Freesat is the new digital satellite TV service from the BBC and ITV. It's just become available in 98% of the country and currently offers 80 TV and radio channels for a one-off subscription fee. New channels will be added on a monthly basis but at present Freesat offers a limited number of ‘free to air' entertainment, music, lifestyle, children's and news channels.
Freesat does not, however, provide pay TV channels such as UK Gold, Hallmark, Disney Channel, Nick JR, Discovery, Living, MTV, Paramount Comedy, FX, Sci-Fi, TCM or premium channels such as Setanta Sports, Sky Sports or Sky Movies.
Freesat is currently the only way to get HD content without paying a subscription – although at present the HD channels are limited to BBC HD and Channel 4 HD. Find out more about high-definition TV.
How to get up and running with Freesat
Firstly, you'll need to buy a Freesat digital box, plus you'll need a satellite dish. There's a one-off payment for the digital box itself, plus you may also have to pay for the installation of the satellite dish. It's worth noting that if your home already has a satellite dish then you may be able to use this.
A basic Freesat box, without HD, is available from around £50. If you want Freesat with HD then boxes start at around £120. Unfortunately, none of the Freesat equipment available at present gives you the pause and record capabilities of equipment such as Sky+, Virgin V+ or Tiscali T+ boxes. Find out more about PVR boxes.
Find the best digital deal for you
Not sure whether Freesat is the right option for you? Don't worry, help is at hand! To find the best digital deal for your unique requirements, simply give one of our experts a call for free and impartial advice or if you prefer to search online, then use our digital comparison tool. Whilst we can't sign you up to Freesat yet (but watch this space because we're working on it) we can certainly talk you through it in more detail and how it compares to other options.