New US player in IPTV sector offering no-cost access

A relatively new IPTV service in the United States is offering completely no-cost access to more then 500 television channels using an ad-based model to provide viewers with content, and broadcasters with viewers. FreeTube is offering a variety of free Internet Television Channels using IP streaming technology.

The website, which currently lists more then 500 channels, has been cited as a social and technological experiment. It claims to offer a vast and diverse mixture of channels, individually separated in to eleven distinct categories based on their programming and content.

According to FreeTube’s help section, all that is needed is a modern web browser and several common plugins in order to watch many of the television streams.

The website offers many independent television channels each with their own seemingly unique and niche based programming in close similarity to regular cable television packages, which feature a few commercial channels mixed with a selection of lower popularity niche channels. In the cable industry this is referred to as a big-for-small package. Smaller channels are utilised to fill up the majority of the channels offered to the user.

However in the case of FreeTube, many of the channels actually have watchable programming including an assortment of documentary and movie channels all offered in live streaming picture.

FreeTube also operates a television spy called FreeTube Spy, which lets viewers see what channels are being watched in real-time on the IPTV monolith. Interesting details about each viewer are displayed, showing their country of origin, web browser and the channel they are watching currently. Even more entertaining, is being able to join in and watch those literal channels at any time.

FreeTube appears to be emulating a cable and satellite television system but is using a relatively light-weight business model featuring sparse ads throughout the site to fund their operations.

FreeTube makes generous usage of technology to power and run its site with what appears to be many Web 2.0 features, including a television cloud tag of watched channels, user customisable favourites, and AJAX technology.