Labour has been cautioned that shutting down Freeview within the next decade could leave millions of households in rural Britain struggling to access television.
Opponents of the proposed switch-off are calling on ministers to push any decision back until at least the 2040s, warning that the end of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) would hit countryside communities hardest.
The concern follows a government Green Paper published last month, which set out plans to phase out aerial-based DTT and move viewers towards internet-delivered TV services. Under the proposals, the transition could begin as early as 2034.
Such a shift would effectively bring Freeview to an end. The platform currently reaches 13.6 million homes across the UK and remains the primary way of watching television for 40 per cent of households with a TV set.
Even by 2035, estimates suggest as many as 1.5 million households could still depend on DTT for television access.
When the Green Paper was released, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy argued that reform was necessary as “the media landscape moves further and further online”.
Broadcast 2040+, one of the campaign groups resisting an early switch-off, is pressing for the change to be delayed until at least 2044. The group has now written to Jenny Riddell-Carpenter, a minister at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and former chair of Labour’s Rural Research Group.
In its letter, the campaign urges the government to treat the future of DTT as a key test of its pledge to “rural-proof” policy decisions.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the move was needed as ‘the media landscape moves further and further online’
Freeview, which functions through aerials and reaches 13.6million homes, uses the DTT system and allows viewers to watch a range of main channels
They argue moving to internet streaming of Freeview channels would leave millions without access to TV at all.
As of January, 89 per cent of English households in rural areas currently receive 4G coverage indoors from all four operators, the government reported.
This was 97 per cent in urban areas, while 1.5 per cent of homes have no access to 4G from any network.
Government data published last month also shows just 70 per cent of rural residences have access to gigabit-capable broadband, compared to 92 per cent in towns and cities.
In the most rural areas, this dropped to just 60 per cent.
Gigabit-capable broadband gives households a connection of at least 1,000 Mbps per second, 20 times faster than standard broadband.
As of November, Ofcom said 26,000 properties in England still lack adequate broadband connection at all.
Critics argue that ending Freeview as early as 2034 will mean many homes will not have adequate broadband to be able to reliably watch TV, and could push millions into spending hundreds of pounds more on expensive internet packages.
Due to the demographics of those living outside urban areas, issues are more likely to affect elderly and vulnerable people, Broadcast 2040+ argues.
As of 2024, 27 per cent of people living rurally were aged 65 or older, compared with 18 per cent in urban areas excluding London.
Director of Silver Voices Dennis Reed warned switching off Freeview could become ‘Burnham’s winter fuel moment’.
‘Andy Burnham would be bonkers to proceed with this premature plan,’ he told the Daily Mail.
‘Most affected would be low income families and pensioners who will not be able to afford the [broadband] contracts, and those in isolated and rural communities who cannot receive fast broadband at all.
‘Mark my words, if the Freeview switch off goes ahead it will become Burnham’s winter fuel moment.’
A petition set up by Mr Reed alongside the Digital Poverty Alliance and the Broadcast 2040+ Coalition calling for Freeview to be saved until at least the mid 2040s has gained more than 158,000 signatures.
A spokesperson for Broadcast 2040+ said: ‘The Government’s own report recognises that major gaps in rural connectivity remain and promises that rural communities will no longer be treated as an afterthought.
‘The Government must carry out a full rural impact assessment and protect terrestrial television until every household has an alternative that is just as affordable, accessible and reliable.’
A government spokesperson said: ‘There is a strong case for a long-term transition to IPTV [internet protocol television], but no decisions have been made.
‘The purpose of the media green paper is to gather views from across the sector and the public before any final decisions are taken. We are committed to ensuring that no one is left behind as TV viewing increasingly moves online.
‘Any future transition would only proceed once we are confident the right safeguards, infrastructure and support are in place so that everyone can continue to access television affordably and with confidence.’
