Vodafone TV Launches in the UK in October With Netflix, HBO Max and Freely Built In
Vodafone has announced Vodafone TV, a set-top box launching in the UK in October that bundles Netflix and HBO Max, adds Freely's 70-plus free live channels, and runs Android TV with the full Google Play Store on top. It will be offered to new and existing Vodafone customers who hold a home broadband, 5G Broadband or mobile plan.
The company has not published pricing. That is the one number missing from an otherwise detailed announcement, and it is the number that will decide whether this is worth switching for.
What is actually included with Vodafone TV?
Vodafone lists the following at launch:
- Netflix and HBO Max included, with other services available as add-ons.
- Freely built in — more than 70 live channels and on-demand content from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, delivered over broadband with no dish or aerial.
- More than 150 additional live channels alongside Freely.
- 300-plus cloud games, playable on a phone or with a Bluetooth controller.
- Vodafone Box Office for renting or buying films.
- The Google Play Store, so the box takes the same apps any Android TV device does.
- Parental controls behind a master PIN.
Disney+, YouTube Premium, DAZN, Spotify and Prime are not bundled. Those sit behind a separate service called Vodafone Subscription+, billed on a 30-day rolling basis, so they can be added and dropped month to month.
What are the box's specs?
It is a plug-in hub running Android TV with 4K output, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. Vodafone quotes 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage — modest by phone standards, generous for a streaming box, and enough that navigation and cloud gaming should not stutter the way cheaper hardware does.
Discovery is handled by an AI voice search and Google Assistant, with recommendations tied to individual profiles rather than the household. A companion app mirrors those profiles, favourites and game saves to a phone, so a programme started on the TV can be picked up on the move.
Why does a mobile network want to sell you a TV box?
Because it makes leaving harder. Vodafone says the launch makes it the only UK mobile network operator bundling TV with both mobile and mobile broadband, and the pitch leans on aggregation: one interface instead of five apps, one bill instead of several. The box is also paired with Vodafone SuperMobile and the operator's 5G+ FastTrack service for streaming away from home, which only matters if you are already on the network.
The Freely inclusion is the quietly significant part. Freely carries the main free-to-air channels over the internet, so a household with this box does not need an aerial at all — the same shift that has been pulling broadcast TV onto the same pipe as HBO Max and everything else.
How does it compare to a Chromecast or Fire TV Stick?
On raw function, not enormously — an Android TV box with Play Store access does what a Google TV streamer does. The difference is the bundle. A standalone stick costs a one-off fee and leaves you paying Netflix and HBO Max separately; Vodafone TV folds two of those subscriptions into a plan. Whether that nets out cheaper depends entirely on the pricing Vodafone has not yet given.
Picture quality is competitive rather than leading. 4K with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos is now the baseline on mid-range streaming hardware, and there is no mention of the newer formats some TV makers are pushing, such as the HDR10+ ADVANCED support arriving on 2026 sets.
When can you get it?
October, in the UK only, and only if you have a Vodafone broadband, 5G Broadband or mobile plan. Vodafone has not named a date within the month, and has not said whether the box carries an upfront cost, a monthly fee or neither. Until it does, treat the launch as confirmed and the value as unknown.
One thing worth checking before you commit: catalogues on any bundled service still churn independently of the hardware, and titles leave Netflix on their own schedule regardless of who sold you the box.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Vodafone TV cost?
Vodafone has not announced pricing. The launch announcement confirms the October availability window and everything included in the box, but says nothing about an upfront hardware charge or a monthly fee. Expect the numbers closer to the October release.
Do I need a Vodafone contract to get Vodafone TV?
Yes. It is available to new and existing Vodafone customers on a home broadband, 5G Broadband or mobile plan. There is no indication it will be sold as a standalone box to people on other networks.
Does Vodafone TV need an aerial or satellite dish?
No. Freely is built in and delivers BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 live over your broadband connection, so the box works without an aerial or dish. It does mean live TV depends on your internet holding up.
Is Disney+ included with Vodafone TV?
No. Only Netflix and HBO Max are included. Disney+, YouTube Premium, DAZN, Spotify and Prime are add-ons through Vodafone Subscription+ on a 30-day rolling basis, billed separately from the box itself.
Can you install your own apps on Vodafone TV?
Yes. It runs Android TV with the Google Play Store, so you can install the same apps you would on any other Android TV device rather than being limited to what Vodafone preloads.
