In this age of information explosion, i'm only going to do one thing: filter the core, the practicalPolicy dividendI don't know. If you want to avoid the consumption trap in your life and get real benefits, click on it。
The news that we're about to share today is enough to make the hands of countless families known as "the nation of concern"Free tvThe service was fully landed in 2026. This means that the long-challenged “package fees” and “opening advertising hegemonics” of consumers have become history with the strong intervention of state forces。
Looking back over the past few years, the shift in the role of television has been remarkable. When television was at the centre of family entertainment, it is now a serious area of “fee trap”. Wireless television annual fees, broadband bundling packages, members of major video platforms added to the floors, long and cumbersome adverts, and a slight unwitting error in the payment buttons resulted in additional deductions. Many older persons are overwhelmed by complex smart television interfaces, simply trying to watch the news and chase a play, while bearing hundreds or even thousands of hidden costs a year。
However, that change in 2026 reversed the situation。
What is national free television
This widely mentioned service, the core of which is called dtmb groundDigital tvI don't know. As early as 2006, the technology has been established as the national standard for digital television transmission in our country; since 2015, the state has made it mandatory for all market outlets to have a dtmb reception module。
A critical turning point occurred in 2025. For the first time, the national radio and television authority officially issued authoritative documents clearly defining them in legal form: dtmb ground digital television is the national legal foundationPublic cultural services- implementation of the policy of permanent free access. The document contains not only a provision of principle but also a detailed “negative list”: the collection of any form of monthly rent, annual fee, opening fee and maintenance fee is strictly prohibited; the binding of mobile phone numbers, bank cards and the illegal collection of user information is strictly prohibited。
In general terms, this is not a short-term promotion by the operator, nor is it a marketing stunt, but rather a permanent livelihood guarantee project that is fully covered by the state's finances. From the construction of signal towers, the daily maintenance of equipment and the incremental upgrading of technology, all costs are borne by the central and local finances, and the population does not have to pay a penny out of its pockets。
Coverage is as high as 98. 2 per cent. Who can use it
According to authoritative statistics published by the national radio and television directorate in the first quarter of 2026, the combined population coverage of dtmb on the ground has reached an alarming 98. 2 per cent。
In terms of coverage, 100 per cent coverage has been achieved in municipalities at the district level and above, and over 99 per cent coverage in townships and administrative villages. This means that more than 1. 3 billion people throughout the country have been included in this public service network. Currently, only a very small number of remote natural villages with fewer than 20 households, deep mountains or remote islands remain blind, and related blinding works are planned and are expected to be fully completed by the end of june 2026。
If you have a television in your home, you can have access to this free signal network。
Need to buy equipment? Cost geometry
The answer to the question of the input of equipment of concern to a wide range of users is reassuring: the vast majority of households do not need to purchase expensive additional equipment。
Televisions purchased after 2015, be they smart televisions or regular lcd televisions, have been made available with a mandatory dtmb reception module. Users are required to purchase only one dtmb-specific antenna, with a price range of between $15 and $50 on the market. If you have an open field of view, a high floor and a good quality of signal, you do not even need to purchase antennas。
Old-style crt televisions produced by 2015 alone require additional dtmb caps. The total cost of the roof box and antenna is between $30 and $100. This is a one-time micro-input, in exchange for permanent free audio-visual services, with a clear economic balance compared to the hundreds of dollars per year for cable television。
In addition, there is a bias in state policy towards specific groups such as low-income households, special hardship providers and older persons over 80 years of age. The above-mentioned groups can consult with the local radio department or community on the basis of valid documents, and in some areas they can apply for full reception equipment free of charge。
The babysitting program, done in a few minutes
And here's the core of the work: how to get free television out? The following steps have been dismantled to ensure that zero-basic users also have easy access。
Step 1: antenna connections and positioning。
A circular interface marked “ant in”, “rf” or “dtmb” will be inserted into the back of the television when the antenna is purchased and must be tightened. If the antenna is equipped with a usb power line, it can be inserted into the usb interface on television. The placement of antennas is essential, and it is recommended that priority be given to open areas such as window edges, balconyes and so forth, as far as possible away from electrical appliances that may cause signal interference, such as routers, refrigerators and metal furniture。
Step 2: precisely switch signal sources。
Pick up the tv remote control and press the signal source or input selection key. In the list of pop-up menus, select the " ground-based digital television " , " dtmb " , " digital television " or " dtv " options. Please be careful not to choose “cable tv” or “web tv”, the wrong mode of searching for free channels。
The menu paths vary slightly from one brand to another: tcl tv is usually located in the " menu-channel-digital signal search " ; cwi tv is mostly found in the " settings-channel settings-dtmb". If this is difficult to find at any time, go through the instructions or enter the channel option of the settings menu。
Step 3: implement automatic search stations。
When the signal source is switched, enter the tv settings or menu, find the channel settings or the program search, and select the automatic search desk or the automatic search. The system automatically scans the surrounding digital signals on the ground, usually lasting from three to five minutes. After the scan, the channel list is saved。
The entire process does not require network connection, registration of account numbers, authentication of real names, and cell phone numbers. A successful debugging was followed by a start-up that was completely unaffected by the end of the broadband cut-off or package。
How can we break a signal
Some users may be exposed to a lack of access to stations or channels in their operations, usually caused by antenna positions, which can be checked through the following steps:
First, fine-tune the antenna。
Attempts were made to slowly turn the antenna direction and best directed towards the quasi-local radio and television transmitter tower. It is recommended to try from multiple angles in the direction of the largest number of stations。
Second, change position。
If the signal on the side of the window is poor, it can be moved to the balcony; if the signal on the lower floor is blocked, the antenna is tried to be placed high。
Third, check the physical connection。
Confirms that the antenna is tightened and that poor exposure is a common cause of signal loss。
Fourth, shut down simulated signal interference。
Some televisions default in search settings to search for simulation signals simultaneously. Given that the analogue signal has been shut down, this could be a waste of time. It is recommended to enter the settings, close the " simulation channel search" and tick only "dtmb" or "digital television"。
If none of the above methods is effective, it may be that the location signal is indeed weak, it is proposed to replace higher-value outdoor antennas, or to consult the local radio department to confirm coverage。
What channels can i see
According to empirical data, urban households usually receive between 25 and 45 high-resolution channels on a stable basis, while rural open areas can receive between 30 and 50, owing to low signal interference。
The programme covers a full range of channels ranging from 1 to 17, as well as star watching in the provinces, local news channels, children's channels, theatre channels, agricultural channels, etc. The day-to-day needs of viewers can be met, whether they are news stories, dramas, entertainment and children's animations。
In accordance with the basic public service standards for national radio and television, no fewer than 15 television programmes are available on the ground by wireless means. In fact, the number of channels received by the users is limited。
Policy and regulatory escort, “zero”
The stateHuman worksThe attitude is unwavering。
In january 2025, dtmb was identified by the national general directorate of radio and television as a statutory basic public cultural service with a red line of fees; in february 2026, the joint ministry of industry and communications of the general directorate of radio and television issued a guide to the payment of fees for television and television, 2. 0, which introduced 60 mandatory regulations requiring the opening of smart television and top-boxes in three steps directly to the free-of-charge entrance, and strictly prohibiting the concealment of entrances or forced jumps; and in april 2026, the promotion of live and unadvertised radio broadcasting became the business norm。
In short, the fact that the public sees it at no cost, at the expense of the state, is unmistakable。
I'll take care of it
Finally, we'll make a real economic score. The annual cost of cable television is usually in the range of $200 to $400, and the annual cost of broadband television packages and video members of all categories is not prohibitive, with cumulative costs running to thousands。
Today, a simple one-time debugging would make it permanent and free. Hundreds of dollars a year and thousands a decade. For older persons, it is easy to operate without advertising interference, without a threshold for membership, and experience has increased significantly; for rent-a-room groups, free television is available to move with antennas and be flexible。
In sum, the full-scale landing of the national free television policy is the welfare of the people in real and silver terms. In this time of information complexity, we need to be good at taking advantage of policy dividends and guarding our money bags. If you find the information provided in this paper valuable, please pay attention to xiao zhao and give you a daily reading of the latest human dynamics。
