SHOPPERS RAVE OVER FIRESTICK RIVAL
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Simple trick to bag ‘sold out’ TV box as shoppers rave over Fire Stick rival that’s first to offer Freely service
Jamie Harris , Assistant Technology and Science Editor The Sun
Published: 14:16, 26 Nov 2025
THERE’S another way Brits can get hold of a brand new TV device after it sold out in hours on Friday.
Pleio “far exceeded expectations” when it launched as the first standalone Freely plug-in device for TVs.
The service provides access to popular Freeview channels and more using a Wi-Fi connection instead of the traditional aerial.
Freely – which is operated by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5 – was first made available to new TV sets on the market.
This is the first time it’s been available as a Fire TV Stick-like plug-in for any TV of your choosing.
Amazon is the only place you can buy Pleio outright but it sold out within hours last week – and stock still remains unavailable.
The company behind it, Netgem, is working to restock as soon as possible. But there is another way eager telly lovers can get hold of the device sooner. Pleio is also available through some internet service providers. brsk, WightFibre, and Connect Fibre are all offering as a bundle with their broadband plans.
Free TV box sells out in HOURS as creator says gadget ‘far exceeded expectations’
Pleio has access to over 150 extra channels, as well as more than 250 cloud games, for a monthly subscription of £9.99 after the first three months – though this is optional.
“While we knew the UK was ready for a modern, aerial-free TV experience, the speed at which the public embraced this new proposition took us by surprise, and we sold out of our initial allocation on Amazon in under 24 hours,” Netgem UK’s managing director Sylvain Thevenot told Cord Busters.
“We have already shipped a significant new wave of devices to replenish stock, but given the Black Friday volume, Amazon’s fulfilment centres are taking a few days to process and scan new inventory.”
To buy upfront, Pleio costs £99.
The pack comes with a dedicated controller for the games.
