TV viewers to receive free channel upgrade TODAY – but there’s a catch

MILLIONS of telly watchers are set to receive all regular BBC channels in HD on Freeview.

It will be the first time all the regular BBC channels will be available in HD on Freeview.

Red button channel BBC RB1 is not included because Freeview Play users can already stream extra content through BBC iPlayer

It has been made possible via a new IP add-on to Freeview that launches on Monday 24 July.

However, the free TV channel upgrade will only be available to a handful of viewers in today’s launch, according to RXT Info.

BBC News HD, which was removed last year to make room for more 5G mobile services on the airwaves, is set to make a welcomed reappearance.

The BBC will initially only offer HD channels that are either not available across the whole of the UK or not at all on Freeview.

This includes BBC Three HD, which isn’t available over the air in Scotland and Wales.

Alongside BBC Scotland HD, BBC Alba HD, BBC News HD and BBC Parliament HD.

Red button channel BBC RB1 is not included because Freeview Play users can already stream extra content through BBC iPlayer.

It’s important to note that the IP channels will not replace existing BBC digital channels over the air to your aerial.

The BBC IP channels will broadcast in a specially reserved block of Freeview channels, listed here:

301 BBC Three HD302 BBC Scotland HD303 BBC Alba HD501 BBC News HD502 BBC Parliament HD

HD versions of BBC One, Two, Four, CBeebies and CBBC will continue to be broadcast on their normal channel numbers.

The offer is also unfortunately exclusive to newer Freeview Play TVs – telly boxes that were made in the years after 2020.

Therefore, TVs made before 2020 – as well as Samsung and Sony boxes – won’t have access.

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