Freesat, the subscription free TV service, has announced that long term partner Manhattan Technology intends to manufacture a new line of Freetime set top boxes, building on Freesat’s range.
Manhattan, the largest UK-owned manufacturer of set-top boxes, supplies thousands of independent retailers via its sister company Eurosat, as well as all the major retailers and supermarkets, including Dixons, Argos, John Lewis, Amazon and Tesco.
Owners of the new Manhattan Freetime range will be able to use Freetime to roll back the TV guide for the past seven days, access all the major On Demand services including BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, 4oD, and Demand 5, and watch Showcase, Freesat’s programme recommendation service. The Freesat mobile companion app will also work in conjunction with the Manhattan Freetime set-top boxes, offering the ability to plan, record and manage programmes to watch and directly control the TV.
The latest quarterly figures highlight that Freesat’s connected TV service Freetime now accounts for 41% of all Freesat set top box sales, and sales of Freetime boxes more than doubled year on year.
Freesat managing director Emma Scott commented: “We’re delighted to confirm that we are working with another Freetime manufacturing partner, following the recent Freetime announcements with Panasonic and Vestel. Having worked with Manhattan for five years now, they are an important partner for us and it’s great to see our Freetime service proving so popular among both industry and consumers alike.”
