Having trouble watching your favorite show on Freeview? A number of Freeview users have complained about disappearing sound, frozen pictures, or worst of all, complete loss of audio and picture. Viewers suffering from the latter will see an error message near them with a “no signal” warning … not exactly what you need if you are in a bind for the Line Of Duty finale, are on Hire Eurovision or catch up on Innocent.
The problems plaguing Freeview set top box owners have been reported in a number of areas across the UK, including North Lanarkshire and Portsmouth. And every time it seems to be the same problem that causes the broken feeder: 4G masts.
Yes, it appears that 4G cellular data services have been activated in a number of regions across the UK. The signal for these fast mobile downloads to your smartphone is next to the frequencies used by Freeview (800 MHz to be precise). While you may have noticed a few more signal bars on your smartphone in the past few weeks, the signal also affects the frequency your Freeview antenna uses to receive channels.
Thankfully, there is a fix for Freeview viewers who are struggling to tune into their favorite channels.
If you can’t get a clear picture of your Freeview box, a new company set up according to instructions from the UK government can apply a special filter to your facility to ensure that Freeview frequencies are not interrupted. The company, called 800, can solve any frequency-related problem.
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At800 also provides additional support for people aged 75 and over who are registered blind or partially sighted or who are receiving certain benefits. These include personal independence payments (PIPs), attendance allowances, permanent attendance allowances, or mobility assistance for war retirees.
Ben Roome, CEO of at800, told The Daily Record: “It is our job to fix the Freeview interference caused by 4G at 800 MHz for free. If you rely on Freeview for TV, we can send you a free filter that fits into the antenna cable connected to TVs and set-top boxes to block mobile signals. Full instructions are included and we can provide further advice online and over the phone if necessary. “
In most cases, adding a simple filter should fix a 4G at 800 MHz interference. This can be done in a single appointment. However, if that doesn’t work, at800 is also available for free follow-up exams to fix the issues.
Cable and satellite television providers like Sky Q and Virgin Media TV shouldn’t be affected by the newly installed 4G masts. This is due to the frequencies these set-top boxes use to receive their channel feeds and the Electronic Programming Guide (EPG). However, if viewers have cable and satellite from these providers at home and are still watching Freeview – for example in a guest room – at800 can still provide the free filtering service to troubleshoot issues.
Freeview has released an important update for everyone who uses smart TVs with Android TV. On-demand shows and live broadcasts are now included in the redesigned menu from Google, which develops the Android TV software used by manufacturers such as Sony, Hisense, and others.
