Introduction to Freeview

With no subscription fee, Freeview is the cheapest way to get digital TV.

TV in the UK has gone digital. If you don't want to pay a monthly subscription fee, Freeview is your best option.

If you have a new television set, it's probably already equipped with a digital tuner that can receive Freeview channels. If it's an older model, you can easily upgrade it with a set-top box. Just take it out of the packaging and plug it in. It couldn't be simpler. The Freeview set top boxes are very affordable, starting at £20.

Alternatively, you can get a digital recorder for under £100 that can receive Freeview channels. The recorder lets you pause and rewind live TV, so you never miss a moment of your favourite show. Some recorders have dual tuners, so you can record two programmes at once.

Once you've paid for the set-top box or the recorder, that's it. There's nothing more to pay. Ever.

Freeview is the cheapest and simplest way to get digital TV. All you need is a digital-ready TV set, a set-top box or a digital video recorder. That's it. There are no contracts to sign or monthly bills to pay.

With Freeview, you get over 40 popular digital channels, including E4, Sky Three, More 4, FiveUS, BBC4 and Virgin 1. You also get your pick of the news channels including

Sky News and BBC's News 24. There are also over 20 digital radio channels.

Why it may not be right for you

If you want lots of channels, you might want to look at Sky or Virgin Media. With Freeview, you get over 60 digital TV and radio channels. Other providers will give you more, but they also cost more.

You should also know that approximately 73 per cent of households can get Freeview. If you have problems getting good reception with an aerial, Freeview may not be for you. Freeview uses the same aerial to pick up the digital signal.

Freeview history

At the moment, roughly 14m households enjoy free digital TV from Freeview.

The digital TV provider was launched on 30 October, 2002 by the BBC, Sky and National Grid Wireless. It took over the digital television license from the defunct ITV Digital. In 2005, the original founders were joined by ITV and Channel 4.

For the past six years, Freeview has been broadcasting free-to-air television and radio channels from the BBC, Sky, Channel 4 and other providers, as well as other digital content.

Freeview set up

You can buy a set-top box or a digital recorder from any electrical goods store.

It is the simplest way to get digital TV. There are three ways to do it.

1) You can buy a TV with a digital tuner. Most new TVs come with one.
2) You can buy a set-top box from around £20. It's easy to install. Just plug it in and you're ready to go.
3) Alternatively, you can get a personal digital recorder. With a digital recorder, you can pause and rewind live TV. If you get one with a dual tuner, you can watch one show while recording another, or record two programmes at the same time.