BBC LiveTV/Radio lets you watch live BBC TV and listen to live BBC radio on your mobile phone. There is no need to download or install anything – just click and go. It’s available on a wide range of WiFi-enabled handsets. Over the coming months, we are hoping to make it available on even more handsets and over 3G networks.
To watch BBC LiveTV/Radio, you’ll need a WiFi-enabled handset and be in range of a WiFi access point. Check that both your mobile’s browser and media player settings are configured to connect via WiFi. For advice about how to do this, contact your handset manufacturer. Note that as this is a live television service, you must have a full colour TV licence to use BBC Live TV/Radio.
BBC LiveTV/Radio works on a range of WiFi-enabled handsets including most WiFi-enabled HTC, Motorola, Samsung and Sony Ericsson handsets. It’s also available on the Nokia 5800 and N96, and the Palm Treo 750.
Note that Live TV/Radio won’t work on an iPhone as this device doesn’t support streaming of live channels using general web technologies.
Currently, it’s not accessible using the G1, as this doesn’t have a default media player, but we’re investigating ways to make this work.
At present, Live TV/Radio isn't supported for the Nokia N95. We're working hard to make this available and hope to have a solution very soon.
Browse through the schedules to find something that you want to watch or listen to. To start, simply click on the TV channel/radio station logo. It’s as easy as that!
At present, the service is in a ‘beta’ (trial) stage while the BBC develops it fully. We hope to add further channels and stations to the service in due course.
The BBC does not have rights for all of its programmes to be made available on mobile. This particularly affects live sport and imported programmes.
The BBC does not charge for this service but you will need a handset that supports WiFi and access to a WiFi connection. Note that in order to use BBC LiveTV/Radio, you must have a full colour TV licence.
The service is funded by the UK licence fee and therefore is only available to users within the UK.
The BBC only has the rights to offer video and audio content to a UK audience via UK network operators and internet service providers. We are aware that sometimes data connections are wrongly identified as originating from outside the UK, so occasionally some people may see this message in error.
If you’re using a internet browser that isn’t your phone’s default one, please try the service again using your default browser. Installed browsers such as Opera Mini may direct you to the site via another country. This means that you will appear to be outside the UK and won’t be able to access BBC LiveTV.
If you are in the UK and accessing this service via a UK service provider but cannot view it, please Contact Us.
Yes, but not immediately. At present, the service is in a ‘beta’ (trial) stage while the BBC develops it fully. As the trial continues, we hope to add new functionality including subtitling.
You will need to be covered by a TV licence to watch ‘live’ TV on your mobile. A ‘live’ TV programme is a programme, which is watched or recorded at the same time (or virtually the same time) as it is being broadcast or otherwise distributed to members of the public. As a general rule, if a person is watching a programme on a computer or other device at the same time as it is being shown on TV then the programme is ‘live’. This is sometimes known as simulcasting.
You do not need a TV licence if you only use BBC iPlayer to watch television programmes which are not ‘live’.
It is a criminal offence to watch ‘live’ television without a TV licence or to possess or control a device which you know or reasonably believe will be used to watch ‘live’ TV without a TV licence. You could be prosecuted and fined up to £1000 (plus be ordered to pay legal costs) for these offences.
To buy a TV licence or to obtain further information about licensing requirements call TV Licensing on 0870 241 5590 or visit www.tvlicensing.co.uk (on your PC).
