How to Get Freely on Smart TV for Streaming Live TV
| Reuben Howe
We're no stranger to the inception of Freely, the "TV through internet" alternative to Freeview created by Freeview owner Everyone TV. As an alternative, Freely offers IPTV streaming but, unlike Netflix or Prime, Freely actually presents content in an EPG.
The problems of Freely have reared their head a few times since launch, and it's still a very niche alternative rather than a full-on replacement for Freeview.
But, for those wanting to test the new UK Streaming App for themselves, where do you even begin?
How to Get Freely on Smart TV:
Check the Brand Partner webpage on Freely.co.uk
As of October 2024, Freely is still only available from specific brand partners, and only on their 2024 models!
Currently, the Freely products page shows 45 different TV's which have Freely. This sounds like a wide range, presently a mix of BOSH TV and Panasonic while the remaining are Hisense.
You can choose your screen size and price range (Starting at £229.99 and getting up to £1599.99) but beyond that you're getting what you'd expect in a 2024 Smart TV, plus the ability to use Freely.
Download Freely TV App from the Store
As of October 2024, Freely is not available as a standalone app. This means that current Smart TV's can't simply search the store and download the Freely app. In fact, Freely is restricted to specific hardware and only available on brand-partner TV's.
Use a Freely TV Smart Stick
As of October 2024, Freely has not unveiled plans for an external solution to add Freely to your TV, such as a smart TV stick or a set top box. This would allow us to have the hardware and firmware needed for Freely, but add it on to our current TV (saving a lot of that prerequisite cost in the process!).
UPDATE OCTOBER 11th 2024:
It has been confirmed that Freely will be added to Amazon Fire devices. This is unfortunately limited to TV's which natively have Amazon Fire systems and will not affect Amazon Fire Sticks. So, more TVs are available to use Freely but we still don't have an external solution to add Freely to our current TV.
"Freely will be available on Amazon Fire TV smart TVs including Fire TV 2-Series, 4-Series and Omni Series as well as smart TVs with Fire TV built-in, this does not include portable Fire TV devices." - Freely Notes to Editors
It was a bit of excitement, but because Freely is only available via TVs themselves rather than a Fire Stick, it basically amounts to the brand partner list having more added.
That's by no means a bad thing, as the more TVs that support Freely, the better! However, it's a far cry from the accessibility that a Fire Stick version of Freely could provide. It is a shame to see Freely become available on Fire TVs but remain unavailable on Fire TV Sticks.
Looking to the Future of Freely
I really want more to write here, because Freely as a replacement for Freeview must, eventually, become accessible on devices other than these specific 26. However, there's simply only one way to actually access Freely right now and, unfortunately, it's far from "free".
While Freely advertises that "All you need is Wifi", that fact only becomes true after you've splashed out on a brand new TV of a specific make, and paid your TV licence + any internet bills for the speedy service you'll need to properly run Freely.
It's a lot of prerequisites for very little payoff, so I am hoping I can add sections for accessing Freely via a Freely set top box, or Freely smart TV stick, or ideally just a simple Freely download!
Coincidentally, don't go downloading the "Freely" app on android devices thinking it's this, there actually happens to be a travel insurance app called "Freely" and it most certainly won't give you access to live UK TV...
5 comments to
Just purchased a Hisense set with Freely TV for my mother in law who is 101, partially sighted and only wants the ‘traditional’ services e.g. BBC, ITV etc. It is brilliant for her as she couldn’t handle a SKY box, FireStick etc.
Nice and simple.
Cannot see a lot of people shelling out for a new TV to get Freely and not even on top brand tvs yet.
They missed the boat by not having a open streaming service on a app.
More from john bly freeiy supposed to be a service for the public but try talking to them ! with their attitude they are surely doomed with all the other streaming services good idea but need to try a lot better
It would seem to me freely is a short term project doomed to failure considering all the relatively new televisions 📺 in the country cheap set top box required or smart stick to get people interested
Is there truly no IPTV box to get Freely on my Belgium LG television ?