UPDATE YouView Based TV Product “Launching Soon” for PlusNet Customers

It’s been around two years since we first heard of PlusNet’s plan to launch a YouView (IPTV) based TV service for their broadband customers, yet the good news is that the official product “will be launching soon“. But it will only be available to their “fibre broadband” (FTTC/P) subscribers.

As a quick recap, YouView is a broadband Internet (IPTV) based video-on-demand and catch-up TV platform that is being bundled by several big and small ISPs across the United Kingdom, as well as being sold as an independent solution at retail. The platform has the backing of virtually all the major terrestrial TV broadcasters.

The last update we received from PlusNet on the subject was in August 2014, when they confirmed that trials of the service were “going very well“, but declined to give any indication of when the service might actually launch. The ISPs parent, BT, has been using a YouView setup since 2012 and this often bundles a free set-top-box with related TV content.

However, according to a post on the YouView Community Forum that was responding to a question about the absence of PlusNet’s TV solution, the final product is apparently due to be “launching soon” (extra credits to Seenit for spotting this first).

Phil, Official YouView Rep, said:

Hi Guys,

We can confirm that TV from Plusnet will be launching soon. It will be available exclusively to existing Plusnet Unlimited Fibre customers. These customers can register their interest via the Plusnet member centre here https://portal.plus.net/my.html .

More information will be made available soon.

Thanks,

Phil

Mind you “soon” is not exactly a very specific date and PlusNet have become somewhat known for their lengthy trial periods, so the actual date is still anybody’s guess and we wouldn’t like to make a prediction. Otherwise we assume that their YouView solution will follow a similar mould to the other ISPs (free bundled box etc.), most likely being accompanied by the option of some premium content from the likes of Sky and BTSport etc.

The fact that the service will only be available to their “Fibre” customers is also no surprise as that can often be used as a way of ensuring a better quality of service and for attracting customers to their more premium focused packages. But TV is a very different field for PlusNet and we imagine they’ll want to get it right first time, hence the long trial.

UPDATE

The product is now live (here).