What is the Difference Between Free-to-View and Pay-TV?

For free-to-view digital TV, you must buy or rent your own receiver. This can be a set-top box to go with your existing TV set, or a new TV set which is designed to receive digital TV signals.

Free-to-view TV services vary according to whether you decide on DTT (through your aerial) or satellite (using a dish), but both offer the following free-to-view services (and more):

BBC ONE BBC PARLIAMENT S4C (in Wales)
BBC TWO CBBC S4C 2 (in Wales)
BBC THREE CBeebies QVC
BBC FOUR BBCi Bid TV
BBC NEWS 24 ITV Five
Channel 4   Various radio services

For digital pay TV, you must pay a monthly subscription to your pay TV subscriber, who will then provide you with a set-top box on loan, or will subsidise the cost of a new digital TV set. The Top Up TV pay TV service works with some DTT set top boxes. (More information on set top box compatability can be found on Top Up TV's web site.)

With pay TV, you receive all the free-to-view services from the BBC, as well as ITV, Channel 4 and five (and from S4C in Wales), and a number of other free-to-view services which vary in number depending on whether you choose a pay TV provider on DTT (through your aerial), Satellite (using a dish) or via cable or broadband.

Pay TV services are provided by the following companies:

On DTT (through your aerial)

On Satellite (using a dish)

Via Cable

Via broadband/IPTV

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