BT has revealed more details of how owners of retail YouView boxes will be able to receive its forthcoming sports channels.
At present viewers who purchase their own YouView boxes and connect it to BT broadband can subscribe to the ISP’s on-demand content for £10 per month, £2.50 less than those receiving a free box as part of a bundle.
Or, if they prefer, they can sign up for a pay-as-you-go version without paying the £5 monthly fee the telco charges customers who receive a box.
However the packages don’t entitle customers to receive BT Sport on their retail boxes.
After initially saying the channels wouldn’t be available such users, BT committed to developing a “technical solution” to provide them.
Last month a BT spokesperson told seenit.co.uk: “If you want to get BT Sport on a retail YouView box (when it is available) you will need to take out a BT TV subscription starting at £5 a month and PAYG status will not count as a TV package.”
In an update, the BT press office today confirmed that retail box owners would need to take out either a £5pm BT Sport and Essential (pay-as-you-go) package or a £12.50 for BT Sport with Unlimited on-demand package.
These packages will be subject to a 12 month contract and £49 activation fee. Customers will also need a BT Infinity broadband package.
A spokesman told us: “We have a solution that goes live on bt.com on 1st August. We have been capturing details of people who have expressed interest and will email them from 1st to direct them to the site.”
Customers who prefer not to add a TV package will be able to access the channels at BT.com and via smartphone and tablet apps.
UPDATE:
BT has now updated the website for its BT Vision Player product to say:
“Interested in BT Sport?
BT Sport isn’t currently available on YouView boxes not bought directly from BT – but we are working on a solution to bring BT Sport to you. When BT Sport is available you’ll need a BT Infinity and BT TV package to watch it on YouView.”
