The Government has today proposed to switch-off terrestrial TV signals in either 2034 or 2044 as part of a wider change to reflect the move to internet-based streaming, provided broadband coverage is ready to support the transition (they expect it to be). Support will also be provided to the UK homes that may struggle to afford broadband, possibly backed by a new subsidy scheme.

Over the past couple of decades there has been a significant shift in how we all access and view TV content. Traditional Digital Terrestrial TV (DTT) signals are in decline and internet (IP)-based streaming platforms are on the rise (e.g. Netflix, Amazon, Sky Glass / Sky Stream, YouTube, Disney+, Freely and so forth).

NOTE: The £5bn Project Gigabit scheme aims to help extend gigabit broadband (1Gbps+) networks to “nationwide” coverage (c.99% of UK premises) by 2032, focusing mostly on the final 10-20% in hard-to-reach areas. Some 90% of premises can already access such a network (here) and Ofcom are forecasting this could reach up to 95% by January 2029 (here), while 98.5% can access “superfast” (30Mbps+) speeds.

The Public Service Broadcasters’ (i.e. BBC, ITV, Channel 4 etc.) have recognised this shift and forecast it will be necessary to transition to streaming / IPTV solutions in the mid-2030s. Otherwise, they warn, it could become increasingly challenging for them to bear double costs from running multiple distribution platforms.

At the same time Ofcom have been busy introducing new rules to help lay the groundwork for a more streaming centric future (here, here and here), such as by modernising the country’s broadcasting regulations, while also expanding them to cover IP-based video-on-demand (VoD) and streaming services.

Until today the UK Government had already committed to the future of DTT until 2034, but a question mark has continued to exist over how long the service could continue beyond this date.

Obstacles to the DTT Switch Off

One of the biggest challenges in making such a major shift stem from the fact that not everybody may be ready for it. According to a previous 2024 Government report on the future of TV distribution (here), come 2040 it’s forecast that some 5% of UK homes (1.5 million) will still rely on digital terrestrial television via the air waves.

Just to be clear. The 1.5 million figure reflects 0.4 million homes that will opt not to connect to broadband and 1.1 million homes that will have broadband, but which will not connect their TVs to use an internet TV service. “These viewers are more likely to identify as female and to live on their own. They are also more likely to live in the north of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, be on low incomes and have a disability,” said the report.

The same report predicted that “superfast broadband” (30Mbps+) would reach at least 99.65% of homes by 2030 (at the end of 2025 it was around 98.5%), although such figures may be open to debate given the recent slowdown in some deployments of even faster broadband networks.

The above is relevant because most services currently require a download speed of c.5-6Mbps to support a single HD video stream (c.15-30Mbps for UltraHD / 4K), but this figure will actually shrink as more platforms adopt increasingly sophisticated compression and codecs. But of course, home users also need their connections for other tasks, hence why speeds of 30Mbps+ are considered somewhat of a basic requirement for any transition away from DTT.

The government’s proposals

The UK government has today published a new Green Paper on their proposed approach to the future of TV distribution in the UK – ‘Watch this Space: A new strategic direction for UK media‘, which proposes a series of changes and options for how the process should be tackled.

Key Proposals of the Green Paper

➤ The government “sees a strong case” for a managed transition to internet-based TV services by 2034, not least because it expects the necessary broadband connectivity “to be in place to support a transition in 2034” and views this date as being able to “unlock a range of strategic, economic and consumer benefits“.

However, it also recognises the “challenges involved” and is consulting on an alternative option too, which would be a transition by 2044 – offering a 10-year extension to the DTT platform. This would involve maintaining a hybrid DTT/IPTV model until 2044, while preserving universal free-to-air access for households that are slower to adopt broadband, including older and more vulnerable viewers.

The 2044 model would overall “allow for a gradual, lower-risk transition“, not least because it says “near-universal access to IPTV is not anticipated until the early 2040s” (i.e. when 30Mbps+ should be universal).

➤ The government will reform the UK’s Public Service Media (PSM) system to ensure it delivers for the public and gives the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, 5, STV, and S4C more flexibility to attract audiences online. For example, social media companies and video sharing platforms will be required to make sure that news content from PSMs and “other trustworthy providers” is prominent and easy to find on their platforms (i.e. being more likely to be at the top of people’s social media feeds when they search for news).

Changes are being considered to make the system more flexible – this could mean that other broadcasters and YouTube channels could similarly be designated as PSM providers in the future.

➤ On-demand rights for major sporting events to be added to the free-to-air ‘Listed Events Regime‘ (currently this only covers the rights required to show events live), which aims to protect free access for fans to the World Cup, Wimbledon, Olympics and other major sporting events (i.e. stopping them being put behind a paywall). “Bringing on-demand rights in scope of the regime will make sure these sporting moments continue to be provided for free in the future by PSM on digital and online platforms – rather than just traditional TV channels,” said the government.

➤ Options for improving media literacy are also being considered to make sure that people of all ages have the skills they need to critically think about the content they are consuming online and on social media. The government is exploring the possibility of introducing a new duty on PSM providers to deliver and report on media literacy activity, allowing best practice to be shared more widely, with the aim of building on work already being done under the Media Literacy Action Plan.

➤ The government will work with industry and audience groups on a support programme to help transition their viewing to IPTV services and “make the most of the additional benefits this provides“. This package will depend on industry and a strong ecosystem working together to develop and deliver it: PSM providers, platform operators, telecoms providers, manufacturers and retailers, charities and local delivery partners, each playing their part.

Some of the options being considered for this are low-cost or subsidised broadband for people receiving benefits or on low incomes; as well as low-cost or discounted internet capable TV sets for people on low incomes; and distributing simple / affordable streaming devices that connect older TVs sets to the internet with no ongoing fees.

The government also seeks views on how TV and streaming platforms can develop “services and systems that feel the same as digital terrestrial television so they are easy to use for people with limited digital skills“. This includes straightforward setup, di...

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