Telly, a company that accepts advertising data in lieu of cash for its TVs, has reportedly struggled to get its “free” TVs into people's homes.
Telly debuted in May 2023. Its dual-screen design allows ads to show even when people aren't looking. While the smaller secondary screen can be used for more useful applications, such as displaying the weather or sports scores, its primary purpose is to serve as a billboard south of the 55-inch primary screen. Owners can't turn off tracking or hide the secondary screen (or they'll have to pay for the TV, which Telly says is worth $1,000), and they'll have to fill out a long, detailed survey to get one.
When it debuted its TV, Telly said it expected 500,000 units that summer. By June 2023, the startup said 250,000 people had signed up for a television. In a 2024 press release, Telly said it planned to ship “millions more” in 2024.
But a report from Lowpass this week, which cited a “Q3 update sent to investors in November 2025,” said the startup had 35,000 TVs in people's homes at the time. According to Lowpass, there were 28,000 televisions in use in the second quarter of 2025.
The publication reported that the investor note suggests Telly will order 100,000 TVs from supplier Foxconn and increase deliveries soon.
Telly declined to comment to Lowpass and did not respond to Ars Technica's requests for comment.
Shipping problems
So what gives? Based on early registration numbers, it appears Telly has generated enough interest to ship more than 35,000 TVs.
One problem seems to be the poor shipping. According to the comment from the investor who reviewed Lowpass, Telly claimed that FedEx delivered 10 percent of its shipments of Telly TVs broken. Since moving to another company (apparently Samsung partner RXO, based on Reddit posts), fewer Tellys are arriving broken, the company reportedly said.
As Lowpass noted, dozens of online complaints claim the free TVs, which are shipped directly from Telly, were broken upon arrival. The Verge also reported receiving a broken unit in September.
