BT Vision Trickles Onto Market Next Month

BT Vision, the communications giant’s long-awaited IPTV service, will launch to a sample of BT Broadband customers on Monday 4 December, with a wider roll-out early next year.

Full details of the service, which combines Freeview channels with video-on-demand via broadband, will be revealed at the launch in London.

BT has secured a variety of content deals for the service, from MTV, Paramount Comedy and Nickelodeon (see BT Vision Signs Further Content Partners), through to Emap (see Emap To Bring Music Brands To BT Vision) and Future Plus, the customer-publishing agency of Future Publishing (see Future Signs BT Vision Deal).

BT has not yet revealed how the service will be priced, but promises flexible payment terms which are likely to include pay-per-view and subscription models.

In October it was reported that the service would come on to the market next month without a major marketing push, with the company waiting until next spring to fully promote the technology (see BT Vision Launches Without Major Marketing Campaign).

The ‘soft’ launch allows BT to stick to the timetable it previously set, with some saying the subdued arrival of the product is to calm unrest amongst BT shareholders, who are keen to see the service delivered on time.

BT: 020 7469 2337 www.btplc.com