New streaming service, Freely, launches in landmark UK broadcaster collaboration

bbc.co.uk

2 points·iainmerrick··3 comments

It's a great idea for a service, but they really should have had it on a range of Smart TV platforms from the start

I’m curious about the technical details, but I can’t find any. I wonder if there’s anything to distinguish this from any other streaming service besides the ownership.

For example, does it use multicast? I always thought that would be great for broadcast content but it never seemed to take off.

It's not all that interesting technically, but the idea behind it is to bring a service like Freeview to people who don't have a TV aerial.

You can access the major live channels from BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 (plus several of the other FTA channels) through the Freely service.

It has an electronic programme guide and allows easy switching between channels (similar to the paid Sky Stream and Virgin Media Stream services).

It is currently possible to watch all of the Public Service Broadcaster live content on their separate apps or websites, but that's cumbersome if you want to "channel surf".

The government has indicated that it eventually wants to switch off the terrestrial TV network and re-use the spectrum for other things. Services like Freely are essential if that's going to happen.

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