BT Vision

      BT Vision
      Type Division
      Industry Pay TV
      Founded December 2006
      Headquarters London, United Kingdom
      Area served United Kingdom
      Products Digital TV
      Parent BT Group
      Website www.btvision.com

      BT Vision is a subscription digital TV service offered by BT Group in the United Kingdom which was launched in December 2006. As of March 2013, it had an estimated 810,000 subscribers.[1]

      BT Vision is a "hybrid" Digital Terrestrial Television and IPTV service; it delivers TV channels on the DVB-T digital terrestrial platform (using a Freeview decoder) and on-demand content through a hybrid DTT/IP/PVR set-top box, known as the Vision+.[2] BT requires customers to sign up to the BT Broadband internet and phone service in order to use BT Vision, with connection via BT's official router, BT Home Hub.

      History

      Background

      When British Telecom (BT) was privatised in 1984, it was barred from providing television broadcasts over its telecommunication network, which meant that it was not possible for BT to provide a cable television service. The ban was designed to protect the new smaller telecommunications companies and the small cable television networks in the United Kingdom as it was felt that BT had an unfair advantage because its pre-privatisation monopoly meant that its equipment was already installed in virtually every home and business in the country. In January 2001, the ban was lifted.[3]

      Launch

      BT Vision was launched on 5 December 2006, competing with Sky, Virgin Media (then known as NTL:Telewest) and TalkTalk TV (then known as Tiscali TV).[4] Initial industry reaction was positive although there was some criticism that set up costs were expensive and it was noted that BT Group were entering a competitive market.[5] In May 2007, BT Group launched a national advertising campaign for BT Vision.[6] BT Vision was the second IPTV television platform in the UK, after Homechoice TV.

      The aim was to attract "hundreds of thousands" of customers by the end of 2007 and 2–3 million in the medium-term.

      Premium sport deal

      BT acquired the rights to carry 242 same-day (but not live) Premier League football matches per season in a three-year deal covering the 2007-8, 2008–9 and 2009–10 seasons in a joint bid with BSkyB. BT Vision also have the right to offer on demand coverage of 125 matches each season from the Football League and League Cup. This service ceased prior to the start of the 2010–11 season.

      Between August 2007 and June 2009, Setanta Sports was available through BT Vision, via DTT and a smart card, offering Live Barclays Premiership and Clydesdale Bank Premier League games, as well as other sporting events such as US PGA Tour Golf and Magners League Rugby. BT Vision made a deal with American sports TV company ESPN[7] for carriage of its new channel which replaced Setanta on DTT.

      The company announced the pricing of their Sky Sports packages in July 2010, following the outcome of Ofcom's review into pay-TV pricing in March, which directed Sky to reduce the wholesale price it charges for the Sky Sports channels.[8] The price charged to customers signing up for broadband, calls and TV with BT for a two-year contract results in the organisation making a "significant loss on the service",[9][10] allowing them to undercut the price charged by Sky to its own customers.[9]

      UKTV deal

      On 22 March 2012, it was announced that BT would offer UKTV original content on-demand from later in the day. Featured programmes include, James Martin's Mediterranean (Good Food), Choccywoccydoodah (Good Food), Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (Home), Celebrity Fantasy Homes (Home), Tool Academy (Really), Bridezillas (Really), Amazing Planet (Eden) and Life on Fire (Eden).[11]

      As part of the deal, UKTV will start streaming linear channels to BT Vision set top boxes later in 2012. The first three will be Watch, Gold and Alibi and it intents to launch further channels, such as Good Food, Eden and Home.[12]Dave, Really and Yesterday will likely not launch on the service as they are already available on Freeview, which is available through the BT set-top boxes.

      FOX deal

      On 11 April 2012, BT and FOX announced that from late 2012, BT Vision customers will be able to watch FOX as a linear channel. BT Vision customers will also be able to watch many of the top shows, up to seven days after transmission on-demand. They will also be able to watch library programmes on-demand.

      National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo Wild deal

      On 12 June 2012, BT announced that National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo Wild will be coming to BT Vision as linear channels in late 2012. The deal also includes a seven-day on demand catch up of programmes.

      Premier League football rights

      On 13 June 2012, it was announced that BT had acquired a share of the rights to Premier League football television coverage for the 2013-14 to 2015-16 seasons.[13][14] As part of the deal, BT acquired the live rights to 38 games, including 18 of the 38 "first pick" games, for a total of £738 million.[13][14] BT simultaneously announced plans to launch a Sports Channel on all platforms, including BT Vision.

      Premiership Rugby rights

      On 12 September 2012, BT agreed a £152 million four-year exclusive rights deal for the broadcast of Premiership Rugby from the 2013/14 season.[15]

      British Eurosport deal

      On the 8th November 2012, BT signed a contract with British Eurosport to add British Eurosport and British Eurosport 2 to its line-up of linear TV channels. The deal also includes sporting content to watch on demand. [16]

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      Vision+ PVR

      The Vision+ is a set-top box, similar to Sky+ and V+, that enables 100 hours of television programmes to be recorded while watching other live programmes. The service is described as providing a range of on-demand content without compulsory subscriptions. However, a BT broadband connection with a guaranteed line speed is required. A self-install version and a technician install version of BT Vision are available.

      The original Silver Vision+ box is a Philips DIT9719 running Microsoft Mediaroom software, and the new Black Vision+ box is made by Pace. However, plans are afoot to move to an open source operating system. Only one Vision+ can be used at a time to connect to the BT Vision service using a single Home Hub Broadband Connection.

      BT released a new set top box in late 2012 offering HD services, linear HD channels and other new features as part of the YouView service.

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      Packages

      BT Vision's two main packages are TV Essential and TV Unlimited. Both packages will come with a Vision+ box which will have all Freeview television & radio channels, and Vision Replay (Catch Up TV).

      On Demand

      Vision TV, Music, Kids and Sport are on-demand. All will cost 50p a show with TV Essential, and all will be free and unlimited with TV Unlimited. Vision Filmclub is available for free with TV Unlimited, and is not available for TV Essential.

      PPV On Demand

      Vision Box Office and Vision Adult are on a pay per view basis, available with both TV Essential and TV Unlimited. Vision Adult is available for a 3 hour rental.

      International On Demand

      Bollywood & Beyond offers Indian content on-demand. It is only available with TV Unlimited.

      Premium Sport

      ESPN is free of charge with TV Unlimited. It is not available with TV Essential. They are available on both TV Essential and TV Unlimited (A viewing card is required).

      Vision TV Live Linear Channels

      Vision Replay

      Vision Replay is the name of the Catch Up TV services, which is available free of charge.

      From late May 2008, BT discontinued free access to BBC TV replay, instead requiring Vision users to take out a monthly subscription. However, In November 2010, BT announced that BT Vision subscribers would be able to access the BBC iPlayer from the end of June 2011.[17] This service was built by Pushbutton for Microsoft Mediaroom.

      ITV Net Player has been available since December 2008. Demand 5 was removed on 6 October 2010, but was reinstated in May 2011.

      Sport channels

      BT offers the following premium sport channels to its customers:

      These are delivered via Digital Terrestrial Television transmission. They are shared between BT Vision and Top Up TV.

      Sports channels coming in summer 2013 to BT Vision include

      Vision TV on-demand and Channels

      Content is provided by:

      Vision Music on-demand

      BT has agreed deals with:

      who provide over 1,500 music videos, concerts and music documentaries, on-demand. The concert programming covers a wide variety of genres including rock, pop, urban and alternative, jazz and opera.

      Vision Kids Channels

      BT has agreed deals with:

      who provide hundreds of children's programs on-demand.

      Vision Sport on-demand

      In addition to the Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports 2 and ESPN sport channels, Vision Sport is an archive of football, wrestling boxing, martial arts, motorsports and extreme sports matches available on-demand, with a few on a pay per view basis.

      Vision Filmclub on-demand

      BT Vision has signed deals with the following studios to provide classic and new films:

      Vision Box Office on-demand

      Vision Box Office provides a library of the latest blockbuster films on a pay per view basis.

      Films on Vision Box Office mainly come from the following content providers

      Vision Adult on-demand

      There is also some adult on-demand content. This is from the following suppliers:

      A special PIN called (Adult PIN) is required to access content on Vision Adult as a security proaction so that children cannot access the adult content.

      Bolly & Beyond on-demand

      BT has agreed a deal with Shemaroo Entertainment, who provides soap operas, films and other programmes from India.

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      References

      1. ^ "Results for the Fourth quarter and year to 31 March 2013 December 2012" (Press release). BT Group. 2013-05-10. Retrieved 2013-10-15. 
      2. ^ BT Vision+ box – digibox, PVR, digital TV recorder. Productsandservices.bt.com. Retrieved on 2012-02-03.
      3. ^ BT to begin broadcasting, BBC news report, 27/5/2001, retrieved on 2 June 2007.
      4. ^ BT Vision – passing you the control, BT Group news release, 4 December 2006, retrieved on 2 June 2007
      5. ^ Hi-tech world assesses BT Vision, BBC new report, 6 December 2006, retrieved on 2 June 2007.
      6. ^ BT Vision unveils national advertising campaign, BT Group news release, 10 May 2007, retrieved on 2 June 2007.
      7. ^ Setanta. BT Vision. Retrieved on 2012-02-03.
      8. ^ Sweney, Mark (31 March 2010). "Ofcom orders Sky Sports price cut". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 8 July 2010. 
      9. ^ a b Wray, Richard (1 July 2010). "War breaks out between BT and Sky over pricing of Sky Sports channels". London: The Guardian. Archived from the original on 4 July 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2010. 
      10. ^ "BT Vision to offer cut price deal on Sky Sports channels". Daily Record. 2 July 2010. Archived from the original on 4 July 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2010. 
      11. ^ "UKTV creates its first IPTV content deal - first linear channel deal for BT Vision". UKTV. 22 March 2012. 
      12. ^ "UKTV agrees on-demand, channels deal with BT Vision". Digital Spy. 22 March 2012. 
      13. ^ a b "Premier League lands £3bn TV rights bonanza from Sky and BT". The Guardian. 13 June 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2012. 
      14. ^ a b "ESPN lose out to BT in bidding for Premier League broadcast rights in £3 billion deal". The Telegraph. 13 June 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2012. 
      15. ^ "BT lands exclusive UK television rights to show live rugby union". The Guardian. 12 September 2012. Retrieved 12 September 2012. 
      16. ^ "BT Vision signs linear channel deal with British Eurosport". cable.co.uk. 9 November 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2012. 
      17. ^ "BBC iPlayer on TV in your living room: update". BBC. 2011-04-05. 
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      External links

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      Last modified on 15 May 2013, at 16:41