BBC iPlayer goes live on BT Vision
The BBC iPlayer has launched on BT Vision with the service giving BT Vision customers full access to the iPlayer catalogue through their set-top boxes. This replaces the smaller selection of BBC content that was available through 'TV Replay' on BT Vision. 'TV Replay' offers customers the chance to catch up on programming from ITV, Channel 4 and Five and the addition of BBC iPlayer will bring over 400 hours of TV programmes and more than 1,000 hours of radio shows.
"The launch of BBC iPlayer on BT Vision adds to the enormous range of quality entertainment already available to our customers. We are really excited to be partnering with the BBC to bring BBC iPlayer to our customers."
Marc Watson, (Chief Executive Television and Online Services) BT Retail
Alongside the catch-up content, BT Vision gives customers access to 50 freeview channels and 20 radio station, allowing users to pause, record and rewind live TV. Sky Sports 1 and 2 along with ESPN and some films are available as optional extras either through a monthly additional subscription or through a pay-as-you-use model. BT Vision is only available with a BT broadband connection.
Comments
BBC is a fascist censored waste of taxpayers money (except for top gear), and BT vision is a waste of good plastic :P
@12eason, you have a chort memory don't you. BT Vision's On Demand Service is provided by Content Connect, which is available for all ISP's to rent if they want.
The reason it kicked up such as fuss was because they were afraid larger ISP could easily get it whereas smaller one's wouldn't.
Here is the BBC story on it; http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12112389
So basically BT Vision do not have the Monopoly because it is there for anyone to rent from BT Wholesale and if they chose not to then that is hardly BT Retails fault.
12eason - you are terribly ill informed.
Vision sends a signal to the exchange and the BB line characteristics change to prioritise VOD traffic over the customer's wires.
This is something any ISP can order from Openreach - however many don't. It is not a BT only service as you have wrongly suggested. BT Retail are the only ISP using the QoS product on mass as Otherwise Vision would be very unreliable.
only running 2 months behind schedule then:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2010/11_november/11/btvision.shtml
BT Vision will introduce BBC iPlayer over the next five months, in a phased release starting in early December. All BT Vision customers will be able to access the service by April 2011
"Content Connect ... is available for all ISP's to rent [from BTw] if they want."
So was BT CentralPlus. I don't know the details of ContentConnect but I did know the details of CentralPlus and it was clearly designed to meet the needs of BT Retail and clear that the chances of it being of interest to any other ISPs were minimal.
I suppose things may have changed since then.
Not likely though.
even if it is a product mainly aimed at BTR,,,BTWS's biggest customer is BTR. Is it so abnormal for a company to tailor products to their biggest customer???
Perhaps someone can give my BT Vision box this great news. I'm still waiting.
"Is it so abnormal for a company to tailor products to their biggest customer??? "
That depends on whether they're a convicted monopolist with a regulator supposedly making sure they don't abuse their dominant position in the market.
@Tox-Laximus
Chatham House member is what I think you meant :D
How can it be abusive if any company can buy said product from BT Wholesale?
It's a ridiculously one sided arguement that the first comment tried to support and failed.
A waste of money, space & electricity that is bound to fail. Many comsumer items such as tv, Freesat box etc now have a network connection and the iPlayer built in. Quite apart from that, a pc, or a Mac Mini if you are pushed for space, will bring much more to your lounge.
'Perhaps someone can give my BT Vision box this great news. I'm still waiting.'
its on channel 990 ;-)
@ggremlin
It isnt!
It can easily be abusive if said product is specifically designed to favour the incumbent's own retail arm.
Great news. Selected channel 990 on BT Vision and iPlayer loaded with great picture quality.
Wirelesspacman - Yes, agreed.
However, BT Wholesale are not allowed to develop products to directly help only BT Retail, they have to develop it for the wider market.
At last. Got iPlayer on 24th June on channel 990 after firmware update finally arrived!
Lot of trolls in the house. But then there are lots of trolls within BT.
Saying BT wholesale are not allowed to develop products to directly help/favour BT Retail is like saying you are not allowed to break speed limits on motorways etc.. It might not be "allowed"....but....
It should be noted that RandomJointer is a BT employee, and hence merely a shill.
Well, my Freesat HDR box will access iPlayer AND ITV Player···So there!
The benefit of using the BTVision box if you have BT broadband is that is does not count toward your useage. So you can watch unlimited on BTVision and still have a small allowance. What I do not know is if this now means you can watch iPlayer from a standard computer and it will not count toward your allowance.
The first time we tried it, the quality was not as good as replay, but it seems to have improved a little.
Just need 4OD and ITV Player too...
With Unlimited broadband less than a fiver more than a limited package, you can watch what you want from where you want.
I'd love to get BBC IPlayer on my LG HD LCD tv but apparently there's been some sort of (non)dispute (sic) between the parties for the last 18 months, judging by net searches. The distinct lack of contact detail on either BBC or LG sites to progress the matter speaks volumes in itself. Might have to go POV or Watchdog LOL
BT Vision is a monopoly that BT retail have no right to.
Why aren't other providers allowed privileged bandwidth on BTW exchanges for their TV packages?
Why is BT Vision restricted to BT (retail) Broadband packages when it is the only service allowed on BTW wires?