Consultation on changes to Digital UK’s LCN Policy

stereohaven · ‎12-12-2020

I know plenty post on here annoyed that they cannot receive the full range of Freeview channels due to the situation with their local mast or aerial, well if that is you I would recommend you add your thoughts to a consultation being run by Digital UK about some changes they wish to make:

It closes at 5 PM on the 13th January 2021.

Some highlights on what is proposed and why you might want to support it are below, but the key part (in red), is about delivering channels that you cannot receive via your aerial using your broadband, just like BT does with BT TV:

Enable the use of new technology in Freeview Play devices, which will make it easier for viewers to discover HD content, and give them access to more channels
Give more flexibility to channel providers. We believe channel providers are best placed to manage their portfolios to the benefit of viewers

In particular, we propose to:

Enable HD channels to take the place of their SD equivalents, on devices which support this
Enable ‘IP fallback’ channels on devices which support this. That could mean that devices that are not connected to an aerial could nonetheless receive certain channels via IP; and that viewers who rely on relay transmitters, and are therefore missing channels from some UK-wide multipexes, could receive some of those channels via IP
Enable channels that are delivered solely via IP, with no DTT element, to be received by devices that support them
Remove the restrictions on how often channel providers may reorder LCNs within their portfolio and change channels’ names
Remove the restrictions on channel providers trading LCNs
Increase the minimum broadcast hours requirement for any new channel launching on the platform to six hours per day

You can download the full consultation by clicking here