The BBC has yet to commit to the future of high-definition services on digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom. It is apparently holding out pending the review of its Royal Charter. The commercial public service broadcasters have meanwhile extended their licences for ten years from the start of 2025.
The only high-definition channels on Freeview are broadcast on multiplex B, which is operated by BBC Free To View Limited. The current licence is due to expire in November 2026. It is currently the only multiplex configured to carry channels in high definition.
Mux B transmits services in DVB-T2 and H.264, rather than DVB-T and MPEG-2 that is still used on the other multiplexes. The multiplex has carried BBC1, BBC 2, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5 in high definition since 2010.
The main public service channels are the only remaining services broadcast in high definition on digital terrestrial television, after capacity previously used to transmit additional channels in high definition was reassigned to mobile network operators.
The BBC carries its services in standard definition on Multiplex 1, under the terms of its current Royal Charter, which runs to the end of 2027.
ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5 are carried in standard definition on Multiplex 2, operated by Digital 3&4 Ltd, which is jointly owned by ITV and Channel 4. This licence has been extended until the end of 2034.
The BBC has previously said that it was “prudent and sensible” and defer the option to extend the licence for Multiplex B until closer to the current expiry in 2026, which is before the end of the current BBC charter period.
The BBC Royal Charter, which has been renewed every 10 years since 1927, has typically been tied to the funding and purpose of the Corporation. The future of the television licence fee is in doubt but an alternative form of funding has yet to be agreed.
The Government has begun a year-long stakeholder forum on the Future of TV Distribution to consider the available issues and options related to the long-term delivery of television services in the United Kingdom.
The BBC is understood to be keen to cut its distribution costs and is in favour of moving to online delivery.
Any suggestion that broadcasters would cut high-definition terrestrial transmissions to encourage viewers to go online seems like an act of self-harm and is more likely to be political posturing.
In 2022, the BBC announced plans to end traditional transmissions CBBC and BBC Four within three years. They are still on air and the BBC has not published any specific plans to cease broadcasting them.