Freeview users will lose another TV channel this month as huge shake-up announced

Freeview customers might discover they’ve fewer issues to look at subsequent month with one other channel confirming that it is switching off the lights for good. Forces TV, which includes a swathe of widespread reveals from the 70s and 80s together with devoted content material for the army, will shut down its service from June 30 leaving followers unable to look at content material such because the Brittas Empire, CHiPs, Haggard and Sorry!.

Posting a message on Twitter, the staff behind the channel mentioned, “@Forces_TV bids you farewell on 30 June. We’ve liked bringing you all of your favorite classics.”

The closure is because of one of many alerts used for Freeview transmission, known as COM7 multiplex, being switched off to make approach for 5G cellular expertise. EE gained the rights to make use of this service which can pave the way in which for sooner downloads when its clients are away from fixed-line broadband.

Forces TV, which can even shut on Sky and Virgin Media, mentioned that as a result of wider adjustments taking place to Freeview, choices to proceed broadcasting the channel should not financially viable anymore.

COM7 is at the moment utilized by a variety of channels to beam their content material into thousands and thousands of properties throughout the UK and the switch-off is not simply affecting Forces TV.

The BBC additionally lately confirmed that the COM7 change will imply Freeview customers will now not have the ability to watch its stay information channel in pin-sharp HD.

Confirming the information, the BBC mentioned: “As a consequence of the closure of COM7, BBC Information on Freeview will probably be accessible solely in SD from the tip of June 2022. Nonetheless, you’ll be able to nonetheless watch it in HD on BBC iPlayer.”

Different channels that at the moment use COM7 embody FreeSports, Now 70s, More4 +1, PBS, QVC Magnificence HD and Quest HD. It is unclear what is going to occur to those companies after June 30 with Freeview anticipated to announce full particulars quickly.

Chatting with Specific.co.uk, a Freeview spokesperson mentioned: “The COM7 mulitplex’s Ofcom licence will expire on the finish of June, following an Ofcom public sale to make extra space for 5G cellular companies. We’re at the moment liaising with the channels which can be on this multiplex to verify subsequent steps. An extra service replace will probably be offered to viewers sooner or later.”

So why is that this all taking place and who will probably be affected?

Final yr, UK community EE gained the public sale to make use of the COM7 frequency to assist enhance its new 5G information community.

5G is the way forward for cellular units because it presents a lot sooner obtain speeds and a extra dependable sign which suggests extra individuals can hook up with it directly.

Though that is nice information for cellular customers, this all implies that on the finish of June 2022, Freeview’s COM7 multiplex will shut. In consequence, there will probably be much less broadcast capability accessible and a variety of channels carried on COM7 should both shut or be reallocated to different multiplexes.