ITV Player has finally arrived on Freesat – a year after it was originally scheduled. The on demand service, delivered over the MHEG Interaction Channel, has been testing for several months. It will join the BBC iPlayer on the free-to-air satellite platform.
Freesat viewers will be able to view programmes from ITV1, ITV2, ITV3 and ITV4 up o seven days after broadcast. Around 100 hours of content will be made available every week.
Freesat managing director Emma Scott said, “The launch of ITV Player on Freesat is another important landmark for us. It’s fantastic that we can now offer viewers the two biggest catch-up TV services, direct to their TVs.
Robin Pembrooke, managing director, ITV Online and On Demand added: “Freesat is a key part of our platform strategy and another important step in our mission to give audiences access to our content when and where they choose to view it whilst improving the underlying technology and user experience across the board.”
ITV Player can be found on channel 903 on the Freesat EPG, and will automatically be added via customers’ TVs or digital boxes.
Despite the delays the ITV Player is initially running in beta. Viewers wishing to access the service will need a Humax Freesat HD or Humax Freesat+ digital box connected to a satellite dish and to a broadband service of at least 2 Mbps.
