Digital TV uses software compression to squeeze several programmes into one channel space - the main benefit for viewers being the increased choice of programmes. The number of programmes in a single MUX depends on the modulation format. A higher QAM number can carry more data (i.e. programmes), but reliable decoding of the digital signal becomes more error prone.
Four of the six MUXs used for Freeview are 16QAM, the other two (ITV & Ch 5) are 64QAM.
Therefore, if your reception conditions are at all marginal, or variable, it's the 64QAM MUXs which will fail first.
Post analogue switch-off, al MUXs will be 64QAM, but this will be offset by the fact that transmitted power will be substantially increased.