BT TV Slowly Closing Down Old Vision IPTV Set-Top-Boxes and Content

BT has announced that broadband TV customers who are still using their old ‘Vision’ set-top-box (IPTV) will have to adopt the newer YouView based kit because the content for their older hardware is slowly being removed, with all extra channels and VOD set to be gone by the end of 2017.

The ISP has already phased out their earliest silver coloured BT Vision box (here) and now the revised hardware, which existed just before the new YouView platform was adopted, is following suit. The good news is that existing customers (those who have a BT Vision account) will be entitled to a free upgrade.

BT Vision Announcement

I would like to share some important information in relation to the BT Vision service. As you may already be aware, BT will be turning off parts of the platform in the coming months. Here are some important dates,

28th April 2017 – BBC IPlayer will no longer be available on BT Vision

31st May 2017 – PSB free-to-air HD channels will no longer be available on BT Vision.

31st May 2017 – On demand service for ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 will no longer be available on BT Vision

Later this year we will be closing BT Vision where access to all extra channels and VOD will be removed. For existing customers who have a BT Vision account, you will be entitled to a free upgrade to a new YouView box. You will receive an invite via email, letter and messages through your BT Vision box.

Customers were warned about the forthcoming change earlier this year, although until now there hasn’t been a detailed timetable. However some subscribers have complained that the “free upgrade” attracts a new contract (i.e. if you’re already out of contract) with a totally different pricing structure, which for some has made it cheaper to go out and buy a retail BT Vision box (assuming you don’t want any of the premium Internet delivered BT content).