Television will be in your pocket before the end of the year, after Freeview announced plans for a live TV app on Monday.

However, the app puts Freeview in direct conflict with several sporting codes, including the AFL and Cricket Australia, which hold a tight grip on their digital streaming rights or have sold them to telcos for a significant price.

NRL games will be available for free on mobile phones through the Freeview app from 2018, because Nine acquired digital streaming rights last year. But AFL fans will have to pay for Telstra's live mobile app because the telco has tied up digital streaming rights until 2022.

Cricket Australia holds the digital rights for both Big Bash League and international matches, but Ten and Nine have television broadcast rights.