Free vs. paid-for TV: the pros and cons

With analogue TV soon to be switched off everywhere, is it worth paying monthly for a TV package, or is it best to stick to the free option?

Analogue TV is to be switched off soon (this may have already occurred in your area) but what are the options available? Here's a simple guide to the basics of some of the most popular alternatives.

No monthly fees

Freeview

We'll start with the cheapest and simplest option of all - Freeview. Freeview receives the signal through your aerial to a set top box (which costs £20+) or through your TV if it has an in built tuner. 

Depending on coverage in your area you'll get access to up to 48 TV channels, including BBC News 24, Sky News, CNN, E4, More4, Dave, Film4, Sky3 and ITV2 and once you've paid for your box that's it, no more bills.

Freeview+

Alternatively, you can pay a bit more (£100+) for a Freeview+ box with a hard disk/DVD recorder. Depending on what you choose this allows you to pause and rewind live TV, as well as record two programmes at once or can be easily set to tape a whole series.

Pros/Cons

With only around 73% coverage, you may not be able to use Freeview. It also offers limited channels (although it does include the main ones). And it's cheap.

Free Sat

If you can't receive Freeview and need a satellite dish, FreeSat may be the answer.

In a rare show of unity, FreeSat, (a not-for-profit company set up by the BBC and ITV) supplies a satellite dish and set top box for around £130 (inc. installation) with nothing more to pay (if you already have a satellite dish you may be able to get away with just the set top box (£49+).

It offers 140 TV and radio channels, plus up to 70 hours per week of HD programmes.

FreeSat+

And like Freeview, you can choose a FreeSat+ hard disk recorder that allows you to record up to 200 hours of standard programme recording or 60 hours of HD.

Pros/Cons

As FreeSat uses a satellite dish, it has far greater coverage than Freeview (estimated at 98%) although some areas have banned dishes. It also offers more channels (although many may be pretty pointless). You can also watch HD programmes - although this is only useful if you have an HD TV.

Free Sat From Sky

Free Sat From Sky offers a similar service to FreeSat, providing subscribers with a satellite dish and set top box for a one-off fee of £146.81 (including installation). You'll receive 240 channels through Sky, although this doesn't include favourites such as Sky One.

Pros/Cons

While more channels are offered, most are nothing special. Similar coverage to FreeSat is achieved through use of a satellite dish and should you wish to upgrade to Sky TV in the future you can do so easily.

But if you hanker for popular channels such as Sky One, plus sports and movies, a pay monthly package is likely to be more appropriate.

TV with monthly fees

BT Vision

BT Vision provides all of the Freeview channels through your aerial and its Vision+ set top box, but you need to have BT Total Broadband (or take it out) to sign up.

The Vision+ set top box (which costs £90) is also a hard disk recorder which allows you to pause and rewind live TV etc. However, in addition you can also watch catch-up TV or choose to pay extra for On Demand films and sport.

Alternatively, you can choose to pay a set monthly fee (£14.68 - £19.57) for a Value pack, giving access to various TV, film and sports packages (reductions are available for the first 3 months).

Pros/Cons

As it relies on your aerial its coverage is similar to Freeview (73%). BT Vision options are very confusing, plus you are tied into having BT broadband. The Vision+ box can only record 80 hours. However, if you choose a broadband, TV and phone package with BT this could work out to be better value.

Sky

Sky offers digital TV through a satellite dish and set top box and of course provides numerous channels (including Sky One) as well as movie and sports packages.

The basic box is free, but costs £30 to set up. Alternatively you can choose a Sky+ box (with 40 hours recording capacity) or Sky+HD box (80 hours capacity) which cost £49 each.

TV packages start at £17.50 for the Variety pack (inc. Sky One) all the way to £47.50 if you choose to have everything (including Sky Sports and Movies). And for an extra £9 you can add ESPN (£12 if you don't have Sky Sports).

You can also choose to add broadband and telephone bundles which can work out a little more cost effective.

Current offers

If you subscribe online to the HD pack with Sports or Movies you will currently get free installation (saving £30) and £25 of Marks & Spencer vouchers.

Pros/Cons

Good coverage through use of satellite dish. Sky offers everything but it is expensive. It does offer premium channels such as Sky One and if you want Movies/Sports a package can be better value.

Virgin

Finally, Virgin supplies digital TV via a fibre optic cable and set top box, but while you won't need to rely on your aerial/require a satellite dish, you do need to live in a cabled area.

It offers a similar line up of channels to biggest rival Sky, however it does require you to also take out its phone line. TV packages start at £5 (for 45 channels) to £21.50 (160 channels including ESPN and Sky One).

You can add Sky Sports and Sky Movies to your package after 30 days - and to have everything costs £49 per month (plus £11 phone line rental).

You can choose to have the set top box (standard installation is £30) or the V+ box (£75 set-up fee) which has 80 hours recording capacity. You can also record 2 channels while watching a third.

Pros/Cons

Virgin is only available if you live in a cabled area (though cable is far neater than a dish). Very similar in costs to Sky, except you are forced to also take out Virgin's phone line.

Savings can be made by choosing a broadband, phone and TV bundle. It costs more if you choose not to pay by direct debit. And Virgin has a bit of a reputation for terrible customer service.

Verdict?

Clearly digital TV is a minefield but hopefully this has given a flavour of some of the main options available.

So what's the verdict? Well roughly speaking, if you're not a great TV watcher, it's best to choose either Freeview, or if coverage is poor in your area either FreeSat or FreeSat from Sky. All of these options have a one-off fee then nothing more to pay, and supply the main channels. And by choosing a set top box with hard disk recorder you'll have the ability to record, pause and rewind live TV etc.

If you'd like the option to pay extra for On Demand TV, the basic BT Vision option could be a good one, allowing you to access Sports and Movies on an ad hoc basis.

But if you need premium channels such as Sky One, and a regular fix of sports or movies, you'll get the most choice from a Sky (if you can have a satellite dish) or Virgin package (if you're in a cabled area and don't mind taking out its phone line).

My choice? A Freeview+ box and a trip to Blockbuster whenever I fancy seeing a recent film. But that's just me!

Happy viewing!

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