Tens of thousands of customers who purchased YouView boxes from high street retailers will be unable to benefit from BTs offer of free sports channels.
YouView boxes are available via retailers for a one-off price, or from TalkTalk and BT as part of a TV, broadband and phone bundle.
Customers who purchase their own YouView boxes and connect it to BT’s broadband network can subscribe to the firm’s on demand content for £10 per month, £2.50 less than those receiving a free box as part of a bundle.
On Thursday BT announced its new three sports channels would be available at no cost its broadband customers who owned a BT Vision, YouView from BT or Sky box.
However the company has said customers who purchased their YouView boxes outright will not be able to receive the channels even if they subscribe to its broadband service and will be required to purchase a new box as part of a 12 month TV subscription.
In the help section of its site, the broadband giant says: “To qualify for this, you need to have bought your YouView box directly from BT.”
UPDATE: BT to offer technical solution to bring Bt Sports to retail YouView boxes