BT prepares for Vision digital TV boost

Monday, January 18th 2010

Will Ofcom's plans to encourage Sky to offer its premium sports and movie channels through rival digital TV platforms boost BT's Vision service?

Sky's monopoly over top sports coverage has long been a frustration to football fans who cannot afford it, but it has also had a significant impact on the popularity of rival digital TV services.

Take BT Vision for instance. While it offers on-demand TV and films - and also recently launched a new energy-efficient set-top box - just 436,000 people are subscribing to it. One of the big reasons behind the low figures – Sky has over nine million customers – is thought to be the lack of top sports coverage.

However, Ofcom could change all that if it succeeds with its efforts to force Sky to offer its premium sports and movie channels via rival platforms, such as BT Vision.

Talking to the Daily Telegraph, Gavin Patterson, chief executive of BT Retail, said hopes are high over the potential benefits such a move would offer the company, while he added that the company would look to offer the channels at competitive prices.

"Our aspiration is to count our customer base in the millions, not the hundreds of thousands we have at the moment," he explained to the newspaper.

He added: "I think the case is crystal clear – the customer benefits if they get more choice. There must be a wholesale decision. Sky will have to sell it."

Would you switch from Sky if its sports channels were available elsewhere? Or would you be tempted to look into subscribing for the first time by the change?

Comments (1)

Edward Folly

25th January 2010

Sky+ Starter Bundle is a con, if you don't get a sky engineer out to install your dish and service you forfeit your M&S vouchers.(Service Engineer visit is a minimum of £89.00). They never make this known until it's too late and you are on the phone wondering where these vouchers are!. Also they emailed new customers over the christmas period to offer a free month on the World Package ( which includes all sports and Movies from Sky), only to find out later they were charged £28.00 upgrade fee. So basically my next bill was a lot more than it should have been. Needless to say i have canceled the service and refuse to be bullied into giving them anymore money. Please make sure you know exactly where you stand as regards offers from Sky as they will screw you over!. And don't be scared to end your contract as i have done, it is them that break agreements not you, so stick to your guns and cancel !.

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