The Advantages and Disadvantages of Freeview

With so many people across the UK looking for ways to save money and cut down on monthly expenses, the popularity of free TV services such as Freeview are soaring. Whilst Freeview might not be able to compete with Sky and other paid services in terms of channel choice, it does offer a very generous package for those who cannot afford a subscription-based service.

To help you decide if Freeview is right for you, below are the biggest advantages and disadvantages of the service.

Advantages

• It’s free:

This is by far the biggest advantage of Freeview. Unlike Sky, Virgin Media and BT, the range of Freeview channels are completely free. Freeview aerials can be installed by any professional aerial installation service and once this is done, you then simply need to purchase a box and you’ll have access to a generous range of TV and radio channels.

• Wide range of set top boxes:

Another advantage of Freeview is that you can be very selective when it comes to the set top boxes that are available. You can decide what features you want and need, such as the hard disk space and the ability to pause, rewind and record.

• Easy to set up: 

 If you have the correct aerial installed then it’s simply a matter of buying a set top box and plugging it in. There’s usually no need for an engineer to come out and install any additional equipment, which makes it a very convenient option of TV service.

Disadvantages

• Limited choice of channels compared to paid services:

This is the biggest drawback of Freeview. When compared to paid services such as Sky, it simply cannot compete with the range of channels. That being said, Freeview does come with a good selection of satellite channels that many people find to be enough for their purposes.

• Lack of sports channels:

If you’re a sports fan then Freeview probably isn’t going to cut it. Whilst there are sports radio channels, if you want to watch live football and other sports events then you’d need to get a subscription service that comes with Sky Sports and BT Sports.

• Lack of interactive services:

In order to make room for the new HD channels that have been implemented, Freeview interactive services are scant when compared to Sky, BT and Virgin Media. Subscription services such as these typically come with a wide selection of TV box sets and movies to choose from as well as access to on demand services such as BBC iPlayer, 4OD and ITV Player. That being said, modern smart TVs that have a wifi connection mean that you can get access to on demand services on your TV without having to pay for a subscription.

About the Author: 

David has an interest in the UK based digital TV services. His articles on the subject inform readers of  subjects such as where to purchase Freeview aerials.