Freeview cut-off date as millions face £20-a-month bills - update

Freeview cut-off date as millions face £20-a-month bills - update The government has confirmed the date that Freeview services in the UK could be cut off - and people may be forced to get a new television set if it happens, experts have warned Over 13 million households across the UK currently rely on Freeview - and residents could be forced to fork out an additional £20 monthly and potentially purchase a new television set if the service is discontinued, experts have cautioned. The Government has confirmed the date when Freeview services in the UK could be 'cut off', potentially affecting millions of people nationwide. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has confirmed the date until which licences have been granted - and stated that 'no decision' has been taken regarding what happens beyond that point. In a recent response to a Parliamentary written question, the DCMS confirmed this cut-off date as 2034 - in fewer than eight years' time. The matter was discussed on Jeremy Vine and Daytime on 5 - where presenter Isabel Webster explained that millions of viewers could be affected. A substantial petition on change.org has attracted 151,000 signatures from individuals campaigning for Freeview to be preserved. Ms Webster said: "More than 150,000 people have signed a petition to protect terrestrial TV it is secure until the early 2030s but after that the licence expires and those who don't have a broadband connection will need to pay for one to keep watching television. For those people, they either need to sign up to a provider, pay a monthly fee, probably around £20 a month. You'd also either need a device to plug in to your TV to adapt it to broadband or you'd need to fork out for a whole new television. Currently, 6 per cent of the UK don't have broadband and either rely on an aerial or satellite for watching the box, and campaigners say it would disproportionately affect the elderly, those in rural areas and low-income families who would suffer if TV is completely online. City AM's opinion editor Alys Denby told the show: "This is a change which is inevitable, people are not using terrestrial TV any more, everything is moving on to streaming. I'd be curious to know how many of the 150,000 people who signed this petition ever watch terrestrial TV. Look, we can talk about having to buy a broadband connection but it won't just be the TV that you benefit from with that, you'll also have all sorts of other benefits from having a broadband connection. ". Ms Webster replied: "6 per cent - that's millions of people in this country who still don;t have access to broadband services and many of those may never decide to go for a subscription and just be cut off won't they?" Ms Denby said: "Well, is that their choice? Is it because they live in very rural areas where the broadband fibre rollout that the government is doing hasn't got to them yet - or is it their choice? Some people like to be off the grid. " Responding on X, several viewers expressed certainty that people would be left without access. One stated: "My uncle is housebound, has learning difficulties and relies on his free view tv. He doesn't have broadband because he can't understand it and it will take money from his care. ". "Every penny he receives is used for his care and health needs, he would have to cut something to afford it. ". Another commented: "10m people use freeview,if it goes will have to pay for something you now get for free. " One individual remarked: "Nobody should have to pay anything on top of the tv licence to watch tv. We choose to get sky, virgin etc but its a choice to spend the extra money on it. Doing this essentially forces a higher cost to turn the tv on". A viewer observed: "Never put all your eggs into one basket. Being totally reliant on the internet is not a sensible move. I don't think we need to keep both terrestrial and satellite, but we certainly need to keep one of them. " An anxious viewer questioned: "Well, if they make TV only via the web, then what happens when a town of 65000 folks loses their internet for 13 hrs one day, then 36 hrs a a day later. How do they watch TV if that happens again? All it takes is a contractor 2 dig up some cables, it's all gone 4 weeks of repair". Freeview reaches 13.6 million homes across the UK, firmly establishing itself as the leading television platform for 40% of households with a TV set and the nation's biggest television service. The platform operates via traditional aerials. Labour MP Peter Lamb recently put a question to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, asking: "What plans she has to update the current terrestrial TV/Freeview licences following the Consultation on the renewal of digital terrestrial television (DTT) multiplex licences. " In response, Ian Murray, Minister of State jointly for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, confirmed the potential end date: "Following the consultation in 2021 on the renewal of digital terrestrial television (DTT) multiplex licences to which my honourable friend refers, Parliament legislated to secure the future of DTT until at least 2034. No decision has yet been made about the future of the DTT platform beyond this point." A spokesperson for the Future TV Taskforce, a collective comprising the public service broadcasters and Everyone TV, commented: "The Taskforce supports a carefully planned, managed transition from digital terrestrial television (DTT) to internet‐delivered TV and a potential switch‐off in the mid‐2030s, as part of a broader, UK‐wide digital inclusion and transition plan. ". "Done well, this approach can protect universal access to public service broadcasting; support innovation and investment across the TV sector; and deliver long‐term benefits for viewers and the UK economy. Above all, the Future TV Taskforce believes that the future of television should be inclusive, resilient, and designed around the needs of all audiences to ensure that everyone can continue to access trusted UK content as technology and viewing habits evolve.". The petition is available to view and sign here.