[VisionMan1]

Hi,

I am somewhat confused by what BT packages are on offer with YouView. I have seen references to 'Pay as you go' for free and 'BT Unlimited' for £10, as stated here -

http://www.productsandservices.bt.co...on_FURL_player

And I'v seen reference to 'Essentials' at £5 and 'BT Unlimited' at £12.50. Yet, the Essentials blurb also describes itself as 'pay as you go', yet it costs £5 a month, as stated here -

http://www.productsandservices.bt.co...uview-packages

I know that on BT Unlimited, all YouView BB useage doesn't count against a users allowance, but I am unclear if it does or doesn't on the other two packages.

So can anyone clear up the above? Thanks.

[zulu17]

BT have different offers depending upon whether you have your bought own retail Youview box - thats their Player service which is the first link or whether you buy a package where they supply the box which is the second link.

[VisionMan1]

Originally Posted by zulu17

BT have different offers depending upon whether you have your bought own retail Youview box - thats their Player service which is the first link or whether you buy a package where they supply the box which is the second link.

Thanks for clearing that up. Any idea if the BB usage counts on the £5 Essentials package?

[VisionMan1]

OK,

I've had a definitive reply back from the BT Social Media team.

Retail boxes - Pay as you go counts against ones BB allowance. But the Unlimited package does not count against ones BB allowance.

YouView from BT - On both the Essentials and Unlimited packages, no YouView usage will count against ones BB allowance.

And the above includes the catch up players, third party apps (like Now TV and Milkshake), BT Vision VOD and also downloading HD Films and programmes, too.

[biddenden_sue]

I had a Youview box from BT when I switched to them for my Broadband at the end of last year.

I am somewhat confused...

I paid a set up fee of £49, and I am now paying £5 a month subscription, fixed for 12 months.

I was told that after that I was free to cancel the subscription, but the box was mine to keep...what I don't understand is what am I gaining by paying £5 a month and what will I no longer have when I cancel it? (Which I certainly intend to as soon as 12 months are up). I am paying for unlimited Broadband, by the way, as we are a gaming family.

None of their FAQs explain this at all. I use the BBC iPlayer and 4OD quite a bit, ITV Player once or twice, and 5 On Demand not once so far (What a rubbish channel that is!). Will I still have these after I cancel subscription? If so, I'm a happy bunny. I have no intention whatsoever of paying extra for any movies etc, as I don't need that feature at all.

If anyone could clarify this, I'd be very grateful. I love the box,, but it's in my bedroom as I have Sky downstairs. Trouble is now I could quite happily stay in bed all day just watching TV!

[Giovan]

Originally Posted by biddenden_sue

I had a Youview box from BT when I switched to them for my Broadband at the end of last year.

I am somewhat confused...

I paid a set up fee of £49, and I am now paying £5 a month subscription, fixed for 12 months.

I was told that after that I was free to cancel the subscription, but the box was mine to keep...what I don't understand is what am I gaining by paying £5 a month and what will I no longer have when I cancel it? (Which I certainly intend to as soon as 12 months are up). I am paying for unlimited Broadband, by the way, as we are a gaming family.

None of their FAQs explain this at all. I use the BBC iPlayer and 4OD quite a bit, ITV Player once or twice, and 5 On Demand not once so far (What a rubbish channel that is!). Will I still have these after I cancel subscription? If so, I'm a happy bunny. I have no intention whatsoever of paying extra for any movies etc, as I don't need that feature at all.

If anyone could clarify this, I'd be very grateful. I love the box,, but it's in my bedroom as I have Sky downstairs. Trouble is now I could quite happily stay in bed all day just watching TV!

The £5 per month allows you to use the catch up.

It is really a stealth charge for the box so I would consider it as you are getting a box for

£49 + (12x£5) = £109

Still a bargain because the retail price is still at least £250.

If you watch a lot of TV then the £7.50 extra per month for unlimited might be worth your while.

[-GONZO-]

Originally Posted by Giovan

The £5 per month allows you to use the catch up.

So what happens after 12 months and you wish the cancel the £5 per month payment.
Can you no longer use catch up ie: BBCiPlayer, ITV player,4OD & 5OD?

[Giovan]

Originally Posted by -GONZO-

So what happens after 12 months and you wish the cancel the £5 per month payment.
Can you no longer use catch up ie: BBCiPlayer, ITV player,4OD & 5OD?

I have no idea. Noone has had it for 12 months yet.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by -GONZO-

So what happens after 12 months and you wish the cancel the £5 per month payment.
Can you no longer use catch up ie: BBCiPlayer, ITV player,4OD & 5OD?

The catch-up services (except the BT and TalkTalk players) just need a broadband connection to work, they are not tied to an ISP or a contract. And iPlayer on all devices including Sky never needs a subscription to operate.
The £5pm is presented as not being for the catch-up services, but for the additional BT player content. I agree that it is in reality as Giovan has said, a charge for the box.

[derek500]

Originally Posted by -GONZO-

So what happens after 12 months and you wish the cancel the £5 per month payment.
Can you no longer use catch up ie: BBCiPlayer, ITV player,4OD & 5OD?

Unlike YouView on BT, the catch-up services on BT Vision are ad free.

With Sky, only subscribers get the commercial catch-up services, so I expect a similar strategy from BT.

[VisionMan1]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

The catch-up services (except the BT and TalkTalk players) just need a broadband connection to work, they are not tied to an ISP or a contract. And iPlayer on all devices including Sky never needs a subscription to operate.
The £5pm is presented as not being for the catch-up services, but for the additional BT player content. I agree that it is in reality as Giovan has said, a charge for the box.

Yes both of you are spot on.

And after the 12 months is up, if biddenden_sue doesn't want to keep paying BT £5 a month, the catch up players will still be accessible, as they are hosted by the channels, not BT.

However, cancelling this £5 subscription will then mean all TV viewing would count towards one's broadband allowance.

[derek500]

Originally Posted by VisionMan1

And after the 12 months is up, if biddenden_sue doesn't want to keep paying BT £5 a month, the catch up players will still be accessible, as they are hosted by the channels, not BT.

I assumed the YouView versions were taking the same streams as the regular ad supported web based players and the BT Vision ad free ones were on their servers like Virgin and Sky's.

[VisionMan1]

Originally Posted by derek500

I assumed the YouView versions were taking the same streams as the regular ad supported web based players and the BT Vision ad free ones were on their servers like Virgin and Sky's.

Yes. Spot on.

[derek500]

Originally Posted by VisionMan1

Yes. Spot on.

So is the £5 is paying for the ad free privilege, and if they stop they'll be switched to the regular ad supported versions?

[VisionMan1]

Originally Posted by derek500

So is the £5 is paying for the ad free privilege, and if they stop they'll be switched to the regular ad supported versions?

Erm, no. All YouView retail, YouView from BT and YouView from TT boxes all access the same ad supported catch up players.

The £5 a month is as Giovan said, it's a cost for the box. But, paying this charge means no YouView usage counts towards ones BB allowance, so it's a good deal really. As at the end of 12 months the box is yours to keep.

[Giovan]

Originally Posted by VisionMan1

Erm, no. All YouView retail, YouView from BT and YouView from TT boxes all access the same ad supported catch up players.

The £5 a month is as Giovan said, it's a cost for the box. But, paying this charge means no YouView usage counts towards ones BB allowance, so it's a good deal really. As at the end of 12 months the box is yours to keep.

Yeah it is still a decent deal. I might go for it to get myself another free box. (Although according to some deluded people, nothing is free.)

I would have thought the £5 a month would allow you to use vision on a PAYG basis.

[-GONZO-]

So what exactly is the £49 activation cost for?

[VisionMan1]

Originally Posted by Giovan

Yeah it is still a decent deal. I might go for it to get myself another free box. (Although according to some deluded people, nothing is free.)

I would have thought the £5 a month would allow you to use vision on a PAYG basis.

Yes, it does.

[VisionMan1]

Originally Posted by -GONZO-

So what exactly is the £49 activation cost for?

A subsidy for the box, so £49 plus 12 x £5 = £109 for a £250 HD PVR. Bargain.

[Giovan]

Originally Posted by -GONZO-

So what exactly is the £49 activation cost for?

It is a method of getting £49 from people.

It really is that simple. I doubt it costs them anything to set up vision on your account.

When I had tiscali TV, I was charged I think £30 for installation. That was reasonable because the guy came to the house, tested the line, set up the box, then tweaked the line stats so that it was stable, then showed us how to use it.

This £49, rather like the £49 installation charge that talktalk were offering, is just a way of making sure they really aren't giving away boxes.

[indiekid76]

I paid £49 for the box, it's not free and I didn't buy the activation fee nonsense going in. The £5 a month is also for nothing, and again I knew this going in.

I had a set of Adapters from when I had BT Vision before, so I got £40 for the new ones on eBay so the true cost of the box, for me, is quite low.

I won't pay £12.50 for what's currently on offer (not without ESPN), I have Sky too, and I doubt BT expect anybody to pay £5 for essential after 12months so I'd expect different packages then.

The catch-up services do have ads, too.

[VisionMan1]

Originally Posted by indiekid76

I paid £49 for the box, it's not free and I didn't buy the activation fee nonsense going in. The £5 a month is also for nothing, and again I knew this going in.

I had a set of Adapters from when I had BT Vision before, so I got £40 for the new ones on eBay so the true cost of the box, for me, is quite low.

I won't pay £12.50 for what's currently on offer (not without ESPN), I have Sky too, and I doubt BT expect anybody to pay £5 for essential after 12months so I'd expect different packages then.

The catch-up services do have ads, too.

You know, you'd be surprised at the number of users who have both BT Vision and Sky. As the two services compliment each other well.

[souldrifter]

Yeah I'm with sky and Bt vision, I'm never short of anything to watch.

[Giovan]

Originally Posted by VisionMan1

You know, you'd be surprised at the number of users who have both BT Vision and Sky. As the two services compliment each other well.

How?

Sky has a full catch up service and all the content BT has.

[VisionMan1]

Originally Posted by Giovan

How?

Sky has a full catch up service and all the content BT has.

Ha ha ha! Sorry Giovan. You haven't got a clue.