BBC Looks Set to Build its Own “radically simplified” Freely TV Streaming Box
The BBC’s Controller of Digital Transition, Helen Burrows, has confirmed that the corporation is “exploring the idea” of building its own UK set-top-box device to support the new broadband-based live TV streaming service, Freely, which until recently lacked any support among existing steaming boxes and sticks.
Freely, which first launched in April 2024 (here), is not currently being pushed as a replacement for the ageing terrestrial Freeview (inc. Freeview Play) and satellite-based Freesat TV platforms and should, at least for now, be seen as more of a complement – a different kind of service that helps to make broadcast TV more accessible. The change is important because the age of traditional terrestrial TV signals, which came via the airwaves, is expected to gradually come to an end as gigabit broadband nears almost universal UK coverage by 2032 (currently c.88%).
However, much as we’ve said before, one of the biggest roadblocks to adoption of Freely’s platform today remains its limited availability, which has seen the new service deployed across a variety of new TV sets but not much else (some major TV manufacturers are also still missing from their supported device list). But customers of most existing internet-connected TVs, as well as popular TV streaming boxes and sticks, have all been excluded.
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The good news is that the above situation did recently start to change after French company Netgem revealed (here) that they were due to release a new IPTV box, both at retail and for their existing ISP partners, during Q4 2025 (such boxes are typically bundled by broadband ISPs like Brsk, TalkTalk, CommunityFibre, Wightfibre and others). A new box is needed because it apparently required a “significant software upgrade that needs the very latest chipsets to run,” which would seem to be debatable, but we don’t know the specifics.
The latest development on this front came after the BBC published a new policy document (Socioeconomic Impact of Digital Transition), which among other things seemed to get more specific about the BBC developing a “new streaming media device” for Freely and would be “designed with accessibility in mind and a radically simple user interface specifically designed to help those currently underserved by digital services.”
Helen Burrows, BBC Controller of Digital Transition, said:
“The BBC believes that TV has a role to play in any transition to a fully digital society. A managed switchover to IPTV, with an intervention to help digitally excluded groups get connected and build digital skills, could be a catalyst to help realise these wider social and economic benefits.
The transition to digital in the TV sector is already happening:
- Today, 85% (23m) of the UK’s TV homes are connected, meaning some or all of their viewing is online. This is forecast to rise to 97% in 2034 (3Reasons, Spring 2025) absent any market interventions.
- Almost a quarter of UK homes (7m) now watch TV exclusively via the internet and a tipping point is projected to be reached in 2029 when over 50% of homes will watch TV this way (3Reasons, Spring 2025).
- Audiences who watch TV via the internet are receiving a better service that offers more choice, convenience, higher quality video and improved accessibility features for those who need them.
- Given these viewer shifts and market dynamics, the BBC is advocating for a transition to an all-IPTV future in the 2030s.
To help ensure that all audiences can benefit from the transition and that the principle of universality is maintained, the BBC is exploring ways it can support audiences to access IPTV, building on the support we gave to create the easy-to-use free streaming TV platform Freely. For example, the BBC is exploring the idea of a new streaming media device, designed with accessibility in mind and a radically simple user interface specifically designed to help those currently underserved by digital services.”
The idea was actually first hinted at in May 2025 when the Director General of the BBC, Tim Davie, appeared to indicate that Freely was “considering” the development of a streaming media device (here). We and many others had assumed that the BBC, which doesn’t normally build consumer kit itself, was speaking in its capacity as a primary custodian of Freely and this seemed to be supported by Netgem’s recent announcement. But we were wrong.
Cord Busters has been able to confirm that the BBC’s proposed development is a “separate thing” from Netgem’s announcement (two different projects), although it’s important to highlight that they do use the phrase “exploring the idea” above (i.e. it’s still very tentative). Developing their own Freely kit would be a major and costly step for the BBC to take and one that could place them into an awkward position in terms of market competition, depending upon the details.
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On the other hand, it’s already been established that the transition from Freeview to IPTV can be more of a challenge for older and vulnerable users to adapt to, which is a market that may not be well catered for by the commercial sector (modern ‘User Interfaces’ can be tedious even for regular users to navigate). In that sense, developing a Freely box that behaves more like a traditional TV for vulnerable users does make sense.
However, at the end of the day, Freely’s adoption – even with a new box from the BBC – is likely to remain limited until the service arrives on popular streaming devices from Amazon, Google and Roku etc. But so far there doesn’t appear to be much indication of when or even if that will actually happen, and doing so looks as if it might require some device changes (new kit may be needed).
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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On the “debatable chipsets” thing, if I remember correctly, the BT/EE TV Box Pro (older chipset), cannot run the app based streaming channels like those via itvX or 5, but the BT/EE TV Box Mini (newer chipset), can.
It’s likely to do with encryption support. It’s a better user experience to not provide a service on a platform than to ask too much out of a CPU and have dropped frames, a slow UI etc.
Well it doesn’t seem to be problem with BBC Iplayer, ITVX etc which streams live TV across multiple platforms without too much bother. Freely seems to be determined to make things as difficult as possible.
would seem odd for the BBC and ITV to declare that Strictly and Love Island deserve some extra degree of protection that is seemingly unavailable to TNT or Sky Sports. The TV box pro (oval shaped thing) isn’t even that old.
I hope they’re not aiming for a repeat of the ongoing mess in the US, where their new broadcast standard has been inflicted with DRM nonsense that adds significant complexity and cost to equipment manufacturers, with no actual benefit to viewers.
They need to take the “netflix” approach on this, where there’s an app for just about every operating system. Demanding yet another round of new hardware (after doing so with Freeview Play and previous incarnations) is not going to help takeup. I do agree that there’s merit in a low-cost streaming box for people who want simplicity and Freeview-like user experience though.
If I had to guess I’d say it’s more about key management than the actual encryption. Now TV, iPlayer, ITVX and so on are account based and so a unique key per device/user can be downloaded and stored securely on device when the user logs in. But since Freely is not account based a unique key has to be shipped with each device. It doesn’t stop them operating account based key management in parallel but if their ambition is to replicate old style TV then it makes sense to focus development resources on getting that right first.
Be good if this ran Android/Google TV OS, (or similar), and allowed users to add their own apps.
For the target market, that would be a terrible idea. The target market for an ‘accessible’ box includes people who find apps too difficult to use, for various reasons.
For this market, the box should do little more than replicate the simple and familiar experience of watching linear TV on a non-smart TV, but with internet delivery. It needs a single remote control that turns both the box and the TV on/off simultaneously, changes channel by entering a number or channel up/down buttons, and controls the volume. It should avoid anything that could cause the user to get stuck not knowing what to do next if they accidentally press the wrong button.
@CJ: Should be made user friendly as you say, but when it freezes, just another box to turn off, wait 10 seconds and turn on again! 🙂
My TV has Android as its OS. Absolutely dreadful just like the phones, works well to start then becomes so slow it’s basically unusable.
I’m with CJ. A simplified replacement should have a mode which is no more complicated to use than a early 2000’s era digital TV. On, off, type in channel number (101 for BBC1), channel up/down, volume up/down power on/off.
Maybe even a mode which replicates a 1990’s way of working: 9 favourite channels, press 1 for BBC1 etc. Accessibility feature for people who cannot cope with anything more complicated.
HDMI-CEC (allow one remote to control power/volume on TV) a given; most modern TV’s support this. Low power standby.
Accessibility features:
Availability of a remote which is big with big buttons and works out of the box with no setup.
Bluetooth support (for headphones/earbuds/some hearing aids). Option to have TV speaker muted or not in Bluetooth mode with different volumes on tv and Bluetooth.
Audio out connection for connecting to a domestic t-loop driver box.
Big onscreen display of channel number when changing channel
Big text for EPG.
@Lee, My TV have Roku as the OS, it works well for the most part and even when there are problems, it is normally down to one App, (YouTube) that sometimes start with no audio.
But the OS is quick and simple to use.
Perfect? no, but certainly better than a lot of TV operating systems I have seen, including that Vidaa that seems to be in use by a lot of sets. My brother has it on his Hisense and while it is okay, it sometimes seems a bit clunky.
My TV is a Hisense by the way, 5 years old now with a Roku OS and still working fine.,
Most likely a way to control TV license fees as people are now realizing you don’t need to pay it
There are plenty of laws that you don’t “need” to follow if you’re willing to overlook the penalty that will be applied if your non-compliance is discovered 🙂
240 pound a month for a news channel is non compliant
What do you mean now realising? Some of us realised years ago and as long as we don’t watch live TV or use BBC iPlayer, we are within our rights to do so.
People who want to take the risk of watching live TV or using Iplayer without a licence, that is up to them, they know the risks, which to be honest is not much these days. TVL don’t seem to have enough goons to catch people.
Here we go again.
iOS and Android have won, they are the standard. Just make an app. It really is that simple. People aren’t going to change their habits because Freely/BBC say so. They’ll just not bother using it and the opportunity will be wasted.
No one will buy a Beeb-box.
Agreed. It’s wild. It’s almost like they want e-waste
Want Freely?
Buy a new TV, but it has to be a TV that’s made by X/Y/Z.
Want Freely?
Buy another box to add to the collection you probably already have.
Just give us an App already!?
The BBC, ITV etc would prefer manufacturers pay a licence to have Freely on their devices, if Freely was to create an app which the vast majority of TVs would easily run then ‘poof!’… out goes the licencing revenue.
Sony, Samsung, Panasonic etc are probably laughing at them and rightfully thinking they don’t need the BBC, ITV, C4 and C5 etc.
I honestly don’t understand why Freely just don’t develop an app and specify minimum hardware requirements for their app to run for major platforms like Google TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire Stick, Roku, etc.
I’m pretty sure it’s because it’s part of the HbbTv OpApp spec. It needs to take over the *entire* interface which would never be possible as a single app on a third party device.
Having seen it demoed at IBC DVB-I would be better imo as a Freeview/sat replacement.
But then the broadcasters lose control, so there is that.
I just want it to run on Roku and Firestick. I am not going to bother buying yet another device just to watch bbc, itv etc when I already have those apps on my device. yes I would like the freely app just to scroll through the terrestrial channels more easily but I am not going to bother swapping devices just to do so.
I doubt that will happen, already been told that it will not.
It would not suit the way they want to market Freely, I am surprised they are launching a box, but I suppose they have to if they want more people to use it.
At least they are honest on tax payer money wasting. I am waiting for my children to move out and then canceling my tv license.
Good on you, let’s hope they don’t stick it onto council tax or a levy.
My choice would be a subscription or adverts, if not them two then leave it as it is, but stop bugging people who decide they don’t want to pay for the BBC.
Let me take a guess, the box will cost £50 but requires a £174.50 annual subscription?
By then it will start with a ‘2’.
The Netgem Freely box is for mainstream users but for the visually impaired I see a very simple interface with large text and a few options like EPG, live TV, Catch-Up and settings. It might even boot directly into BBC iPlayer. The remote would have a few large buttons for essential functions only with no promoted app buttons. Voice commands could be important, too.
Other broadcasters already provide encrypted streams using software apps, this will never be a success until it has an app. Goes to show the commercial naivety of the BBC.
And that Widevine encryption has had major security issues several times. Hardware certs is what they want. Approved list of hardware and security tech, and it’s harder to crack. That’s why I think they won’t do a freely available app.
Build a box (and app) that does streaming of the terrestrial channels, and nothing else bar a simple 7 day TV guide.
No tracking, no catchup, just dumb simple streaming of all channels in 1080/UHD with 5.1 etc.
The app can them leap out to the individual apps for catch-up on Fire sticks etc, but anything more than this will just require a ton of registration and too many paries getting involved.
Having looked at the Freely site, I was disappointed to see I would have to buy a newer tv. Seems to me this is the reason behind Freely, and the idea of another box would be cheaper one hopes. As I may be getting freedom from sub-standard broadband this would be another reason to go for a box.
I’m pretty sure at this point (pure speculation on my part) that the real reason the don’t want to release an android/iOS app is because they are afraid people will just side load the app and use a VPN anywhere.
At least if they control the hardware and try to contain most of it to the UK.
Don’t worry Peter the dodgy boxers will find a workaround
The transition to digital in the TV sector is already happening.
Er? The transition to digital began when On digital was around, if she means the transition to video online, then that have been happening for a fair few years.
Who ever this Helen Burrows is,m I suggest they sack her.
Also, this is where your licence fee is going to folks and why the BBc have so many repeats and rubbish on these days.
Glad it is not my money.
The context is clearly IPTV, but if taking that pop and mentioning again that you don’t have a TV licence made you happy awesome.
@Polish Poler, then she should say so, otherwise it will confuse people, just like some people are confused about Fibre broadband and think, they are on fibre, when they are on FTTC, because Openreach told them they are by putting up notices on the cabinets saying so.
It don’t take much to confuse some people, sorry, but if she is in the job, then she needs to know what is what.
Taking a pop at her don’t make me happy, telling people I don’t have a TV licence do, I love their reaction at telling me I am breaking the law, one person even told me I needed a licence because I owned a computer, shows how many people have no idea and maybe why some people are buying a TV licence and don’t need to.
Also those people who think the BBC should be saved, and we all should pay for it, I love their reactions as well.
I find the’catch-up’services a nightmare to view with constant pausing and buffering,so TV via the Internet would be terrible.
That’s your Internet connection or home network.
Then something must be wrong, even when I was on FTTC at 36Mb/s, I had buffering once in a blue moon, never will be 100% as things do go wrong. But for the most part, no buffering. I have fibre now for the last couple of years, and it is only Youtube that buffers now and again after the adverts, Disney, ITVx and Amazon is spot on.
Maybe have a look at what the problem is, maybe you have a bad internet connection.
I don’t think I could ever go back to linier TV now, being able to watch what I want and when is great.
Best of all, I don’t have to pay the Bloated Broadcasting corporation
Could they maybe make it run on a BBC-B?
When will the bbc actually admit that their days of unlimited public funds for pedo’s and propaganda are over and have been for some time now, the only people left funding the abomination that is the brainwashing corporation are probably 70 and above or have 10 cats, are lonely, or are in urgent need of a brain exam, its not another box or device that’s needed for the so called bbc, its an alternative funding model or a long term winding down plan, or both, not even their crappy old advert stating “we know where you live” can save them now, they are far to friendly with Bill of the Gates of Hell (who pretends but knows nothing at all about health, except how to decrease it) are obscenely overpaid, exaggerate their usefulness, bombard with repeats, waste money sending out powerless Crapita idiots to coerce people to pay up, or harass them with hundreds of letters, (even after you have told them, you dont watch or need their bs thanks) all of which are paid for by guess who! that’s right you that pays almost £200 a year to be brainwashed by woke bullshit, for example a recent beeb quote “people with a cervix”
I wouldn’t watch the bbc if they paid me £1000 a year, and nor have I watched for 26yrs,
and seeing them dragging out their demise is like waiting for talk talk to clear their debts
Buy a tombstone already!
Wait, are you saying all staff at the BBC are “pedo’s”?
That is some defamatory statement there. I think you meant specific third party talent that actually are not staff possibly? So none operated at other broadcasters either?
Just because you don’t want the license fee, which is a government thing anyway, it’s ridiculous and childish to brandish any organisation as such. There are bad people in all categories of human kind. Then you go onto to make a sweeping generalisation of anyone with cats over 70. Bill Gates has a lot of money to take you to the cleaners by the way and he has already donated a lot of his wealth and will do so upon death to various world projects and health related projects – you rant about a man you never met….Shown yourself right up.
Just make it behave like basic Freeview.
You can use my nan as a beta tester if you want to make it elderly proof.
Need to make it my brother proof 🙂
yep it needs to to that more of main tv on its own then if people want yo watch it they can charge them to watch it there and dtop sending people that dont want it nasty letters sorted no licence fee
I’ve already got a Google certified Android TV box that does freeview via an aerial, it has a normal TV guide, a normal TV remote with channel numbers (controlling both the TV and the box), and I can install any apps that I want via the Play Store or by side-loading. So a Freely box seems like it’d be a downgrade.
If they want one hub for all of the popular UK TV channels then it needs to be an app. Anything else will struggle to catch on.
Nice more fragmentation and ewaste for the future this freely keeps getting worse and worse every time I see news about it who is running this convoluted rubbish
don’t have the box? don’t need a license. sounds perfect.
I rarely watch the BBC, mainly for the weather… even then it is censored!! Cutting out the night time temperatures and then going on about how its going to be in 4 days time. The only program I watch on a regular basis is university challenge. Seeing how intellectual standards have dropped and getting more correct than 90% of the “best”.. Shut it down.
Currently my wife is in hospital. She can access anything using the free hospital wifi. She can run a VPN, stream UK terestrial TV or IP only TV.
With Freely being tied to TV’s and eventually boxes, what does a hospital patient do? There HAS to be a Freely tablet/notepad or whatever, as an App looks very unlikely due to possible hardware requirements. Maybe a Firestick combined with an on the go connection or similar?
The hospital does have a Freely TV, as I discovered the other evening. But you can’t fit entire wards of seriously ill patients into the room, let alone the bun fights as to what channel to watch.
So Freely, get your ass in gear and come down from the mountain and get it sorted forthwith.