Sky TV is getting some tough new competitors, with both Vodafone and BT launching new TV streaming services.
Vodafone said this week that its set-top box and TV streaming service is now available. It was first announced last month, and it’s a compelling alternative to Sky’s entertainment packages.
It’s available now to Vodafone Broadband and Mobile customers, and subscribers will get the set-top box powered by the Android TV platform, plus the integrated Freely streaming service that brings live and on-demand content from the U.K.’s major broadcasters. If you pay for one of the premium packages, you can also bundle Netflix and HBO Max, and it’s all priced pretty reasonably, starting at £17 per month.
There’s a cheaper offering that comes without Netflix and HBO Max, priced at just £10 per month if you’re willing to just make do with Freely and whatever you can find in the Google Play app store.
The physical Vodafone TV box itself comes free with the subscription. It’s pretty similar to devices like the Netgem Pleio that launched last year, or the Nvidia Shield, except there’s no upfront investment. Because Freely is built-in, it means you’ll get access to more than 70 live channels, plus on-demand shows from BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and other broadcasters, 300+ cloud gaming titles, music and various other apps that can be found via Google Play.
“The compact set-top box packs a punch, with powerful 4K performance, Android TV, Dolby Atmos for cinematic sound, and Dolby Vision for stunning visuals,” Vodafone said in a press release.
You can also access all of the major streaming apps directly through the box simply by downloading them and paying for a subscription, but you will probably find more value by accessing some of those services via Vodafone itself. Besides the standard £10 package and £17 Vodafone TV Essential subscription with Netflix and HBO Max, the company is also offering a Vodafone TV Ultimate plan for £25.50 per month, which gives you Netflix, HBO Max and a choice of either Disney+ or Amazon Prime Video.
Note, however, that those third-party streaming subscriptions are the cheaper packages with advertisements. If you don’t want ads, you’ll have to subscribe for a premium package with those streamers directly.
For those who want Vodafone’s Pro Broadband internet service as well, there’s an even more expensive package called Pro Broadband + Vodafone TV Essential priced at £35 per month.
The hardware is pretty capable, offering support for 4K content – obviously you’ll need a 4K TV too – plus Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos surround sound. The company did not specify what processor it’s using, but it comes with 3GB of RAM which should ensure it’s pretty snappy, and there’s a fairly generous 32 gigabytes of storage for apps.
We must note that there is a catch though – the service is only available to Vodafone Broadband or Mobile users, so if you’re not already a Vodafone customer, you’ll have to become one before you can access Vodafone TV.
BT’s new TV streaming service is not yet available, but the company is planning to launch it on October 15, bringing together live TV, streaming services and other content, including live sports, to all BT broadband customers. According to BT, “BT TV will deliver a seamless experience for households who value trust, reliability and simplicity.”
Because it hasn’t officially launched yet, there’s less information about exactly what subscribers will be getting, or the price they’ll pay to get it. It didn’t mention Freely in its press release, so that has left us wondering as to exactly what kind of live TV channels it will support.
The service will be accessible through the BT TV Box Pro, which comes with enough storage space to record up to 600 hours of broadcasts. There’s also a BT TV Box Edge, which BT said “makes it easy to access and save on-demand and catch-up shows.”
While we don’t have many details of BT’s offering yet, we can expect the real draw to be live sports, including English Premier League football through TNT Sports. “Finding something great to watch shouldn’t mean navigating a maze of apps, subscriptions and devices. We’ve designed BT TV to bring customers’ entertainment and sport together, making it easier to find what they love, and giving them the freedom to watch live, record their favourites and catch-up when it suits them,” said BT’s Managing Director of Consumer Products Luciano Oliveira.
