In my opinion, this is going to keep on happening. The move from linear to non linear television is not stopping, and the demand for freeview television sets just isn't there anymore, given that a HDMI stick can just be plugged in on any TV, and you have all your channels and internet stuff on there. Im not saying its good, I think it deprives poorer families of choice. Without speculating, I can see Freesat and Freeview merging into one service, given both are owned by the same company, and frequencies are taken off of Freeview.

[no1fanofthepals]

Freesports is free on the STV player.

FreeSports hasn't been on STV Player since 2021.

[i.h]

In my opinion, this is going to keep on happening. The move from linear to non linear television is not stopping, and the demand for freeview television sets just isn't there anymore, given that a HDMI stick can just be plugged in on any TV, and you have all your channels and internet stuff on there. Im not saying its good, I think it deprives poorer families of choice. Without speculating, I can see Freesat and Freeview merging into one service, given both are owned by the same company, and frequencies are taken off of Freeview.

or, y'know, COM7/8 were always designed to be temporary and that is now coming to an end. When the other 6 muxes go, then it's time to be concerned.

There are limits to how much spectrum the mobile companies would want, 700/800 gives them coverage but not performance, they'll want to start going upwards (especially the mmWave stuff that the UK hasn't yet auctioned off but is used elsewhere). You need that to get 5G to live up to the hype.

[telebox2001]

In my opinion, this is going to keep on happening. The move from linear to non linear television is not stopping, and the demand for freeview television sets just isn't there anymore, given that a HDMI stick can just be plugged in on any TV, and you have all your channels and internet stuff on there. Im not saying its good, I think it deprives poorer families of choice. Without speculating, I can see Freesat and Freeview merging into one service, given both are owned by the same company, and frequencies are taken off of Freeview.

Agree.  Broadband is super expensive.

[Markymark]

Firstly the nibbling away of the UHF band for broadcasing is something that is not UK specific. The UK are just following ITU directives that apply to the whole of Europe (and it's not, nor ever has had anything to do with the EU) Every other country in Europe has removed the same frequencies from their DTT networks.

As said COM 7 (and 8) were only ever temporary, and actually should have gone 4 years ago at 700 MHz clearance.

It's a shambles, there is no (implemented) migration plan to T2 and HD, for which the 700 MHz clearance was the least worst opportunity to initiate.

The UK is way behind the game now, despite being the first country in Europe to have launched digital terrestrial television.

HD has been 'a thing' since the late 1980s. I worked on the early analogue equipment at the start of my career. If someone had said to me it wouldn't be the de-facto TV standard by the end, I'd have said they were mad. They've only got 18 months left to be correct!

[telebox2001]

Not helped by the fact that most of the PSB streamers are still SD! iPlayer is 720p but still with that funny filmic effect on everything.