Even with on-demand TV and catch-up TV services, sometimes you just want to watch live TV. But you might not always have access to your TV when you want to watch it if someone else is using it or if you’re out and about or away on holiday.
Fortunately, watching live TV online directly on almost any device is easier than ever before.
What you’ll need
Generally speaking, you can stream live TV to laptops, desktop computers, smartphones, and tablets, although some services are limited to certain devices.
Depending on the service and the device you’re using, you can watch through your web browser or an app.
Although you’re likely to get better speeds if you connect to Wi-Fi, you can use mobile connections, too, since streaming typically only requires a speed of around 2Mbps. That being said, some providers require you to use a Wi-Fi connection to access live TV, and streaming TV uses a lot of data, so keep your data plan in mind before you start watching.
Read our guide 'How can I get free streaming with my mobile phone contract' for more information.
Finally, you’ll need a TV licence. Even if you’re not watching through an actual television, if you’re watching live TV on any device, you’ll need a TV licence to watch it legally.
Stream using provider apps
Even though streaming live TV is becoming more popular, not many channels are available online individually. We’ll cover the ones that are, but if you currently have a TV package, your best bet for watching TV online is likely to be your provider’s app or website — which is probably already included in your TV package.
Most major providers offer their own streaming service, including:
Sky
With Sky Go, you can watch all the live channels included in your TV subscription on up to six registered devices. With a Sky Go subscription, you can stream on two devices at a time If you upgrade to the paid version, Sky Go Extra, you can stream on five devices at a time.
Virgin Media
The Virgin TV Go app lets you watch hundreds of live TV channels — depending upon your package — on up to five devices and view them on two devices simultaneously, including laptops, desktops, mobiles, and tablets.
See the latest Virgin TV deals
BT
BT’s TV app is available on up to four devices if you subscribe to their Entertainment or VIP packages or if you have the BT TV App Extra subscription. You can use the app or online player to watch up to 34 channels.
You can stream on two devices at the same time. When you’ve reached your device limit, you can register a new device once every thirty days.
NOW
The channels you can stream from the NOW app depend on your TV membership. The NOW app can be used on up to five devices—including laptops, games consoles, tablets, smartphones, and set-top boxes—per account, but it only allows simultaneous viewing on three devices at a time, and some devices can’t stream live TV.
Again, the channels you can stream and the number — and type — of devices you can register may vary depending on your exact package. But if you have access to these services, they’re likely to give you more options than streaming individual channels.
Stream Freeview channels
Several Freeview channels are free to stream live online:
BBC
Thanks to iPlayer, you can watch 10 BBC channels live online or through the app.
ITV
ITV Hub lets you stream all six ITV channels live on their website or app.
Channel 4
Through the All 4 site or app you can watch all six of Channel 4’s channels on their website or app.
Stream live sports
If you pay for premium sports channels like TNT Sports and Sky Sports, you probably don’t want to miss a single game. Luckily both channels make it easy to watch your favourite matches no matter where you are.
Watch Sky Sports online
You can watch Sky Sports online through the Sky Sports app or website, no matter who your TV provider is. Or, if you don’t want to download another app, you can watch it through:
- NOW
- Virgin TV Go
- Sky Go
Watch TNT Sports (BT Sport) online
You can sign in and stream TNT Sports using the Discovery+ app on any supported device. To sign in on your TV, follow the 'Sign in to discovery+' steps on TNT Sports via BT or EE.
These provider apps also support TNT Sports:
- BT TV app
- Virgin TV Go
Stream using other apps
There are also streaming sites and apps — such as TVPlayer — that let you stream live TV across more channels. Some are free, but some cost money.
When using one of these services, make sure you choose one that is legal and isn’t pirated. More and more ISPs are cracking down on illegal streaming and online piracy, and if you’re caught, you risk getting your service cut off, fines or even jail time.
With so many free, legal options available to you, online piracy simply isn’t worth the risk these days.
Take a look at our latest TV deals from all the major digital TV providers and see which one is right for you.
