26 November 2014
CONTRACTS AWARDED AND TECH DETAILS AVAILABLE FOR
CONNECTED FREEVIEW SERVICE

Metadata contract awarded to Arqiva

Technical specification available to manufacturers and content providers

Product testing deals with DTG Testing and Digital TV Labs
Digital UK today announced the signing of major contracts to build and test a new Freeviewbranded connected TV service.
Following a competitive selection process, Arqiva has been awarded the contract to provide the
metadata system at the heart of the new service. It will enable viewers to move seamlessly between
live programmes and on-demand shows using Freeview’s new ‘backwards EPG’. This will include
content from the Public Service Broadcast services (BBC iPlayer, ITV Player and 4oD) with further
content providers to be confirmed in due course. The service will be built by Arqiva’s recently
launched Connected Solutions business, following the merger of Capablue with Arqiva’s existing
hybrid TV operation.
Digital UK also announced today that it is making the technical specification for the new service
available to manufacturers and content providers. Interested parties can register for the
specification, based on international standards, and related documents at:
www.digitaluk.co.uk/connectedtv.
Arrangements for testing connected Freeview products have also been agreed. Contracts have
been signed with the UK’s leading television platform and device testing specialists Digital TV Labs
and DTG Testing. The companies will develop test materials and test suites which will ensure the
quality and compatibility of products and services. Work is also advancing with a range of technical
development partners, including television and digital receiver manufacturers.
Today’s news follows the announcement in June 2014 that Digital UK and Freeview would develop
and launch a connected TV proposition. Digital UK is leading on technical development of the new
product while Freeview will lead on launching and marketing the service to viewers. The new
service will be built into a range of TVs and set top boxes available from retailers. Having
purchased their equipment, viewers will be able to watch live and on demand programmes via an
aerial and their current broadband provider without being tied to a contract. The name of the new
service and launch timing is to be confirmed at a later date.
Ilse Howling, Managing Director, Connected TV at Digital UK said: ‘These agreements are a
crucial step on the road to giving millions of Freeview viewers the freedom to watch what they want,
when they want. We are delighted with the progress we are making and the levels of interest from
manufacturers, retailers and viewers. We look forward to working with Arqiva and our other partners
who together will play a vital role in bringing the next generation of Freeview products to life.’
Charles Constable, Managing Director of Digital Platforms at Arqiva, said: ‘Arqiva is
committed to ensuring Freeview remains a strong and competitive player in the changing TV
landscape. The metadata system we are developing will form the backbone of the new platform and
sustain its value for years to come.’
ENDS
Notes to Editors
About the Freeview metadata system: At the heart of the hybrid TV service is the metadata delivery system
(MDS) which provides centralised aggregation and delivery of content metadata. The MDS is being built by
the Arqiva Connected Solutions team and will enable seamless delivery of both terrestrial broadcast and IP
metadata. It will provide metadata to the Freeview forwards and backwards EPG, including enhanced content
descriptions, imagery and links into on-demand players. Content providers deliver metadata for broadcast,
catch-up and other on-demand services to the MDS using a metadata ingest service.
About Digital UK: Digital UK supports Freeview viewers and channels. It manages strategy, policy and service
development for digital terrestrial television (DTT) in the UK and provides day-to-day technical management
of the Freeview Electronic Programme Guide (EPG). The company is owned by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and
Arqiva.
About Freeview: Launched in 2002, Freeview is a subscription-free TV service providing over 60 digital TV
channels as standard and a further ten HD channels when using an HD television or HD set top box/recorder.
All standard Freeview channels are also available on YouView and BT Vision.
Freeview is managed by DTV Services Ltd, a company owned and run by the BBC, BSkyB, Channel 4, ITV and
Arqiva.
About Arqiva: Arqiva is a communications infrastructure and media services company, operating at the heart of the
broadcast, satellite and mobile communications markets. The company stands at the forefront of network solutions
and services, providing much of the infrastructure behind television, radio, satellite and wireless communications in
the UK and with a growing presence in Ireland, mainland Europe, Asia and the USA.
About DTG Testing: DTG Testing provides the product conformance regime which enables manufacturers to
obtain trademarks for the Freeview and Freesat digital TV platforms in the UK, as well as international
platforms in Scandinavia, Ghana and New Zealand.
About Digital TV Labs: Digital TV Labs is a leading media and device testing specialist, operating globally
with testing facilities in the UK and Hong Kong. The company’s extensive portfolio of products and services
provide complete testing solutions to CE manufacturers, broadcasters, operators and related media and
device supply chains.