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The four ways to get TV in the UK
Aerial (digital terrestrial)
Freeview and YouView boxes receive free-to-air channels through a rooftop or indoor aerial. No subscription, very reliable, but limited to the channels broadcast in your area.
Satellite
A dish receives Freesat or a pay-TV service. Excellent coverage, including rural areas, but it needs a dish, a clear view of the southern sky and usually a professional installation.
Cable
Virgin Media’s cable network carries TV alongside broadband in the areas it covers. Stable and fast to change channel, but only available where the network reaches.
IPTV (broadband)
Channels and programmes arrive over your internet connection to an app or box. No dish or aerial, works on many devices, but depends on your broadband and home network.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aerial | Satellite | Cable | IPTV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment | Aerial and Freeview TV or box | Dish and receiver | Cable box | Smart TV, stick or box, plus broadband |
| Installation | Usually none (aerial already fitted) | Dish installation | Engineer or self-install where available | Download an app |
| Monthly cost | Free channels (TV Licence still needed) | Free with Freesat; pay TV costs extra | Paid package | Depends on the service |
| Picture quality | SD and HD | SD, HD and some 4K | SD, HD and some 4K | SD, HD and 4K where the service and your line allow |
| Reliability | Very high; weather can affect weak signals | High; heavy rain can interrupt | Very high | Depends on broadband and the provider |
| Multi-room | An aerial point or box per room | Extra receivers | Extra boxes | Any compatible device on the network |
| Catch-up and on demand | Through connected apps | Through connected apps | Built in | Built into many services and apps |
Why so much TV is moving to the internet
The big UK platforms are steadily shifting to IP delivery. Sky Stream and Sky Glass need no dish, Virgin Media offers TV over broadband, EE TV runs over your line, and Freely streams live free-to-air channels to compatible smart TVs. The government has committed to keeping terrestrial TV until at least 2034, so Freeview is not going anywhere soon, but new features increasingly arrive on the internet first.
For viewers this means fewer boxes and cables and the freedom to watch on any screen. It also means your broadband now matters as much as your aerial once did. Our internet speed guide explains what to aim for.
Which option suits your home?
- You mostly watch the main free channels: keep Freeview, which is free to receive and very reliable. Add apps on a smart TV for catch-up. Our article on IPTV vs Freeview goes deeper.
- You rent or cannot fit a dish: IPTV avoids landlord permission for a dish and works anywhere with decent broadband.
- Several people watch different things at once: IPTV makes multi-room viewing easy, provided your plan includes enough screens and your line has the capacity.
- Your broadband is slow or unreliable: satellite or aerial will give a steadier picture. Improve the connection first, or choose HD rather than 4K.
Combining IPTV with traditional TV
You do not have to choose one. Many households keep an aerial for the main channels and add IPTV for extra viewing, a second room or a phone on the move. Most smart TVs switch between a Freeview tuner and apps from the same remote.
Whatever mix you choose, the same rule applies: a TV Licence is required to watch live TV on any of them. See IPTV and the TV Licence.
Frequently asked questions
Is IPTV better than satellite?
Not automatically. Satellite is extremely reliable and does not depend on your broadband; IPTV is more flexible and needs no dish. On a good connection IPTV can match satellite picture quality.
Is Sky Stream IPTV?
Yes. Sky Stream and Sky Glass deliver Sky’s channels over broadband instead of a dish, which is IPTV in the technical sense, from a fully licensed platform.
Will Freeview be switched off?
Not in the near term. The UK government has committed to digital terrestrial TV until at least 2034, while the long-term future of TV distribution is reviewed.
