Discover Freely: broadcast TV over broadband with Manhattan Aero

So you've heard about Freely – the new streaming platform from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5. And here's what makes it different from everything that came before: live TV channels streamed over your broadband. No aerial. No dish. Just Wi-Fi.

With Freeview and Freesat, your live channels have always come through an aerial or a dish. The catch-up apps were streamed, sure, but the live stuff needed traditional broadcast. Freely changes that. Your broadband does everything. Tell Me More

Until now, Freely has only been available built into certain new televisions. Samsung and LG don't support it. If your current TV works fine, the idea of replacing it just to get Freely feels like a stretch.

Here's the good news: you don't have to. The Manhattan Aero is a compact 4K TV streaming device that brings Freely to any TV with an HDMI port. Plug it in, connect to your Wi-Fi, and you've got proper telly – no aerial needed. Tell Me Less

What is Freely?

Freely is a streaming service backed by the UK's major public service broadcasters: the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5. It launched in 2024, and it's growing fast.

The platform now offers over 60 live TV channels, with 35+ in HD. On top of that, you get access to more than 75,000 hours of on demand content through integrated apps like BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, My5, and UKTV Play. Tell Me More

That's more free content than any major subscription streaming service in the UK, including Netflix, Disney+, and Apple TV+.

And because it's all delivered over broadband, you can pause live TV, restart programmes from the beginning, and scroll back through the TV guide to find catch-up content from the past seven days. Tell Me Less

TV over broadband: what are the advantages?

When live TV comes over broadband instead of an aerial, you get some real advantages.

  • Picture quality. Over 35 Freely channels stream in HD. Compare that to Freeview, which has only 9 HD channels, with everything else in standard definition.
  • Pause and restart. You can pause live TV for up to 15 minutes and restart programmes from the beginning on supported channels.
  • No signal issues. No aerial means no reception problems. If your broadband works, your TV works.
  • Flexibility. Want a TV in a room without an aerial socket? With Freely and the Aero, that's no longer a problem. Any room with a Wi-Fi signal becomes a TV room.

Exclusive Channels You Can't Get Anywhere Else

Freely has exclusive channels you won't find on Freeview or Freesat – dedicated channels built around the shows people love, with more launching all the time. Read more

The Manhattan Aero:
Freely for Your TV

The Manhattan Aero 4K TV Streamer is a small streaming device that plugs into your TV's HDMI port. Connect it to your broadband connection (via Wi-Fi or Ethernet), and your existing television gets access to the complete Freely platform. Read more

Do I Need an Aerial or Satellite Dish?

No. That's why it's a game changer. Freely streams everything over the internet, and the Manhattan Aero is built specifically for this. It works in any room where you have a stable broadband connection – whether that's via Wi-Fi or a wired Ethernet connection. Read more

How Setup Works

Getting started takes a few minutes:

  1. Connect your hardware – Plug the Aero into your TV's HDMI port and connect the power adapter
  2. Connect to your network – Use your Wi-Fi password or plug in an Ethernet cable for a wired connection
  3. Start watching – Follow the on-screen instructions and you're in The Aero handles everything over broadband, so you're watching in minutes.

What You'll Need

Three things, all of which you probably already have:

  1. A television with a spare HDMI port (any TV, Smart TV or not)
  2. A broadband connection – the Aero connects via Wi-Fi or Ethernet
  3. A power socket nearby

That is it.

Freely FAQs

Absolutely. Because Freely works entirely over your broadband connection, you don't need an aerial socket at all. Set up a TV anywhere you have a decent Wi-Fi signal or can run an Ethernet cable.

No. The Aero transforms any TV with an HDMI port into a modern streaming hub. Even if you have an older Smart TV whose apps have stopped being updated, the Aero will give you a faster, more comprehensive experience.

Freely has over 35 channels in HD. Freeview has only 9 HD channels, with everything else in standard definition. On a modern TV, the difference is noticeable.
 

Yes. You can pause live TV for up to 15 minutes. You can also restart programmes from the beginning on supported channels, and scroll back through the TV guide to access catch-up content from the past seven days.

Freely has channels you can't get on Freeview or Freesat – dedicated channels built around popular shows. Channel 4 has 4Reality, 4Homes, and 4Life. ITV has The Chase, ITV Quiz, and Saturday Night Every Night. New exclusives are launching all the time.

Freely is a streaming platform – there's no recording capability. With 75,000+ hours of catch-up content available, most programmes are there when you want them anyway. If recording broadcast channels is important to you, our T4-R (Freeview) recorder is designed for exactly that.

Many Freely enabled televisions also include an aerial connection, but when a Freely TV has an aerial connected, it often prioritises the aerial version of channels over the broadband version. That means you might get the lower-quality broadcast signal instead of the HD stream and lose the ability to pause and restart. The Manhattan Aero doesn't have this problem. It's IP-only by design – it only receives channels over broadband. So, you always get the best possible stream, with full pause and restart functionality. No compromises.