The news - pt2
In the fight for bums on settees in front of tellies, content is king - though you might not think so from some of the dross that's sent out on Sky, cable, Freeview and analogue terrestrial. So when BT yesterday formally launched its video-on-demand service (for which installations don't actually start until January!), it also had to unveil some significant attractions at the same time.
This it did in two ways. It revealed that it has signed a major deal to be able to provide Warner Brothers movies and TV programmes and would also be adding live Premier League football from next season, courtesy of a tie-up with the new digital-terrestrial sports channel, Setanta Sports from Irish pay-TV firm Setanta.
To receive this sports service will require a conditional-access card that you get by paying a monthly subscription. How much this will add to the overall costs isn't clear, and won't be until nearer launch time in summer 2007. All BT is saying is that pricing will be "highly competitive". Near-live matches will be on offer, too, but only by pay-per-view and with the price again unknown.
BT will dispense Warner Brothers' content via video-on-demand in three ways - by monthly subscription (that's m-o-n-t-h-l-y s-u-b-s-c-r-i-p-t-i-o-n), download-to-rent and download-to-own.
Monthly subscription will be first out of the Warner Bros traps, with download-to-own and download-to-rent not arriving until "later in 2007", whatever that might mean.
As we read things, download-to-own and download-to-rent content is intended for playback on PCs and Windows-compatible portable media players - though BT doesn't say whether it will also be possible to then stream the recordings to a TV set over a home network via its own PVR or a network media player of some kind.
One of yesterday's BT announcements says that it already had agreements with NBC Universal and Sony BMG for download-to-own content but, fact is, it has lots of additional deals - to-own and to-rent - with these and other content providers.
There are video-on-demand deals in place with NBC Universal, Sony BMG, MTV, Paramount Comedy, Nickelodeon and The History Channel. In addition, Dreamworks, i-concerts, Eagle Rock, BBC Worldwide, Paramount, Warner Music Group and National Geographic Channel have also agreed deals,
And, there are video-on-demand film, TV and music tie-ups with smaller operators, too. The independent film studio Lionsgate has signed up and so have four independent producers and distributors - Entertainment Rights, NBD Television, Wall to Wall Television and Portman Film and Television.
Between them, these four firms bring factual music programmes and documentary and lifestyle programmes - plus such goodies as the Postman Pat and Basil Brush children’s TV series.
What's not clear from BT's various announcements yesterday, though, is what you'll actually get if you do sign up for a monthly entertainment subscription - most of the talk is in generalities.
However, what's not in doubt (just in case you've missed the emboldening) is that, whereas BT likes to describe its BT Vision service as having no monthly subscription, the truth is that two subscriptions - broadband and phone - are absolute necessities and one or two others are very likely going to be required if you want a regular supply of various types of content.
Initially, BT will be offering four flavours of monthly video-on-demand subscription package - one at £3, each of the others at £6. There's also one over-arching £14 subscription that gets you all four packages.
By our reckoning, the monthly subscription cost - when opting for four-in-one VOD package - will be £48 or £52. On top of that, some will be paying an unknown figure for a Setanta Sports channel subscription.
And none of this takes account of the cost of any pay-per-view movies or TV programmes you might choose to buy. These range in price from 40p to £2.99 a go.
BT's press release - reproduced in full on page three - has a costing overview that we also include below. This just happens to ignore the prices of the broadband and phone-line services. The other related releases it issued yesterday are here, BT and Warner Bros in landmark deal, and here, BT Vision to show live premiership football.
|
Set
Up Costs |
|
|
|
Launch |
|
Set
Top Box (V-box) |
£Free* |
|
Connection
Fee |
£30 |
|
Engineer
Installation |
£60 |
|
BT
Home Hub |
£Free** |
|
Total |
£90 |
*
Free when customers contract or recontract to BT Total Broadband
option 1 for 18 months or BT Total Broadband option 2 and 3 for 12
months
**For BT Total Broadband customers purchasing option 2 and 3.
**For BT Total Broadband customers purchasing option 2 and 3.
|
Entertainment
on Demand – Monthly Subscriptions |
|
|
TV |
£6 |
|
TV
Replay |
£3 |
|
Kids |
£6 |
|
Music
Videos |
£6 |
|
Value
Pack (all of above) |
£14 |
|
Entertainment
on Demand – VOD |
||
|
|
From |
To |
|
Film |
£1.99 |
£2.99 |
|
TV
Replay |
£0.99 |
£1.49 |
|
TV |
£0.79 |
£0.99 |
|
Kids |
|
£0.49 |
|
Music |
[blank - Ed] |
|
|
Premium
Concerts |
£2.99 |
|
|
Library
Concerts |
£1.99 |
|
|
Premium
Documentaries |
£1.49 |
|
|
Library
Documentaries |
£0.99 |
|
|
Individual
Music Videos |
£0.29 |
|
|
Video
playlists (10 videos) |
£1.79 |
|
As well as being left in the dark about what the above prices actually buy, we're not clear exactly how the on-demand programming gets to a TV set.
We'd love to think that the Philips-made PVR has its own broadband connection built in. But we kind of suspect - because BT says a hub is necessary - that the PVR pulls in on-demand footage from the hub over the home network via an Ethernet cable - wireless not being fast enough.
The hub that comes as part of the BT Total Broadband deal is wireless and, if memory serves, has two Ethernet ports.
So, we reckon that BT is expecting users to locate the hub near the PVR - linking them by Ethernet cable - and connect PCs wirelessly if they're not in easy reach of the hub. That view is reinforced by the how-it-works page on the BT Vision site. This says that you'll be given a "PC/laptop wireless adapter if you need one ... which our engineer will set up for you" and includes the diagram shown below.
Click for larger image
Oh, and for record, BT reckons that the PVR holds up to 80 hours of on-demand programmes but doesn't give the size of its hard disk.
In an email that got sent around today, BT also says, in effect, that Freeview TV recordings takes up the same amount of space, hour-for-hour, as on-demand. But what you might also like to consider is whether some of the other facts about BT Vision within that email - to people who signed up as being interested in the service - are at odds with reality.
This is what the email says,
BT Vision has arrived!
Dear Bob [this would be different if your name weren't Bob - Ed],
BT Vision brings you your favourite films, TV programmes, music, kids' shows and from the start of the 2007 season - live Premiership football! All powered by BT Total Broadband*. And the great thing is you only pay for what you watch! [Our emboldening - Ed]
Not only that, but through the BT Vision set-top box (the V-box) you could access over 40 Freeview channels for free and record up to 80 hours of Freeview programmes without tapes or discs.
To see if BT Vision is available in your home, please visit www.bt.com/btvision and follow the ‘Get BT Vision’ link. We will then contact you to advise you on the availability of BT Vision in your area. And what's more, we're giving away the BT Vision V-box absolutely free!* [Scroll down for the small-print - Ed]
Happy viewing!
BT Vision team
The BT Vision Team
Get the BT Vision V-box, full installation and connection for only £90*. Get BT Vision now
* BT Vision V-box is free to new BT Total Broadband customers or existing BT Total Broadband customers who re-contract as per original contractual period (residential only). Customers not wishing to re-contract will be charged £199 for the V-box. Installation fee £60. Connection charge £30. In order to get BT Vision, you will need to have BT Total Broadband (with minimum line speed of 2MB). Apple Mac users may require an adapter. Fair usage policy and conditions apply. You will also need a BT Home Hub in order to use BT Vision. If you have, or sign up to BT Total Broadband option 2 or 3, you will receive this for free (unless you already have a Home Hub, in which case, this will be utilised). If you are on, or sign up to BT Total Broadband option 1, you will need to purchase the BT Home Hub at £50 over the phone or £30 online. BT will endeavour to install your BT Vision within 8 weeks from purchase. Where conditions render this impossible, we will contact you to advise.
1. Subject to coverage. Most existing rooftop aerials are able to receive Freeview but some older ones may need some help. Visit www.freeview.co.uk for more information on Freeview coverage.
Dear Bob [this would be different if your name weren't Bob - Ed],
BT Vision brings you your favourite films, TV programmes, music, kids' shows and from the start of the 2007 season - live Premiership football! All powered by BT Total Broadband*. And the great thing is you only pay for what you watch! [Our emboldening - Ed]
Not only that, but through the BT Vision set-top box (the V-box) you could access over 40 Freeview channels for free and record up to 80 hours of Freeview programmes without tapes or discs.
To see if BT Vision is available in your home, please visit www.bt.com/btvision and follow the ‘Get BT Vision’ link. We will then contact you to advise you on the availability of BT Vision in your area. And what's more, we're giving away the BT Vision V-box absolutely free!* [Scroll down for the small-print - Ed]
Happy viewing!
BT Vision team
The BT Vision Team
Get the BT Vision V-box, full installation and connection for only £90*. Get BT Vision now
* BT Vision V-box is free to new BT Total Broadband customers or existing BT Total Broadband customers who re-contract as per original contractual period (residential only). Customers not wishing to re-contract will be charged £199 for the V-box. Installation fee £60. Connection charge £30. In order to get BT Vision, you will need to have BT Total Broadband (with minimum line speed of 2MB). Apple Mac users may require an adapter. Fair usage policy and conditions apply. You will also need a BT Home Hub in order to use BT Vision. If you have, or sign up to BT Total Broadband option 2 or 3, you will receive this for free (unless you already have a Home Hub, in which case, this will be utilised). If you are on, or sign up to BT Total Broadband option 1, you will need to purchase the BT Home Hub at £50 over the phone or £30 online. BT will endeavour to install your BT Vision within 8 weeks from purchase. Where conditions render this impossible, we will contact you to advise.
1. Subject to coverage. Most existing rooftop aerials are able to receive Freeview but some older ones may need some help. Visit www.freeview.co.uk for more information on Freeview coverage.
So, probably like us, you're wondering how good a deal BT Vision really is compared with the various bundles on offer from Sky, NTL, Telewest and the rest.
Trouble is, that won't start to become clear until BT fully explains what you get with its various 'Entertainment on Demand' subscriptions and gives concrete examples of what individual pay-per-view costs get you, too. Things will also remain cloudy until the cost of the sports channel subscription and pay-per-view options are detailed - and for that we may have to wait until nearer the summer.
What's interesting to note, though, and kind of perverse, is that BT - seemingly alone among all those fighting to lock us into their phone and broadband services - doesn't look to offer any special prices for calls made from your landline to other landlines.
The Total Broadband bundle does offer free evening and weekend calls to UK 01 and 02 numbers but only those are made over broadband, rather than over a conventional phone - for which you need to own a BT Hub Phone. This comes free with the most expensive broadband package but is £50 for those who sign up for the two cheaper deals.
Thoughts? Share them with us in this thread in the HEXUS.lifestyle.news forum.
HEXUS.links
HEXUS.community :: discussion thread about this articleHEXUS.lifestyle.press.releases :: BT and Warner Bros in landmark deal
HEXUS.lifestyle.press.releases :: BT Vision to show live premiership football
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: BT readies download-to-own and video-on-demand services
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: 'Free' broadband for 'all' Sky-TV subscribers
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: Sky+ offers remote recording via mobile or web
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: Carphone Warehouse reveals details of 'free' broadband - it's war!
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: NTL promising first UK quad-play (TV, broadband, landline & mobile) service
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: 3's mobile broadband to cost fiver a month; £10 with home TV
External.links
BT Vision - home pageBT Vision - FAQ page
Setanta - home page
