BT has revamped its TV packages around a series of flexible ‘bolt-ons’ which customers can add on a monthly basis.
Until recently BT offered a choice of Pay As You Go or unlimited access to its on-demand library or music, TV Box Sets and archive films.
Earlier this summer it introduced the option to add 18 extra channels, including Universal, Watch and SyFy, for an additional monthly fee.
Over the weekend the company scrapped its PAYG and Unlimited plans and introduced a new starting price of £7 (£5 for a limited time) for its pack of 18 Extra TV channels.
To receive the channels the customer must have, or upgrade to, BT’s Infinity fibre broadband and have either a YouView from BT or Vision+ set top box.
Customers can also add HD versions of some channels via the HD bolt-on, 6 kids channels including Disney and Boomerang and a selection of kids on-demand with the Kids bolt-on, a Film and Box Sets bolt-on costing £5 per month and unlimited music videos via the BT Music bolt-on.
BT is also offering all 11 Sky Movies channels in SD as well as downloads via Sky Movies on Demand for £16pm.
Viewers can also add BT’s flagship BT Sport channels at no extra cost, or in HD for £3 per month.
While BT’s new bolt-on approach allows customers to pick and choose the content they’re paying for, its TV offerings continue to limited by the customer’s choice of set top box.
Households with a YouView box must have BT Infinity to receive BT Sports via broadband but customers with a BT Vision box outside of Infinity-enabled areas can receive the channels via their aerial.
Vision+ customers can also subscribe to Sky Sports but the absence of a carriage deal and a pending court ruling means BT is unable to offer its rival’s channels to YouView customers.
In addition, households without Infinity are limited to download content only and cannot receive any additional live channels beyond those delivered via aerial while YouView households cannot record any of the additional channels. A software update adding this functionality is promised for later this autumn.
Discussing the changes to the packages Alex Green, director of TV for BT, said: “This new line-up is undoubtedly our strongest TV offering. BT TV now offers over 100 TV channels, including more than 50 delivered via our broadband network.
“We can offer a fantastic HD quality experience through the power of fibre, and there’s something for all the family with our great new Kids channels. We know that customers don’t like paying a fortune for hundreds of channels they never watch so we’re making things easier for them and putting the choice in their hands.”