BT breaks new ground with IPTV service

Stuart Corner
Tuesday, 05 December 2006 01:02

Your IT - Home IT

BT has launched its IPTV service, BT Vision, offering video on demand service over broadband which also feeds free to air digital TV channels from the user's TV antenna through the set top box.

BT Vision uses the Microsoft TV IPTV Edition software platform and is delivered through a new set-top box, the V-box supplied by Philips. It is claimed to offer "advanced technology, including 80 hours of hard disk recording capability, two tuners, smart card reader, high-definition TV and numerous extension capabilities."

It enables viewers to "time shift" programmes at their convenience, pausing live shows or recording them to watch at a later date. In addition, a "catch-up TV" feature gives viewers the convenience of viewing TV programmes they may have missed from the previous week.

According to Microsoft, TV IPTV Edition is a complete digital TV distribution and management solution that handles the core aspects of BT Vision's service delivery from the point of ingestion of live and on-demand programming through to viewing by consumers in their homes. "Using Microsoft's Connected Services Framework, a service aggregation and delivery platform for operators, BT will also be able to combine other service - such as voice, instant messaging or presence - with its TV offering, to deliver exciting new consumer scenarios in the future," Microsoft says.

BT is giving away the V-box – which it says is worth £199 - free to existing and new customers who sign up to a new contract with BT Total Broadband. However it must be installed by a technician for which there is a £60 charge and there is a connection charge of £30. BT says it will introduce a self-install version of BT Vision next year.

BT Vision's library of "on-demand" content includes current and library movies, music videos, concerts, kids' programmes, recent and classic television including drama, comedy, documentaries and other genres. In mid 2007 BT Vision will launch its new sports service. Following a deal with Setanta announced at the same time as the launch of BT Vision.