Updated on February 25 2020
There are currently 29 stations available nationally on Freeview, these include both BBC and commercial radio stations.
Channel numbers are liable to change without notice and bitrates can also change from time to time.
Freeview radio quality on most BBC national radio stations is 192 kbps, though this is acceptable quality, though it is still not as good as FM.
Voice quality is almost identical between Freeview and FM, speech does not make great demands on bandwidth.
However, when music becomes more demanding, with more background instruments playing at the same time, FM still provides a much more enjoyable listening experience.
It is not that FM is better than Freeview, it is more to do with bandwidth limitations and the bitrates broadcasters use on the platform.
Currently, all radio stations are on DVB-T multiplexes are using older less efficient MPEG 2 encoding.
As is the case with DAB, Freeview is a space constricted platform with a limited number of multiplexes. Freeview will never be able to offer the same range of stations available on other UK platforms.
When the UK switches DVB-T multiplexes to DVB-T2 in the future, this could allow more stations to join the platform, or allow those already on Freeview to raise quality by utilising newer more efficient technology.
If you have any corrections, please email this site to have them included.
Website: www.freeview.co.uk
For more information on Freeview (Terrestrial) see:
Complete table of DTT UK London (digitalbitrate.com)
Freeview Channels and Channel Numbers (KSL Technical)
List of DTT channels in the United Kingdom (Wikipedia)
Bitrates on Freeview HD (Nigel Whitfield’s digital TV & technology blog)
How signal strength, quality and bitrate relate (UK Free TV)
For frequencies & multiplexes, see www.terrestrialtv.uk
| Freeview Radio | ||||||
| Station | Multiplex | EPG No. | Bitrate | Audio | Description | |
| BBC Radio 1 | PSB1 | 700 | 192 kbps | Joint-Stereo | Current hit music, dance and rock. | |
| BBC 1 Xtra | PSB1 | 701 | 160 kbps | Joint-Stereo | Urban music, hip-hop, grime and dancehall. | |
| BBC Radio 2 | PSB1 | 702 | 192 kbps | Joint-Stereo | Adult contemporary, oldies, country, jazz, soul and funk. | |
| BBC Radio 3 | PSB1 | 703 | 192 kbps | Joint-Stereo | Classical, jazz, world music, arts, culture and drama. | |
| BBC Radio 4 | PSB1 | 704 | 192 kbps | Joint-Stereo | Spoken-word programming, drama and philosophy. | |
| BBC Radio 5 Live | PSB1 | 705 | 96 kbp/s | Mono | News, current affairs, discussion and sport. | |
| BBC Radio 5 SX | PSB1 | 706 | 96 kbps | Mono | Additional sports coverage. | |
| BBC 6 Music | PSB1 | 707 | 160 kbps | Joint-Stereo | Alternative music, rock, reggae and other minor genres. | |
| BBC Radio 4 Extra | PSB1 | 708 | 160 kbps | Joint-Stereo | Archive programming, including drama, plays and comedy. | |
| BBC Asian Network | PSB1 | 709 | 128 kbps | Joint-Stereo | Station for the British-Asian community. | |
| BBC World Service | PSB1 | 710 | 96 kbps | Mono | International radio station for current affairs. | |
| BBC Local Radio | PSB1 | 719 | 80 kbps | Mono | Local radio in England. | |
| BBC Radio Scotland (Scotland only) | PSB1 | 719 | 128 kbps | Joint-Stereo | BBC Radio Scotland is Scotland’s national radio station. | |
| BBC Radio Nan Gàidheal (Scotland) | PSB1 | 720 | 128 kbps | Joint-Stereo | BBC radio station, broadcasting in Scottish Gaelic. | |
| BBC Radio Wales (Wales only) | PSB1 | 719 | 128 kbps | Joint-Stereo | BBC Radio Wales is Wales’s national English language radio station. | |
| BBC Radio Cymru (Wales only) | PSB1 | 720 | 128 kbps | Joint-Stereo | BBC Radio Cymru is Wales’s national Welsh-language radio station. | |
| BBC Radio Ulster (NI only) | PSB1 | 719 | 128 kbps | Joint-Stereo | BBC Radio Ulster is one of two national stations in NI. | |
| BBC Radio Foyle (NI only) | PSB1 | 720 | 128 kbps | Joint-Stereo | BBC Radio Foyle is one of two national stations in NI. | |
| BBC Radio London (London) | PSB1 | 721 | 80 kbps | Mono | Local BBC radio for London. | |
| Hits Radio | Com6 | 711 | 64 kbps | Mono | Contemporary pop music. | |
| KISS FRESH | Com6 | 712 | 64 kbps | Mono | Hip-hop, R&B, EDM, House and Garage. | |
| Kiss | Com6 | 713 | 80 kbps | Mono | Dance, hip-hop, R&B. | |
| KISSTORY | Com6 | 714 | 64 kbps | Mono | Electronica, dance, R&B, trip-hop, acid house, alternative dance. | |
| Magic | Com6 | 715 | 80 kbps | Mono | Hot Adult Contemporary. | |
| heat | Com6 | 716 | 64 kbps | Mono | Contemporary music. | |
| Smooth Radio | Com6 | 718 | 64 kbps | Mono | Adult contemporary. | |
| Kerrang! | Com6 | 722 | 64 kbps | Mono | Rock music. | |
| talkSPORT | Com5 | 723 | 64 kbps | Mono | Sports commentary, discussion and news. | |
| Capital | Com4 | 724 | 80 kbps | Mono | Contemporary hit radio, news, entertainment, speech, showbiz. | |
| Premier Radio | Com6 | 725 | 64 kbps | Mono | Christian programming. | |
| U105 (NI only) | PSB2 | 726 | 160 kbps | Joint-Stereo | Soft AC/Oldies/Easy listening. | |
| Absolute Radio | Com4 | 727 | 80 kbps | Mono | Modern adult contemporary. | |
| Heart | Com4 | 728 | 64 kbps | Mono | Rhythmic AC & Hot AC. | |
| RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta (NI only) | NIMUX | 729 | 192 kbps | Stereo | Irish-language radio service from RTÉ. | |
| RNIB Connect | Com5 | 730 | 64 kbps | Mono | Radio for the Blind and partially sighted (RNIB). | |
| Classic FM | Com5 | 731 | 128 kbps | Stereo | Classical music. | |
| LBC | Com5 | 732 | 64 kbps | Mono | Rolling news and discussions. | |
| Trans World Radio (TWR) | Com7 | 733 | 64 kbps | Mono | Christian programming. | |
BBC Local Radio on Freeview – England
BBC Local Radio is available in most areas of England on Freeview on channel 719, 720, 721, 722, 734 and 735, depending on where you live. Some areas have more than one local BBC station available. BBC local stations in England are broadcast on the PBS1 multiplex operated by the BBC, unfortunately only in mono at present at the low bitrate of 80 kbps.
Channel 719
BBC Radio Berkshire
BBC Radio Bristol
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire
BBC Jersey
BBC Kent
BBC Leeds
BBC Manchester
BBC Newcastle
BBC Norfolk
Channel 720
BBC Hereford & Worcester
BBC Radio Lancashire
BBC Radio Nottingham
BBC Somerset
BBC Radio Suffolk
BBC Radio Sussex
BBC Three Counties Radio
BBC Radio York
Channel 721
BBC Radio Cumbria
BBC Radio Devon
BBC Radio Guernsey
BBC Radio Humberside
BBC Radio Leicester
BBC Radio London
BBC Radio Shropshire
BBC Radio Wiltshire
Channel 722
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
BBC Radio Cornwall
BBC Radio Lincolnshire
BBC Radio Merseyside
BBC Radio Oxford
BBC Radio Solent
BBC Radio Surrey
BBC Radio Tees
BBC Radio West Midlands
Channel 726
BBC Radio Solent for Dorset
BBC Radio Stoke
Channel 734
BBC Radio Essex
BBC Radio Northampton
BBC Radio Sheffield
Channel 735
BBC Derby
BBC Gloucestershire
East East
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire (722)
BBC Radio Essex (734)
BBC Radio London (721)
BBC Radio Norfolk (719)
BBC Radio Suffolk (720)
East-West
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire (722)
BBC Radio London (721)
BBC Radio Norfolk (719)
BBC Radio Northampton (734)
BBC Radio Three Counties Radio (720)
East Midlands
BBC Radio Derby (735)
BBC Radio Leicester (721)
BBC Radio Lincolnshire (722)
BBC Radio Nottingham (720)
The Nations
BBC Radio in Scotland
The BBC broadcasts two local or national radio stations in Scotland, BBC Radio Scotland in English and BBC Radio Nan Gàidheal in Scottish Gaelic.
BBC Radio in Scotland is broadcast on the PBS1 multiplex operated by the BBC.
When BBC Alba is on air, some BBC radio stations have to reduce their bitrates:
BBC Radio Scotland (mono in the evenings)
BBC Radio 1Xtra (stereo)
BBC Radio 4 (mono in the evenings)
BBC Radio 4 Extra (mono in the evenings)
BBC Radio 5 live (stereo)
BBC Radio 5 live sports extra (mono in the evenings)
BBC Radio 6 Music (stereo)
BBC Asian Network (mono in the evenings)
Wales/Cymru
The BBC broadcasts two local or national radio stations in Wales on Freeview, BBC Radio Wales in English and BBC Radio Cymru in the Welsh language.
BBC Radio in Wales is broadcast on the PBS1 multiplex operated by the BBC.
Northern Ireland
The BBC broadcasts two local or national radio stations in Northern Ireland, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Radio Foyle.
BBC Radio in Northern Ireland is broadcast on the PBS1 multiplex operated by the BBC.
Channel Islands (Freemont Point & Relays)
The BBC broadcasts two local radio stations in the Channel Islands:
BBC Radio Guernsey (721)
BBC Radio Jersey (719)
