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Pleio is the first set-top box that brings Freely to any television. This diddy 4K-compatible box was created by manufacturer Netgem and launched in the UK on November 21. Sold exclusively via Amazon, the Freely box sold out within days, with Netgem racing to restock ahead of Christmas.
And now, Pleio is available to buy on Amazon UK again.
For those who don't know, Freely launched in the first half of last year. Built by the same team as Freeview and Freesat, this new platform is forecast to overtake both of these by the end of the decade. Like paid-for platforms like Sky Stream, EE TV, and Virgin Media Flex, Freely lets you stream live television via a Wi-Fi connection.
Add Freely to ANY television by upgrading to the Pleio box
French entertainment brand Netgem is the first brand to launch a plug-and-play box that brings Freely to any television. Connect via HDMI, and you'll be able to stream the most popular free-to-air channels, including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, U, and of course, GB News. Freely arrives packed with several features previously only found on paid-for options like Sky Stream and EE TV
Netgem Pleio TV box
$99
With no need for an aerial, you can place your television anywhere in the house. Freely unlocks access to free-to-air channels and on-demand boxsets from free-to-air broadcasters over Wi-Fi.
Freely now offers access to an on-demand library with 74,000 hours of content from eleven different broadcasters. With the arrival of boxsets, blockbusters and docu-series from UKTV in recent weeks, Freely's on-demand content library now surpasses that of major streaming services in the UK, including Netflix, Disney+, and Apple TV+.
In the box, you'll find the £99 PLEIO streaming set-top box, a remote control with voice control capabilities, and a controller to use with Netgem's cloud-based gaming service
|NETGEM PRESS OFFICE
Until now, the only way to experience the Sky Glass-like features included with Freely was to upgrade to one of a slew of new televisions built from the ground up to support the streamer. But that all changes with the arrival of the plug-and-play Pleio, which brings Freely-exclusive features to any Smart TV for the first time.
Plug in Pleio and you'll have access to tens of thousands of hours of on-demand content accessed via a Wi-Fi connection on Freely as well as the 55 live channels, including GB News, ITV, BBC, Channel 4, U, and more.
Pleio might be the first set-top box out of the gate, but it won't be the last. The ability to upgrade an existing telly to the latest streaming-only features via Freely is something that other manufacturers have already promised to deliver. Humax has announced plans to launch a Freely-equipped box in the near future, offering some competition to Netgem's Pleio box, while the BBC has also teased plans for its own set-top box.
Netgem hopes it can continue to sell out its box with a radical new offer. With new stock ready-and-waiting on the shelves of your nearest Amazon fulfilment centre, Netgem has promised 12 months for the price of 10 when you subscribe to an optional Pleio Extra subscription.
This add-on brings 12 months of unlimited access to 250+ video games streamed via the cloud and 150+ premium television channels via the Pleio box. Netgem ships a wireless gamepad with every Pleio box, so you've got everything you need in the box to start playing games. After the initial deal, Pleio Extra will cost an optional £9.99 per month.
Manufacturer Netgem has admitted that demand for the Pleio box "far exceeded our expectations" as it struggled to maintain stock levels after the UK launch
|NETGEM PRESS OFFICE
Sylvain Thevenot, Managing Director of Netgem UK, commented: “Early feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with customers reporting that they’re enjoying Freely, their favourite streaming apps and Cloud Gaming. We’ve already heard that Hot Wheels, Grip and Overcooked 2 have become favourite games!
People truly are using Pleio to watch, stream and play - which we hope means that the Pleio subscription can improve their whole entertainment experience. We know that Cloud Gaming in particular is new for some, and we’ve received feedback that it might take more than three months to become familiar with – so we extended the Gaming access to twelve months.”
On the restocking, Mr Thevenot told GB News: "Even for a product we had so much confidence in bringing to the market, the response to Pleio was astronomical – and far exceeded our expectations.
"We’re now confident that anyone who wants to purchase Pleio from Amazon will be able to do so, with stock starting to be available again from Friday."
Freely offers quick access to previously-aired episodes of a show, without the need to seek out and launch a specific app — like BBC iPlayer — from the main menu of the service | FREELY PRESS OFFICE | GBN Freely has a few new tricks up its sleeves when compared to watching many of the same channels on Freeview or Freesat. For example, you can restart a show that's already started with a single button press — saving you the hassle of jumping to a catch-up service to watch the beginning.
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You can also browse through previously aired episodes in the same series directly from the TV Guide, bringing together on-demand catalogues available to stream and live terrestrial television in a way previously only seen from the likes of Sky Stream, Virgin TV Stream, and EE TV.
New features are being added all of the time, with the Everyone TV team behind Freely adding the ability to scroll backwards through time on the TV Guide to access content from streaming services, earlier this year. Likewise, the catch-all My List feature announced earlier this year is now available on all Freely-powered gadgets.
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PLEIO isn't just designed to bring Freely to your television. Since it's powered by Android 14, it also offers access to the Google Play Store to download hundreds of popular streaming apps, and its own dedicated game streaming service
|NETGEM PRESS OFFICE
If that isn't enough, the Android 14-powered Pleio includes access to the Google Play Store, so you'll be able to download a wide selection of streaming apps, like Netflix, Prime Video, NOW, Disney+, YouTube, and more.
Still want more to watch? Netgem can unlock more than 150 FAST channels to your PLEIO box if you subscribe to its optional monthly plan. Not only that, but the Pleio can double up as a fairly convincing console too.
There's a dedicated Bluetooth-enabled controller in the box, and you'll unlock more than 250 titles as part of that same subscription. Netgem owns a cloud gaming service, so most of the grunt happens on its servers.
Out of the box, PLEIO lets you stream 250 titles via a dedicated game streaming service. There's an Xbox-like controller in the box that uses Bluetooth to connect to the Freely-powered box
|NETGEM PRESS OFFICE
You'll be treated to three months of access for free.
What's the catch? Netgem hasn't included an aerial port on the back of the Pleio — something that isn't the case with all Freely-enabled devices available on store shelves today.
As such, if you lose your broadband connection, there's no way to continue watching free-to-air television via this Freely-powered box.
Netgem also decided not to include a hard drive, so there's no way to record shows when they air — you'll be completely reliant on the libraries of streamers like BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, U, and others.
At £99, the Pleio is more affordable than switching to a brand-new flatscreen with Freely built in. However, if your telly is starting to show its age, it could be worth looking at the latest Smart TV deals for something new.
Netgem has partnered with several full-fibre broadband firms, including WightFibre, Connect Fibre, and BRSK, to offer its Pleio box as part of their bundles with Wi-Fi and internet. It's also available as a standalone purchase from Amazon UK, Freely.co.uk, and Pleio.tv.
With the PLEIO box connected to your telly, you can stream 75,000 hours of content from the most popular free-to-air broadcasters in the UK
|NETGEM PRESS OFFICE
Discussing the launch, Sylvain Thevenot, who serves as Managing Director of French entertainment company Netgem, said: "After a decade of collaboration with national broadcasters and operators, we recognised the need for a simple, all-in-one platform and are proud to launch in the UK, as a first step of our product strategy.
"We built Pleio as the answer to the fragmentation of the entertainment market. Pleio delivers a truly comprehensive viewing experience — Watch, Stream, and Play — that is ready for any Fibre broadband-connected home today. It represents a new approach for consumers and an unparalleled opportunity for operators to deliver both choice and exceptional value."
Speaking about the arrival of the first plug-and-plug Freely box ahead of the launch, Everyone TV CEO Jonathan Thompson said: "Freely was created to make free TV work for everyone.
"Expanding to ‘plug-in and stream’ devices is an important and natural next step to ensure even more homes can enjoy the full Freely experience without the need for a TV upgrade or paid subscription.
"In partnership with Netgem, we’re launching streaming devices to make it easier than ever for UK audiences to enjoy the nation’s favourite TV, for free, on the TV you already have."
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