YouView seeks multi-device expansion
July 29, 2013
By Colin Mann
Open IPTV platform YouView – backed by a consortium of the UK’s broadcasters and telco providers – is looking to develop the service beyond its set-top box-based launch, reports the FT.
Sources suggest that some shareholders are keen to extend service across a range of devices, including connected TV sets, smartphones and tablets.
Any such device expansion could also be accompanied by a broadening of content availability. YouView recently added popular cable and satellite service Dave to its catch-up TV option alongside free on-demand services from BBC, ITV and Channel 4.
YouView STBs are available at retail in the £229 to £299 bracket, but are also available free as part of bundled packages from telco ISPs BT and TalkTalk. TalkTalk revealed July 24 that it had signed up 160,000 new TV subscribers to its YouView service in the three months to end June, taking the total number of TV customers on the company’s network to 390,000 in that period. It described June as its strongest ever month for TV sales.
BT reported TV net additions of 23,000 for the same period, taking its customer base to 833,000. The majority of these customers are users of the telco’s BT Vision box. Moving forward, the service will be rebranded as ‘BT TV’, with upgraded boxes required to view BT’s linear sports channels launching August 1. It claims over 500,000 households have signed up pre-launch.