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).
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on Twitter, Google+, Facebook and Linkedin.
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I Can advise that if you contact BT customer services and ask for a box swap it can be done totally without contract if you insist.
BT will send you a box, but not one that records. I responded to their undated letter which I received on 2nd May after the i.player was turned off. I was assured a new box would be sent at no cost. Thought it was too good to be true, and it was. New box arrived, doesn’t record. Rang to complain, 3 days later another box, home hub(not requested)and 2 mini connectors(also not requested) arrived. Guess what, another box that won’t record!! I’ve been a BT Vision customer for 10 years. This is awful service BT. Loyalty obviously counts for nothing.