Bbc Red Button

[margarettom]

Why is the BBC showing the same match on BBC1 and the red button? This is the third day running I have noticed this. Why are Freeview viewers limited to only 2 match choices? There are so many other matches they could show. Seems pointless having a red button if you watch on Freeview.

[ubasses]

I have just pressed the red button on freeview and can see a choice of several matches.

[margarettom]

Sorry ubasses. No sooner had I posted then they went over to a doubles match, so now got egg on my face. It was true on previous afternoons though.

[Buenchico]

Freeview viewers are limited in the number of choices they've got simply because of the limited availability of frequencies within the radio spectrum.

With ever-growing numbers of devices requiring radio frequencies allocated for their sole use (e.g. 4G phones, 5G phones, wireless headphones, wifi devices, Bluetooth devices, satellite TV, etc), as well as long-established users (such as radio broadcasters, emergency services, taxi firms, etc), there's only a very tiny part of the radio spectrum available for use by terrestrial broadcasters and they have to decide how they'll use it.

For those reasons, there have always been fewer BBC Red Button services available to Freeview users than to viewers using other platforms but the number was further reduced back in 2009 when the BBC removed some of the Red Button feeds in order to provide space for new BBC HD channels.

[margarettom]

Sorry, just picked up this very comprehensive answer. Thanks Buenchico.