Arqiva, the company that operates the UK's terrestrial broadcast network, has told the Government a managed switch-off of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) in 2044 would cut broadcaster transmission costs by up to 50 per cent and reduce energy consumption by around 40 per cent, while still freeing up valuable spectrum by 2034.

The recommendation comes in Arqiva's response to the Government's Green Paper on the future of television distribution in the UK. The consultation is examining what role DTT should play as audiences migrate online and more services move to internet protocol (IP) delivery.

Arqiva, which owns and runs the transmission infrastructure behind Freeview, argues that 2044 is "the most practical, affordable and resilient option" for ending terrestrial broadcasts. The company says its fully-costed proposal reinforces the Government's own analysis that 2044 represents a "lower cost, lower risk" path for UK television viewing.

The date matters commercially and politically. An earlier switch-off in 2034 — an alternative under discussion — would, according to Arqiva, put millions of viewers who still rely on Freeview at risk. It would also place extra strain on communications infrastructure, raise costs for other sectors that share broadcast networks, including radio services, and weaken national resilience and sovereignty.

Under the Arqiva plan, universal access to public service broadcasting would remain protected throughout the transition. The company frames the 2044 timeline as a consumer-led migration to IP television: audiences shift to internet-delivered services at their own pace, while the terrestrial platform continues to provide coverage, affordability and a fallback for the foreseeable future.

The spectrum element is significant for the telecom sector. Even with a 2044 switch-off, Arqiva's proposal would enable the release of valuable spectrum by 2034 — a decade ahead of the proposed broadcast end date. Spectrum freed from television use has historically been redeployed for mobile broadband, and any early release would be relevant to future mobile capacity planning in the UK.

The cost and energy figures anchor the commercial case. Halving transmission costs would benefit the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, which collectively fund the DTT platform through transmission contracts with Arqiva. The 40 per cent reduction in energy consumption aligns the proposal with broadcaster sustainability commitments.

Arqiva's submission also serves the company's own interests: a 2044 horizon extends the useful life of its broadcast infrastructure and transmission contracts, whereas an accelerated 2034 exit would strand assets earlier. The company presents the later date as the lower-risk route for audiences, broadcasters and national infrastructure alike.

The Green Paper process is now testing these arguments against the pace of online viewing. Arqiva maintains that the UK can modernise television distribution and release spectrum without creating unnecessary risks — provided the switch-off follows a managed, decade-long runway rather than a compressed transition.

The Government's decisions on the Green Paper, expected to shape the final switch-off date and spectrum release timetable, will determine whether Arqiva's fully-costed 2044 framework becomes policy or whether pressure for an earlier IP-only future prevails.