http://www.mirror.co.uk27 October 2005
BT TV
Phone firm's telly service to offer shows on demand
By Clinton Manning Business Editor
A SERVICE from BT dubbed "Martini TV" will let viewers watch shows they miss anytime, anyplace, anywhere - without the need to record them.
The "catch-up" facility is part of a pay-per-view venture being launched by the company next year.
Customers will also be able to order films, music, games and classic TV shows via the internet.
The service, which has no monthly subscription, will initially be available to BT's two million broadband users and could be offered to others later.
Ian Livingston, head of BT Retail, said: "This will be a world first. Viewers will be able to watch anything shown in the past week when they want, even if they haven't recorded it."
Users will have to pay an initial fee, probably around £99, for a set-top box which also enables them to stop and rewind programmes like a DVD.
They will still be charged a monthly broadband fee, currently around £17.99. In addition to catch-up telly, the facility will deliver 32 TV channels, 20 digital radio stations plus a vast library of films and programmes.
Watching an old film such as Titanic will cost "pence not pounds". Recent blockbusters would be pricier.
Cheap phone calls over the internet will also be part of the service.
The announcement comes just days after Sky went head-to-head with BT and cable operators in the market for broadband by agreeing a £211million takeover of telecoms firm Easynet.
BT bosses reckon its "next generation" services will appeal to those who do not want to pay Sky £40-a-month.
And its set-top boxes will store up to 80 hours of programmes - twice as much as SkyPlus.
The firm plans to become a major entertainment business but insists it will not be a broadcaster like Sky.
Broadband T.V.
Moderator: CricketMX Forum Moderators
That's not the man in the moon...that's me
