Freeview capacity available next year

Digital terrestrial multiplex operator Arqiva has announced it will have a vacant slot for a 24/7 standard definition Freeview channel next year.
Arqiva holds the licence to operate four of the multiplexes that carry Freeview channels to viewers via a conventional aerial, but capacity across the terrestrial multiplexes is limited or non-existent following a surge in new services joining Freeview in the past few years.

Two of Arqiva’s multiplexes are solely for standard definition services and reach around 90% of the UK’s population. Services on these multiplexes include Sky News, Dave, 4 Music and Spike. These two multiplexes are currently full, but Arqiva says a long-term free-to-air slot for a new channel on one of these multiplexes will become available in 2016 and is inviting broadcasters interested in launching a service on Freeview to get in touch.