Channel 5 HD granted Freeview Licence

Channel 5 HD have received an Ofcom licences enabling them to broadcast a service on the Freeview digital terrestrial TV platform.
The Viacom-owned channel say on its website “Unfortunately, Channel 5 HD is not currently available on the Freeview or Freesat HD services. However, we are committed to launching the channel on these platforms and hope to do so in future.”
The channel is a expected to take the current BBC Three HD channel number (105), once the current online promotions end.

There is  currently around 10-15 Mbps of variable bandwidth unused on the PSB3 digital multiplex carrying BBC One HD, BBC Two HD, ITV HD and Channel 4 in HD. This is sufficient bandwidth for Channel 5 HD to broadcast on Freeview.

On satellite an encrypted  Channel 5 HD test has been on the Channel 5 transponder for some time on the UK spotbeam, this would allow the channel to go free-to-air on satellite.

There are currently no details about when Channel 5 HD will launch on Freeview and no information on the service joining Freesat at present.
The test transmission is not currently displaying Channel 5 HD nor is it showing any EPG data.