Freeview down: outages across country caused by 'atmospheric conditions'

There have been widespread reports of Freeview outages across the country, with numerous users on social media reporting that they're unable to access the UK's free digital TV platform. 

WhatHiFi reports that issues range from a loss of all signal to problems with specific channels such as those from the BBC and Sky. 

A spokesperson for Freeview has said the most likely cause of the outages is the weather, including, but not limited to, "high air pressure...heavy rain, or snow".

No fix for now

The former condition is the most likely cause of the current outages, which according to Downdetector are focused around the London, Essex, and East Anglia areas. 

Unfortunately there's no fix forthcoming for the problems. A Freeview spokesperson said: "Unfortunately there’s nothing we nor our viewers can do except wait for the high pressure to clear. We can’t give a timeframe either as it’s out of our control, however once the high pressure clears, reception will be restored."

All users can do is buckle up and wait for the weather to change, although with temperatures rapidly dropping as we move into winter, there's nothing many will want to do more than cosy up inside in front of the telly. This might be a good time to try a web-connected TV service, and check out the best shows on Netflix.

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Jon Porter

Jon Porter is the ex-Home Technology Writer for TechRadar. He has also previously written for Practical Photoshop, Trusted Reviews, Inside Higher Ed, Al Bawaba, Gizmodo UK, Genetic Literacy Project, Via Satellite, Real Homes and Plant Services Magazine, and you can now find him writing for The Verge.