BT has announced an upgrade of its BT TV service with a new ‘image rich’ user experience and a new BT app. The ‘next-generation’ service will enable customers to manage their recordings and stream live content. BT plans to be the first UK broadcaster to launch Dolby Atmos sound, adding it to its BT Sport 4K UHD TV packages in January.
The telco says the ‘next-generation’ service will enable customers to manage their recordings and stream live and on demand programmes on mobile devices, providing a seamless TV experience in and out of the home.
The new BT TV on-screen guide and TV app will be provided as free upgrades across all of BT TV’s packages.
BT TV’s next generation YouView TV service will be downloaded to its customers’ set-top boxes during early 2017. The new BT TV app will launch in the summer. Delia Bushell, managing director of BT TV and BT Sport, said: “BT’s mission has always been to provide a high quality, premium TV service at prices that give unbeatable value to UK consumers. We will keep driving the pace of innovation in content, broadcasting and our customers’ experience.
Delia Bushell, managing director of BT TV and BT Sport, said: “BT’s mission has always been to provide a high quality, premium TV service at prices that give unbeatable value to UK consumers. We will keep driving the pace of innovation in content, broadcasting and our customers’ experience.”
With Sky Q now the platform’s standard box and Virgin also expected to upgrade its in home technology shortly, BT has chosen now is the time to make the move.
BT’s announcement gives little space to YouView, the backbone of BT TV, launched with PSB partners including the BBC in 2012. In recent months there has been increasing speculation that BT might be prepared to buy out its partners that also include rival telco TalkTalk.
Its statement released on Friday lunchtime namechecks YouView once and not until the sixth paragraph.
