BT has confirmed that its bundled YouView package will launch in the autumn and is being positioned as the next evolution of the Freeview service.
YouView is launching ahead of the new BT Vision 2.0 platform, which will initially be separate from YouView itself as Gavin Patterson, CEO, BT retail explained in an investor call: “The Vision 2.0 portal will feature within our YouView proposition and ultimately the two will completely converge into a single proposition later next year. The key for us is getting IP channels, linear channels, available on YouView and we’re working with the venture to make sure that’s part of the proposition and I think that’s when they will come together”.
The telco has already announced that it is cutting the cost of its entry level BT Vision Essential package from £17 to £13 the Essential element effectively being made free.
The package, effectively a rebundling of the Freeview DTT service, also includes BT broadband offer.
21,000 new BT Vision customers were added on the quarter to bring the total to 728,000.
Chief executive Ian Livingston confirmed BT had paid the deposit on its Premier League rights acquisition and was now “Going through the preparations and setting up a channel for it”.