Cello Electronics has begun shipping its first televisions with Freely built in, with the 32-inch and 43-inch Smart Frameless models now available and further screen sizes to follow.
The Bishop Auckland-based manufacturer said the launch makes it the first UK TV manufacturer to produce TVs with Freely integrated, with the new sets assembled on Cello’s own production line in County Durham. The 24- and 50-inch models are expected to join the range shortly.
Freely is the free-to-use streaming platform backed by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. It delivers more than 70 live channels and over 70,000 hours of catch-up content via broadband, meaning viewers do not need an aerial or satellite dish. A TV licence is still required. The platform also includes channels from partners including UKTV, GB News, CNN, QVC and Legend.
One of Freely’s key features is the ability to pause and restart live TV on selected channels, bringing functionality traditionally associated with pay-TV platforms to a free streaming service.
Cello has been manufacturing televisions in the north of England since 1996, and the company is positioning the new Freely models as a combination of UK manufacturing and the move towards broadband-delivered television.
Brian Palmer, Founder and CEO of Cello Electronics, said: “We’ve been building TVs in Bishop Auckland for over 20 years and this is one of the launches I’m most pleased with.
“Freely gives people over 70 live channels and all their catch-up with no aerial, no dish and no subscription. Put that inside a TV that’s made here in County Durham and backed by our own UK support team, and it’s something nobody else can offer.”
Cello’s new Freely TVs also feature a hospitality mode, opening up potential applications in hotels, B&Bs and guest houses. The manufacturer said the combination of Freely’s broadband delivery and hospitality functionality can allow accommodation providers to offer live and catch-up TV without satellite or cable contracts.
The Wi-Fi-based setup can also reduce the need for additional aerials, satellite dishes and associated cabling when installing TVs across multiple rooms.
Cello said the new range combines its UK manufacturing operation with Freely’s free live and on-demand TV platform, giving retailers another option in the growing market for broadband-based television.
