Music players, books, handheld games consoles, paper maps and sat navs: soon you may be able to add Freeview to the list of things that mobile phones have caused to wither and die.
That's according to Caroline Thomson, chair of Digital UK, who says that mobile companies are trying to get their hands on the spectrum that Freeview needs to stay on air.
She says that mobile companies are "jostling" and "vying for space" on the spectrum to allow for increasing mobile data demands, with the worry being that they and their big budgets will force broadcasters of free public service television out.
Technologists lie
"Despite what the technologists and the media would have us believe, live television is hugely popular. 90% of viewing is still live broadcast," she said, arguing that although iPlayer is growing in popularity, it still makes up a very small proportion - around 2% - of all BBC viewing.
Ofcom, the body that dishes out the UK's spectrum, is planning to hold a consultation to address the potential issues. A spokesman insisted that extra spectrum can be provided for mobile networks while still allowing terrestrial digital television to "thrive."
