Upcoming changes for listening to "BBC Sounds" outside the UK

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For many years, the BBC was offering BBC Sounds App. This was a free, personalized app available for mobile and tablet devices that allows users to listen to live and on-demand BBC radio, music mixes, and podcasts. It features personalized recommendations based on listening habits, allows for downloads for offline listening, and offers access to over 80,000 hours of BBC audio. The range of information and the quality of the programmes was phenomenal. 

International listeners will no longer be able to use the BBC Sounds app or website from Spring 2025, according to the BBC.

Upcoming changes for listening to BBC audio outside the UK quoted from the BBC:

If you live outside the UK, how you listen to BBC radio will change, from spring 2025. 

Instead of using BBC Sounds, you’ll be able to use a new service at BBC.com and on the BBC app. BBC Studios has launched these all-new audio environments, tailored to outside UK audiences. The BBC’s content will remain available on other international podcast platforms. 

International listeners will no longer be able to use the BBC Sounds app and website from spring 2025. 

In parallel, we are working on plans to ensure the ongoing availability of other BBC stations for listeners outside the UK. This includes the BBC’s music stations, BBC Radio 1, Radio 2, and Radio 3, 6 Music, 1 Xtra and Asian Network, as well as the BBC’s stations from the nations and regions. We will prioritise countries where demand for the BBC’s audio services is highest. We will not close BBC Sounds outside the UK until we have confirmed these plans.

You can find out more about these changes on the bbc.com website. 

Advice for UK Listeners travelling abroad 

For listeners who reside in the UK, you will still be able to use the BBC Sounds mobile app when you are abroad. Check our FAQ for further info: Can I use BBC Sounds when I travel outside the UK? 

Why are we making these changes? 

BBC Sounds is a UK licence fee funded service. To offer better value for our UK listeners, BBC Sounds will be made available exclusively to UK audiences.  

BBC Studios is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC and is focused on bringing our trusted, world class journalism and storytelling to international audiences. This includes BBC audio content on bbc.com and the BBC app, which will be focused to international listeners. 

Support for listeners Outside the UK 

If you live outside of the UK and have a query regarding listening to BBC radio and audio content, please visit the support page at bbc.com where you can find help and contact their support team. 

Many of us had written to Sir Roger, Member of UK Parliament on the discontinuation of service and have received a survey from the BBC.

We publish below the correspondence between Tim Davie, BBC Director-General and Sir Roger as well as the Response from Jonathan Wall, Director, BBC Sounds and the survey from the BBC.

Letter from the BBC to Sir Roger, 

Dear Sir Roger,

Thank you for contacting us on behalf of your constituent.

I wanted the team to have a chance to clarify the position in respect of accessing BBC stations outside the UK, and am including their response below for you to share .

I appreciate your, and their, support for the BBC and the services we offer.

Yours sincerely,

Tim Davie

BBC Director-General

Response from Jonathan Wall, Director, BBC Sounds:

The BBC recently launched an improved version of the bbc.com website and a new BBC app for readers, listeners and viewers outside the UK.

The website and app offer an integrated service with a blend of written articles, thousands of podcasts and some video content which also hosts a live stream of BBC Radio 4 and BBC World Service. As a result of audio being available on the website and app, the BBC Sounds app will close outside the UK later this spring/early summer. However, people in the UK who have already downloaded the BBC Sounds app will still be able to listen when they go on holiday.

In parallel, we are working on plans to ensure the ongoing availability of other BBC stations for listeners outside the UK on alternative platforms. This includes the BBC’s music stations, BBC Radio 1, Radio 2, and Radio 3, 6Music, 1Xtra and Asian Network, as well as the BBC’s stations from the nations and regions. We will prioritise countries where demand for the BBC’s audio services is highest. We will not close BBC Sounds outside the UK until we have confirmed these plans.

We understand how highly our global audiences value these stations and our services and we review how we deliver these very carefully.

Survey from the BBC

 

Have your say

The next couple of years will decide the future of the BBC and we want you to have your say. What do you want the BBC to offer, what do we do well and what could we do better? Please take part by completing this short questionnaire. Take Part The BBC belongs to all of us, and wherever you are across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, your opinion matters to us. The questionnaire takes a few minutes; thank you if you have already filled it in on the website. Thank you for helping to shape the future of Our BBC. Tim Davie, Director General, The BBC Our Privacy Notice explains how we would use your personal information. If you choose to participate, we will keep your answers for up to 9 months from the date of the questionnaire and then delete them as part of our retention policy.