Freeview New Zealand is to launch Freeview NextGen, which is on track to be the first nationwide free-to-air television platform built on the global DVB-I standard. Freeview NextGen will deliver services over the internet while maintaining the familiar experience of television channels.
The Freeview NextGen service is expected to launch in the third quarter of 2026, placing New Zealand ahead of other markets where the DVB-I standard is being trialled.
Freeview NextGen will be exclusively available through televisions from launch partners TCL and Hisense, but it is expected to become more widely available as more brands adopt the DVB-I standard.
Integrated as part of the native television interface and installation process, it will allow viewers to access Freeview channels over Wi-Fi or a fixed internet connection, without the need for a dedicated application, a satellite dish, or an aerial connection.
Freeview NextGen will work in harmony with traditional television setups. For viewers who choose to connect both an antenna and broadband, Freeview NextGen will intelligently combine both signals into a single consolidated television guide.
The introduction of Freeview NextGen will ensure free-to-air channels remain easy to find and universally available as television designs and setups evolve, while preserving the simple, comforting, quintessentially local television experience audiences value.
Leon Mead, the general manager of Freeview New Zealand, says that meeting consumer expectations for free-to-air access is at the heart of Freeview NextGen, with its development driven by diversifying viewer habits and television interface designs as well as enhancements in technology.
“Freeview NextGen represents momentum in futureproofing free-to-air television for all New Zealanders. There is no doubt we love streaming live TV, and Freeview NextGen makes this simpler than ever. While the trusty aerial and satellite will be around for a while, this is the future for TV.”