In recent years, Internet Protocol Television has emerged as a popular alternative to cable and satellite television. Unlike these services, IPTV streams over the Internet. It therefore fits well into today’s world, where the viewer having more choice and flexibility seems to be the prevailing model. In effect, the Internet Protocol Television service allows for a more-of-the-time, more-in-your-way viewing life. Of the few good quality IPTV players in the market, one certainly stands out for UK viewers. And that happens to be BT.
For a long time now, the UK TV market has been a stronghold of Sky TV. Via its internet protocol television (IPTV) service, Sky provides a comprehensive package of TV al modes, from sports and movies to every other kind of entertainment. The latest version of its base service is called Sky Q, which, when it comes to the actual delivery of the service, is no doubt a step up in terms of features and interface from its predecessor. The viewing experience somehow feels even smoother and smarter. Also, the viewer has access to what is essentially a Sky TV vault packed with enough on-demand content that, what with the kind of watch-it-anytime warrior attitude you’re supposed to have these days, you could hardly feel any part of that vault is underutilized.
In the United Kingdom, telecommunication services are very well-developed and quite popular. Virgin Media is one of the leading telecommunications providers, and its IPTV service is among the most popular in the country. Virgin’s top-notch service offers over 350 television channels, including the most popular ones: the BBC, ITV, and Channel 4. Owned by a leading consumer electronics company (Liberty Global), Virgin also offers what is considered the number 1 set-top box in the country: the V6. This box allows you to record up to 6 live TV shows at once. Not only that, you can store up to 1,000 hours worth of content on the box.
Live sports this that and the other, but BT TV could easily just be the name of the service for all the on-demand TV you care to watch. Not only does BT TV have a fair few live channels—Time-lord willing, they pause and rewind in HD for this!—besides the ones you can catch with an aerial, but it also packs in an almost overwhelming library of on-demand entertainment. And yet BT TV’s real kicker might still be its partnership with BT Sport, which ensures that if you stump up the funds for this package, you’ll get to watch a hell of a lot of sport live.
No-cost, IPTV service YouView has some valuable assets. Its launch partnership with the BBC, one of the UK’s two big public-service broadcasters (the other being Channel 4), gives it access to a plethora of content, including the Beeb’s various IPTV channels. Partnerships with a number of other big UK channels, including public-service channel 4 and private channel ITV, as well as content from Sky and from cable network Virgin Media, mean that there’s no shortage of highly appealing content to attract UK viewers.
Sky provides a relaxed streaming service that goes by the name of NOW TV. Viewers can access an array of channels and on-demand content; all that’s required is a short signup that leads to a no-strings-attached service contract. NOW TV has several pass options, for entertainment, cinema, and sports—so it’s got something for nearly everyone. The appeal of the service, though, is in its ease of use and in the range of devices it works with. And the headline here might just be seeing the Sky premium stuff without having to buy the full Sky service.
Viewers today still have an array of television options from which to choose, but the selection keeps moving in a singular direction: toward more affordable, more flexible systems. One of these systems is Internet Protocol Television, which is rapidly meeting viewer demand. If you’re in the market for IPTV, you’ll most likely consider providers like Sky TV, Virgin Media, BT TV, YouView, or NOW TV. All of these options come with a range of devices on which to enjoy their content, along with their own unique selling points. Sky TV has been operating for years and offers a well-oiled IPTV machine; in contrast, BT TV is a newer operation that (slightly) differently techs up the way it delivers shows and movies to your eyeballs.