Saorview

What Saorview does

Saorview is Ireland's national free-to-air digital terrestrial television (DTT) service, established under the Broadcasting Act 2009 and owned and managed by Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ), the country's public service broadcaster. The service operates two national television multiplexes using the NORDIG receiver-compliance standard and reaches 98% of Irish homes via aerial transmission, with a complementary SAORSAT satellite option for the remaining 2%. As of January 2016, Saorview had reached 676,000 households (43% of all TV homes in Ireland) per Nielsen, overtaking Sky to become Ireland's largest TV platform in September 2015.

The core product is the Saorview DTT service, delivered through Saorview Approved televisions and set-top boxes from manufacturers including Toshiba, Akura, Laurus, Alba, Digihome, Finlux, and Technika (over 6,215 approved products listed). The platform extends beyond pure DTT through Saorview Connect, a hybrid broadcast-broadband set-top box developed in partnership with UK free-to-air operator Freesat using its cloud-based Metaphor platform; Connect adds on-demand RTÉ Player content, series-link recording, pause-live-TV, the Spotlight personalised recommendation service, and mobile app remote control. Feature stack also includes a 7-day electronic programme guide, over-air software upgrades, Red Button interactive services (used by TG4 for additional content), bilingual English/Irish language support including Irish-language commentary for GAA sport, and dedicated children's channel Cúla4 (launched September 2023). Transmission infrastructure is operated by 2rn, RTÉ's wholly owned subsidiary.

Saorview is offered free to consumers with no subscription or contract; revenue is not generated from end users and is not publicly disclosed, with the service funded indirectly through RTÉ's statutory public service broadcasting mandate. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via 377+ retail partnerships (Powercity, Euronics, Currys, Expert, Harvey Norman, Tesco, Sound Store, DID Electrical and independent retailers) for hardware, complemented by a Limerick-based call centre (0818-21-22-21), live-help chat, social media (Facebook, X), and the saorview.ie website. Content supply is anchored by RTÉ channels and Virgin Media Ireland, with TG4, Sky News, Challenge, UCB Ireland, and Oireachtas TV also carried on the platform. Customer service and marketing operations are supported by a headcount of 11–50 employees, with registered offices at Donnybrook, Dublin 4.

Name

Saorview

Legal name

Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ)

Website

https://saorview.ie

Company type

Public

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ireland's national free-to-air digital terrestrial television service, owned by RTÉ under the Broadcasting Act 2009. Delivers free DTT channels to 98% of Irish households via approved TVs and set-top boxes, with hybrid broadband features through Saorview Connect.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Free-to-Air Digital Terrestrial Television

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Television Broadcasting Stations (51612)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

Video Streaming Platforms (SVOD/AVOD/TVOD) (BPAMAJAA)

Keywords

• Free-to-air television
• Digital terrestrial TV
• DTT broadcasting
• Irish public broadcasting
• Free TV service

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Free-to-Air Broadcast Service: Saorview is a free-to-air DTT service requiring no subscription or monthly payment from consumers. The service is established under statutory obligations in the Broadcasting Act 2009 and is funded by RTÉ as part of its public service broadcasting mandate. Revenue is not generated directly from viewers; the service is supported by public funding and RTÉ's overall broadcasting operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Saorview provides Ireland's national free-to-air digital terrestrial television (DTT) service, delivering live TV channels from RTÉ, Virgin Media, and TG4 to Irish households via aerial connection with no subscription fees. The platform covers 98% of Irish homes through a network of transmitters operated by 2RN (a wholly-owned RTÉ subsidiary), and offers an enhanced connected product, Saorview Connect, which combines DTT with broadband for on-demand content, recording, and programme recommendations.

Product overview

Saorview is Ireland's national free-to-air digital terrestrial television service, owned and managed by RTÉ. The core product is the Saorview DTT service delivering live TV channels from RTÉ, Virgin Media, and TG4 to Saorview Approved TVs and set-top boxes via aerial connection. Saorview Connect is the connected set-top box variant that adds broadband integration for on-demand content via RTÉ Player, programme recording, the Spotlight recommendations service, and mobile app remote control. Additional products include Saorview Combi (combining DTT with satellite reception), the Saorview Mobile App for programme guides and remote recording, and Saorview ID for personalization. The infrastructure is operated by 2rn (RTÉ subsidiary). The platform covers 98% of Irish homes with over 676,000 households (43% of TV homes) as of 2016.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Saorview DTT Service Ireland's national free-to-air digital terrestrial television service providing access to Irish TV channels including RTÉ, Virgin Media, and TG4. Available nationwide to 98% of Irish homes via aerial connection with no subscription fees.
• Saorview Connect Connected set-top box combining traditional DTT reception with broadband connectivity, enabling on-demand content, RTÉ Player integration, programme recommendations via Spotlight, series link recording, pause live TV features, and mobile app remote control.
• Saorview Box Saorview Approved set-top boxes enabling non-approved televisions to receive the Saorview service. Available from various manufacturers including Akura, Laurus, Alba, Digihome, Finlux, and Technika, with over 6,215 approved products listed.
• Saorview Approved TV Televisions that have undergone testing and certification to work with the Saorview service. Feature built-in DTT tuners with access to all Saorview channels without requiring an external set-top box.
• Saorview Combi

Quantifiable outcome

• 676,000 Irish homes (43% of all TV homes) access Saorview as their primary TV platform as of early 2016
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• FreesatcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2016RTÉ partnered with Freesat (UK free-to-air television company) to develop Saorview Connect. Freesat provides its cloud-based Metaphor platform (based on the award-winning UK Freetime service) which integrates broadband content with linear DTT channels. Freesat delivers the solution as a fully managed service, including the set-top box application and mobile applications.
• 2RNcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner2RN is a wholly owned subsidiary of RTÉ that constructs and operates the transmission infrastructure for the Saorview service. They manage the national transmitter network covering 98% of Irish homes. 2RN carries out essential maintenance and technical updates on the DTT network.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Virgin Media Ireland: Cable pay-TV incumbent in Ireland; both a competitor (subscription TV) and a content partner (Virgin Media channels distributed free-to-air on Saorview).
• Sky Ireland: Ireland's largest subscription pay-TV provider, which Saorview surpassed as the country's largest TV platform in September 2015; competing for the same household TV budget on a subscription-vs-free basis.
• BBC (Free-to-air division): UK public service broadcaster whose Freeview-delivered channels compete for household viewing; comparable mandate (free public service TV) but operates at much greater scale and content budget.

Direct peers

• Freesat: UK free-to-air satellite TV provider and the explicit technology partner behind Saorview Connect; operates the same free-to-air distribution model and provided the Metaphor platform that powers Saorview's connected experience.
• Freeview (Australia): Australian free-to-air DTT platform certified by Freeview Australia Ltd; operates the same free-to-air broadcast model with hybrid broadband-connected receivers, making it a strong structural peer.
• Freeview (UK): UK free-to-air DTT platform covering the majority of UK homes; the closest international analogue to Saorview in business model (FTA broadcast with certified receiver products) and consumer proposition.

Regional players

• Sveriges Television (SVT): Swedish public service broadcaster operating a free DTT platform on a comparable statutory mandate; useful comparator for free-to-air public TV sustainability in a small European market.
• Yle (Finnish Broadcasting Company): Finnish public broadcaster delivering free DTT channels under a similar public-service mandate; small-market European analogue to Saorview/RTÉ.
• Saorsat: RTÉ's free-to-air satellite companion serving the 2% of Irish homes outside DTT coverage; complementary rather than competitive, but materially similar in funding model and audience.

Emerging players

• TG4: Irish-language public broadcaster whose channels are distributed via Saorview; functions as both a content partner and a partial free-to-air TV platform within Ireland.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/saorview
• Facebookfacebook.com/saorviewirl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/digitalworldireland-com

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Saorview