Freely’s UK Broadband TV Service to Adopt Netgem Streaming Boxes
Broadband-based live TV streaming service Freely, which is supported by major UK TV broadcasters (BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5 etc.) and is an evolution – not a replacement – of the existing Freeview service (inc. Freeview Play and Freesat), has finally revealed that they’ll be launching on a streaming media device via the Netgem TV platform. But you’ll need a new box.
Freeview Play is now a somewhat dated platform and one that remains centred around on-demand content, while Freely viewers are able to easily browse and watch live UK TV channels together with on-demand content streamed straight to their smart TV via the internet (IPTV) – without the need for an aerial connection or new set-top-box (depending upon device support).
However, 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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Despite this, the Director General of the BBC, Tim Davie, hinted in May 2025 that Freely was “considering” the development of a streaming media device (here). The good news today is that Netgem TV’s IPTV box and service, which is typically bundled by broadband ISPs like Brsk, TalkTalk, CommunityFibre, Wightfibre and others, is to become one of the first streaming box platforms to add support for Freely.
Jonathan Thompson, CEO, Everyone TV, said:
“Freely was created to make free TV work for everyone. Expanding to ‘plug-in and stream’ devices is an important and natural next step to ensure even more homes can enjoy the full Freely experience without the need for a TV upgrade or paid subscription. In partnership with Netgem, we’re launching streaming devices to make it easier than ever for UK audiences to enjoy the nation’s favourite TV, for free, on the TV you already have.”
Sylvain Thevenot, Managing Director of Netgem U.K., said:
“Netgem is delighted to introduce the first Freely streaming device to the market with Everyone TV. This innovation represents a game-changer for viewers who seek a streamlined TV and entertainment experience delivered over Wi-Fi. The integration of Freely with Netgem’s entertainment service positions this streaming puck as the optimal choice for all households and breathes a second life to all TV sets at an affordable price.”
The set-top-boxes Netgem provide – like the Netbox 4K (inc. HDR, bluetooth pairing, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, USB and Dolby Atmos sound) – tend to be similar to some of those supplied by rival video streaming companies and include an often familiar array of premium content, apps (iPlayer, itvx, 5, UKTV play, Amazon Prime Video etc.), live TV channels (Freeview) and catch-up content. But Netgem told ISPreview that you’ll need a new box (launching soon) to benefit from Freely (i.e. no firmware or app upgrades for existing users).
At present we don’t have any solid details on the exact availability, pricing, additional functionality, content and more of the new Freely equipped box from Netgem. But Netgem suggested there will be both a retail launch and a roll-out to their UK ISP partners starting in Q4 2025. “Freely requires a significant software upgrade that needs the very latest chipsets to run at the right level of quality: as we care about delivering the best possible experience, we have decided to enable Freely on the new devices only,” said Netgem’s spokeswoman to ISPreview.
The move to confirm Netgem as Freely’s first “plug-in and stream” device partner is a big development, although the streaming services adoption is likely to remain limited until Freely arrives on popular streaming devices from Amazon, Google and Roku etc. But hopefully that will follow in the near future.
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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-capable broadband nears almost universal UK coverage by 2032 (currently c.88%).
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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Having to login to ITVX to watch any live ITV channel except ITV1 has put me off Freely completely. If it’s a replacement for Freeview, make it one. Having to log-in to one or more players just means I won’t do so. Sky and Virgin hold a better hand on this one – ITV wouldn’t dare try to force Sky or Virgin customers to have to login to watch anything of their channels. Sure, it’s all about the data (and cost of course), and it would be the same on most streaming platforms, but I am in the habit of signing into as little as possible. For a platform bidding to be a Freeview replacement, it’s a poor show (for example, my mum only has Freeview and doesn’t own a mobile or computer- how does she sign up to ITVX?). Given ITV is a partner in everyoneTV, it’s particularly poor.
Freely works the same way as Freeview, you should not have to log into anything, Just turn the TV on and press a channel or select a channel on the guide and that is it. the only time you use other apps like ITVX is if you want to go back in time, like Freeview play now. Freely version should work better.
Freely is the future replacement for Freeview, if people had to log into apps to get linear TV then they are not going to use it, they will reset the set back to Freeview.
No account needed at all either, just go through the set-up as normal and select Freely, then use it like Freeview.
How it will go in the future is another thing, when they get more people using it and Freeview have less channels as it will if Freely takes off, what sort of data will they start collecting.
But at the moment, using Freely is no different to using Freeview.
The requirement to authenticate to access content will become the norm as the UK migrates away from broadcast TV up to the end of eth next decade.
It is not a problem to provide credentials to the players – unless you are trying to watch LIVE TV without a TV Licence.
@Far2329Light, By the time Freely replaces Freeview, BBc may be getting its money another way the licence will be gone, hopefully subscription, but I doubt that will happen. I don;t see why we need to authenticate to access content that is free, if I pay for it then I accept I need an account, but linier TV is free at the point of access. Authentication don’t always stop people anyway, I know a couple of people who use Iplayer and they don’t have a TV licence, just use a email service like Yahoo and stick a false postcode in.,
I get fed up with every company, corporation, government and website wanting to know what I do and who I am. I went into Matalan today to get a belt, I could not be bothered to walk a bit further into town to Primark. Have you got a Matalan rewards card, why would I want one, why would anyone want one, how often do people get clothes or the other stuff they sell there?
It is not like a supermarket that you shop in weekly or monthly, even then I hate loyalty cards, I only use them to get money off stuff and then they are not registered.
I hate this, we want to know all about you that is happening in this flipping country and if you don’t allow us to know everyting about you then your shopping will cost more.
@Ad47uk:
No content is free.
There are costs all along the way in the delivery of content to the consumer. Content providers will continue to press YouTube to do more to remove IP content from its platform. YouTube is also having to increase the returns on adverts to close the gap on the cost of the service. Google’s dominance of the online advertising market is causing major funding problems for the UK’s broadcasters. Thus, there is pressure coming from multiple directions for content providers to move to closed platforms. Even the former free-to-view platforms, such as Plex, have had to move to subscription charging.
P.S.
You’re not kidding anyone by using a false postcode with your iPlayer account.
Erm.
I think you will find that with Sky Stream (and I assume Glass) – you do in fact have to log in to ITVX, 4, my5 and BBC iPlayer separately in order to watch catch-up content. I know because I have to do it for my 73 year old neighbour.
@Ad47uk – You are correct. It should be a ‘drop-in’ replacement for Freeview. But don’t try to tell me what I am seeing on my Freely TV (Hisense as it happens), with my own eyes. For anything ITV channel other than ITV1, you now have to log in to ITVX. This is a recent change, so I will forgive your not knowing, but it is a fact. Were I able to post pictures I would, but a check in the Freely thread of a well-known TV presentation forum will also confirm this. It is a disappointing fact, but a fact none-the-less. Whether this will differ between devices is unclear, but I suspect not.
@Far2329Light, I never said free, I said free at the point of access. In other words, you don’t have to pay a subscription to watch it, you pay your TV tax and you can watch anything it allows you to. I never agreed with the BBC needing an account for Iplayer, if people pay their TV licence, then why should they have to log in?
You really think the BBc and co know who is using Iplayer? Give a false postcode and a email address that is not linked to the licence in any way, and they have no idea. They may be able to grab the IP address, but I doubt they are set up for that and that can be changed or a VPN used. If you think that they know who is watching, then how come someone I know watches Iplayer without a licence and gets away with it?
Those that have had emails from TVL saying them watching Iplayer have used the same email address to tell TVL they don’t need a licence and signing in to Iplayer.
I have not told TVL I don’t need a licence, they don’t know who I am, their letters say I am being investigated for not having a licence, a shame they don’t know my name and that they have sent me the same few letters for the last 9 years. By all accounts, they have been coming to visit me every few months for the last 9 years. Nothing yet, I am waiting, so I tell them where to go.
I know that no content is free, even those with adverts we pay on our products and services, but then we do that if they advertise in a newspaper.
YouTube is getting annoying, I don’t mind adverts, but it is getting far too much, maybe time to scrap YouTube apart from a few YouTubers that don’t have a load of adverts.
While I can get rid of the adverts, I don’t like doing it as some youtubers don’t get a lot as it is.
@BeeTee, well if that is the case then people are just going to reset the TV back to Freeview and Freely will not be used. People who watch normal TV don’t want to muck around with apps and stuff, they just want to switch to a channel to watch. I know one of my brothers would not bother, I try to get him to watch stuff online, but he won’t. I know Freely is trying to go for the younger ones, but a lot of them don’t watch linier TV these days ap[art from Sport
I would ask some people IO know that have TV sets with Freely, but I think they have both reset back to FReeview.
@Ad47uk:
The BBC uses the credentials so that it has details of who is consuming the service.
It is not the BBC that conducts the tracking and mapping of IP addresses to residences that have not been issued a TV Licence. The agency has access to all the information it needs.
Not just limited TV sets, but also that its missing a bunch of channels, its not even a side grade over the existing free content providers. As an example no challenge tv. The channel listing on its website isnt for the IPTV variant and is misleading.
No but it’s still early in the life of the service, no doubt channels will be added over time. Not all channels were available on Sky Digital at launch, notably ITV.
Hang on, the article says, Freely is a evolution – not a replacement and then at the end it says.
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-capable broadband nears almost universal UK coverage by 2032 (currently c.88%).
Make up your mind.
The last bit is true, Freely is supposed to replace Freeview at some point, that is if it takes off. I think it will be a fair few years before3 Freeview vanishes completely.
As for this Netgem thing, I thought it was only available though certain internet providers, unless they are going to sell them direct to consumers now. Then the price has to be decent, you can get a new TV pretty cheap these days with Freely built in and if your TV is getting on a bit, then that is maybe the best way to go.
There will be people with pretty news sets or sets that cost them a fair bit and maybe a netgem box running Freely is the way to go.
The other thing is, if Freely don’t offer anything different that Freeview then why would people change? Sure, if you want to get channels on your TV, and it is difficult to get an aerial cable to it then Freely is ideal, but if you have a smart set connected to the internet then you can get the channels anyway, just a bit more awkward as you have to use different apps for different channels.
We will see what happens in the future, makes no difference to me as I don’t watch normal TV, but it will be interesting to see how it goes.
Oh yea, the couple of people I know that have Freely, one thinks it is a waste of time as it don’t have all the channels and the other says it is okay as long as you don’t want to watch channels that are not on it, as the only way to get back to Freeview is to reset the TV, you can’t just go from Freeview to Freely with one button. Both of them said they would not buy a TV because it has Freely on it.
“… Freely is a evolution – not a replacement and then at the end it says.
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-capable broadband nears almost universal UK coverage by 2032 (currently c.88%). Make up your mind.”
Freely is an over-the-top IPTV client that can also take feeds from aerials and satellite installations. The Freeview client is not IPTV-enabled. I am not fully conversant with the respective capabilities of the clients, so I suggest you take a look at the respective websites for Freeview and Netgem to find the answers.
@Far2329Light, I know what Freely is and what it is meant to replace. Terrestrial TV signals will be around for a fair few years, it may not have as many channels. but the main ones will still be there. I think it will still be around for another 20 years.
@ Ad47uk: You are coming across as being very confused. You may want to re-read your comment.
“But you’ll need a new box.”, no thanks. Let me know when you step into 21st century and will have an app.
I doubt that will happen, I am surprised they are putting it on a set-top box, but i suppose that is not much different than when digital TV first started. Most people got digital TV via On digital box.
Ondigital kick-started the digital terrestrial service.
From what I have read, there are no plans for a standalone Freely app.
@Ad47UK yes but it’s not 1999 anymore. The world has moved and most services try to make their services available across as many platforms as possible. It should be remembered that Ondigital/ITV Digital failed as a service before the BBC took charge and helped create Freeview as we know it today.
@Big Dave, Freely is not meant to be a separate service, it is meant to be a replacement for FReeview and Freely itself said it would not be available as a separate app.
That could change, they had no plans for a separate box, but Freely have not been doing as well as they thought it would.
The problem is, there is no need for it, if you have an aerial then why are you going to bother with Freely?
If I watched linear TV and my TV had Freely, what advantage would I get? I may get 4K on some channels, but not being funny, the channels are full of repeats and rubbish, and most of them will be in SD or HD, so no advantage. so I may as well just keep the aerial connected.
If people realise that they get less with Freely than they do with terrestrial TV, then they are not going to bother with this Netgem box thing either.
We will have to wait and see.
Also, I know all about Ondigital/ITV digital as I was one of the early users, got the box from Radio rentals. When a car passed the house the signal broke up, one of my brothers put a wideband aerial on the roof for me and that improved things a bit.
I feel like freely is punching itself in the face regarding mass market adoption. Does no one there talk to consumers?
They constantly partner with poundshop, obscure nobodies. Just get an Android and iOS/tvOS app out and be done. Get Samsung and Sony on board for inbuilt or it’ll fail…
Yes a Freely app is definitely what is required for Android, IOS & Firestick etc. If you are trying to promote a service you need to make it as accessible to as many people as possible and so far Freely has been extremely poor at this.
Just what is needed, another box!!
Everyone on this thread understands that to make Freely successful it needs to have apps available on the most popular streaming boxes (Chromecast, Apple TV, FireTV and Roku) and the most popular TVs (Samsung, LG, etc). Yet the geniuses at Everyone TV think that Netgem’s box is the solution. Just look at the NetBox 4K reviews in Amazon. Not only is the device overpriced (£149) but it is utterly rubbish at anything it does, if it does do the feature you want.
I can only assume that they’re intentionally limiting access, possibly due to rights reasons or just because each broadcaster wants tight control over everything.
Do they not want there to just be an app or website where you could easily view every Freeview channel (or at the very least, the BBC/ITV/Channel 4/Channel 5 channels) without having to log in to each broadcaster’s app separately?
Gotta be the most cack handed implemented and handled deployment its truly terrible
I think it’s a great step forward. Freely offering true IPTV of the public service broadcasters content makes it really appealing for those who want IPTV in one interface without the VM or Sky bill or the hassle of buying a (relatively) entry brand TV.
The key will be the price of the device or subscription cost (I imagine ISPs will be a sub service) and the footprint it takes up.
I do think there is a segment of society who legitimately can benefit from this, even as a secondary access device for home or away. As much as we (the visitors to this website) want apps (which will prove difficult with broadcast rights for BBC/ITV plus hardware requirements) etc, we are not really representative of the majority of UK consumers.
Yes but all the services like Netflix/Amazon Prime/Now TV not to mention BBC iPlayer, ITV X etc will have to deal with rights issues and that hasn’t been a problem to them in making their services work across multiple platforms. It seems to me that Freely are makings things so inflexible that they may well be sowing the seeds of their own failure.
It is essential to have a streaming Freely device as the service on new TVs would never suffice – just look at Sky Glass and how Sky had to release its Puck. And Netgem is a vastly superior partner than the likes of Amazon or Roku as Netgem has significant experience (25 years) in building TV boxes for British and European ISPS and is now building a dedicated box for Freely which will have its own interface whereas for Amazon or Roku Freely would be just another app on their crowded screens which they want to monetise.
So, how will Netgem be financially affected by this deal? It currently makes most money from ISPs: licencing of its TV-as-a-Service platform, subscriber-based royalties (per-user fees) and platform management services. There are small amounts, too, from sale of its boxes to ISPs and a cut of ad revenue from FAST channels. For retail sales Netgem will sell its boxes to established retailers like Argos, Curry PC World, John Lewis and Amazon UK, and you’d expect a retail price between £50-£80 (so not dirt cheap but there won’t be the big volume production of Amazon or Roku devices to bring down costs). Netgem will lose the ISP’s per-subscriber royalty (since your ISP isn’t in the chain) and ISP platform management fees (no TV-as-a-Service contract to manage your box) but get a licensing/service fee from Everyone TV for each retail device and cuts of any FAST channel ad revenue.
It is a set back in time. A box for every TV in the house. I trialled Netgem for few a weeks with another ISP and got ride of it. In this age either have an app or you can get everything you need from multiple other sources that offer better value.
Latest Firestick with Live tv channels all that I would need. Either Freely develops a free app or allows existing tv’s to upgrade. Otherwise doomed.
Already a failed service, borked by marketeers, as usual.
Serious question, why can’t they just bring this to apple/Google/fire TVs
The comment around latest chipsets is just bogus. I’d wager a budget phone would run rings around the box, my firestick 4k max plays back 4k hdr content without breaking sweat too.
This is doomed to fail without becoming an app. It doesn’t have the premium content that sky has for Stream that makes it worth the effort.
An app is seen as easier to try and circumvent DRM, than hardware certificates. That’s why it won’t be an app you download.
Their doing it to make money and price will be over inflated, the chip sets is just a lame excuse, most 4k TVs have ok chipsets that can fully support the freely app, if current 4k TVs can run netflix, Disney plus, Amazon prime and many others in sure it can run freely.
Be interesting to see if the box can record content, not sure why their isn’t a usb stick that has micro SD slot to record or it if that’s what people wanted that option rather than a hard drive which if it does the box will be like £200
I’m on sky at the moment, I’m going to cancel it soon because of the expense. I have a newish smart tv (LG) with apps that I use Netflix,Discovery +,Paramount. I don’t get all Freeview channels because of trees blocking the aerial ,so I’ve considered a Freesat recorder box. Reason being for the channel list and the odd film,but mainly the picture quality is better thruogh the satellite dish. The apps have excellent picture quality ie 4k uhd,then I stumble across this about Freely on a box via the Internet, which sounds ideal for me. Well for my wife as she isn’t up to scratch with remembering channel numbers.