Earlier this month BT announced it had bagged exclusive rights to a new channel showcasing AMC’s output, including Fear the Walking Dead, which it said would be “available exclusively to BT customers”.
As previously speculated by SEENIT, it’s now been confirmed that this will include Sky customers who pay BT to watch its ‘BT Sports Pack’.
Unlike most channel owners who wholesale their channels to Sky which then either includes them in its channel packages or retails them to its users as a premium add-on, BT takes advantage of a rule which allows it to sell channels direct to Sky households for watching on their existing set top box.
By doing so it gains more money then Sky is likely to per customer under any wholesale agreement and, more importantly, a direct relationship with subscribers who it can then market other services to.
The AMC channel will join BT Sport 1 & 2, ESPN and a new BT Sport Europe channel which will serve as the exclusive home of the Champions and Europa Leagues.
Previously free, the expanded channel pack now costs £5pm for customers with BT Broadband and £19.99pm for those without. HD and multi-room options cost extra.
BT will be hoping the addition of top US dramas to its channel line-up will persuade customers to absorb the price increase.
A BT Spokesperson has previously told SEENIT that the AMC channel will only be available to its customers, suggesting a deal to bring it to Virgin Media is unlikely.
