EE UK Replaces Home Broadband Pay TV Service with Apple TV 4K

Mobile operator and ISP EE will today replace their ageing bespoke Pay TV (IPTV) product, which was only available alongside their fixed line home broadband and phone packages, with a new service powered by an Apple TV 4K set-top-box, but it won’t be a particularly cheap add-on.

The original EE TV product was developed (bespoke) and launched prior to the merger with BT (they have their own separate YouView powered platform). Under the old platform customers of EE’s Broadband service were asked to pay an extra £8 a month to receive the box, which gave them access to all of the usual Freeview TV channels, PVR features, an app and access to premium on-demand content. Sadly EE TV has since been largely forgotten and doesn’t support 4K.

Last year we reported that BT had entered into early discussions with Apple about the prospect of replacing EE TV with a service based off the 32GB Apple TV 4K box (here). As if to confuse matters it was, at the time, already possible for existing EE mobile customers to add Apple’s box to their plan (albeit without any EE specific content or features) but this option has since been removed; probably due to today’s announcement.

By comparison today’s announcement means that existing EE broadband customers (pay monthly mobile subscribers with with a Smartphone or 12/24-month SIM-only plan can also take advantage) will be able to add the Apple TV 4K box to their package for an extra £15 per month, which is a fair bit more expensive than the old EE TV option (probably because Apple’s box is worth around £179 at retail).

The prices we’ve been given for this are below, which appears to be reflecting the discounted first contract term (18 month) prices (e.g. the ADSL broadband and phone package alone rises from £22 to £32 after the first 18 months).

According to the limited promotional material that we’ve seen, the Apple TV 4K gives you access to a range of entertainment apps like BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, UK TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and NOW TV. Inclusive access to BT Sport TV content is also included “so you can watch unmissable live sport” and with a supporting TV you can also experience 4K HDR and cinematic Dolby Atmos sound.

The Apple TV 4K itself features a HDMI 2.0a port, 802.11ac WiFi, 1 x Gigabit LAN port, Bluetooth v5, IR receiver and is powered by an A10X Fusion chip. Sadly it does not appear to support Freeview TV channels like the old device. You also get access to an Apple TV app and Siri (voice assistant).

Marc Allera, CEO of BT Consumer, said:

“We’re giving customers the TV, film and sport they love in the best quality on Apple TV 4K. By combining Apple TV 4K and BT Sport with EE’s award-winning unlimited home broadband, we’re able to provide our customers with a premium TV service that not only provides great value for money, but a great experience at home, as well as on the go.”

At the time of writing EE still seemed to be in the process of updating their website for the new kit, which should be completed sometime later this morning.