London broadband ISP Community Fibre launch Netgem PLEIO powered TV service
Network operator and UK ISP CommunityFibre, which has deployed their full fibre broadband (FTTP) network to cover 1.4 million homes (across London and the South East) and aims to reach 2m by 2028-2029 (here), has today become the latest alternative network to launch a Netgem PLEIO powered pay TV service.
PLEIO reflects a live TV (Freely) and cloud gaming service that’s supported by a new 4K IPTV set-top-box and streaming platform, which can alternatively be purchased separately via Amazon for £129 (includes set-top-box, remote control, gamepad and 12-month premium content subscription).
However, some broadband providers also bundle it and this makes sense for CommunityFibre as they’ve been working with Netgem for the past five years, albeit via their older TV platform. The adoption of PLEIO could thus be seen as an upgrade to that.
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Delivered via the second generation of the PLEIO 4K Puck (STB) over Wi-Fi, the platform claims to eliminate the technical barrier and installation costs of traditional rooftop aerials or satellite dishes and offers an all-IP solution (broadband-only), structured around three core value pillars:
● WATCH: (All-IP Broadcast TV): Deep integration with Everyone TV’s Freely platform allows subscribers to stream live and catch-up content from public service broadcasters (BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5) alongside 150+ thematic and FAST channels, natively over Wi-Fi.
● STREAM (Unified OTT Aggregation): Built on the Android TV OS ecosystem, PLEIO provides direct access to tier-one SVOD services (including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and Apple TV), enhanced by cross-app universal discovery and Google Assistant voice navigation.
● PLAY (Turnkey Cloud Gaming): Delivers a non-traditional media revenue stream through an integrated cloud-gaming service featuring over 300 console-quality titles, complete with an included Bluetooth gamepad.
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Peter Rampling, Chief Commercial Officer at Community Fibre, told ISPreview:
“This launch marks an exciting next step in our five-year partnership with Netgem. By bringing together Community Fibre’s full-fibre broadband with the latest generation of Netgem’s entertainment platform, we’re giving Londoners an even better way to enjoy TV, streaming and gaming at home. We’ve always given customers a compelling alternative to the big expensive TV bundles as they can pick and choose what they want and when they want it. Now we’ve made the experience and content even better and added a catalogue of more than 300 cloud games.”
The announcement itself doesn’t provide any pricing information, but a quick check of CommunityFibre’s website shows that they’re offering it for an extra £12 per month – this covers both the hardware and a premium service subscription.
If you were instead to buy it via Amazon then, after the first 12 months, you’d be paying £9.99 per month for the same subscription (optional – you can just use it as a modern UK live TV streaming box too), but wouldn’t benefit from the extra ISP support if things go wrong.
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 X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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==> Transitioning from the current Community Fibre TV offering (powered by Netgem) to the new PLEIO platform (also developed by Netgem) brings several key improvements focused on simplicity and next-generation streaming! ==> Key enhancements with PLEIO:
• Integrated Freely technology:
The PLEIO platform incorporates Freely, allowing you to watch live television (channels such as BBC, ITV, Channel 4, etc.) directly via IP streaming—no rooftop aerial required.
• A unified “Watch, Stream, and Play” experience:
PLEIO brings together live TV, catch-up services, streaming apps (Netflix, Prime Video, NOW, etc.), and cloud gaming all in one place.
• Cloud gaming included:
The PLEIO service provides access to a catalog of cloud-based games (using a dedicated controller, with no need for downloads or heavy installations on the device itself).
• Simplified interface:
Designed to eliminate the complexity of juggling multiple apps or switching between various sources, the interface aggregates recommendations based on the household’s viewing habits.
• Updated hardware:
The new device (PLEIO Puck) and its voice-enabled remote control replace the previous, traditional Netgem 4K set-top box, while maintaining full 4K and HDR compatibility.
=> Overall, the PLEIO Puck is the best choice for modern use; however, the older Netgem 4K box (available via Community Fibre) retains one specific technical advantage if you prefer a wired connection.