LONDON (Thomson Financial) - UK commercial broadcaster ITV and state-owned rival BBC said they will launch a free satellite TV service in the spring of next year.
'Freesat' will offer Britons some 200 channels in both standard and high definition without paying a monthly subscription.
BBC Director-General Mark Thompson said the main aim of the new service is to boost the take-up of digital TV, particularly in those areas which are outside the range of digital transmitters.
'The BBC's objective in launching Freesat is to support Digital Switchover by providing another way for licence payers to receive digital television channels and radio services, subscription free from the BBC and ITV,' he said in a statement.
ITV Executive Chairman, Michael Grade, said: 'Freesat will ensure that a free-to-air, no strings attached option for accessing digital TV is available to the whole of the UK ahead of digital switchover.'
The companies said they have been working with hardware manufacturers, retailers and installers to develop the service.
Britain starts the switch-off of the analogue TV signal next year -- a process that is expected to complete some time in 2012.
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