ITV Digital could be broken up and sold off within days, it was announced today.
Administrator Deloitte & Touche put the firm up for sale on Monday but today said it did not have enough funding to be able to a commit to a long-term sale process.
Instead it is offering the business and assets of the company for sale with immediate effect.
This means the assets - such as the subscribers, network, technology platform, set-top boxes and ITV Digital's advertising gimmick Monkey - could all be sold separately.
A spokeswoman for D&T said: "We have to seek a quick sale. We have got a few days to sell the business and assets."
She said this process was technically different to liquidation, when the vendor would be looking to offload the assets at any cost.
However it is understood that if a sale is not agreed within days, the company could be forced into liquidation.
In a statement, D&T said it was likely that customers would continue to receive free-to-air services at least in the short term while the sale process was concluded.
The Independent Television Commission said it was working with the Government to ensure viewers would continue to receive digital services.
When pay services do cease ITV Digital's licence would be revoked and a tendering process lasting around six weeks would be put in place.
PA