Selling BT TV packages

[PaulMichael]

I don’t understand why BT can’t provide me with TV if I own my own youview box.

I recently reviewed my contract with BT for broadband/phone/TV.

For TV I just had the basic entry pack with square youview box.

When I was asked if I wanted to keep the same package (£5 - £6 a month) I asked if it would be possible to change to a recordable box but was told that would cost approx £10 a month.

So on a 2 year contract that’s £240 when compared with being able to buy recordable boxes on Amazon, Ebay etc for under £100.

Why would I do that – and the BT guy agreed with me.

So I asked him if I have my own box can BT just sell me an enhanced TV package, either for the money they currently charge me each month for my TV (as opposed to earning nil from me if I buy a box and cancel my TV, but keep broadband/phone) or even charge me a bit more, and I was told no, they can’t do that, which I find bizarre as surely this is a potential money generating stream which would cost practically nothing to provide.

[NigelB72]

Because they wouldn't be able give any control or QOS levels on a box that doesn't meet their specifications. All Youview boxes conform to a standard originally issued by Youview to equipment manufacturers but seeing as though Youview as an open platform is being phased out and adopted more by BT as a controlled environment so they want more control for compatibility on future products and services.

As BT take more creative control, you'll see older boxes become redundant as they lose compatibility with new services.

[PaulMichael]

Thank you. That makes sense but still seems a bit strange as you can buy a BT HD recordable box for under £100 on line and if you're saying that that will become redundant, then that would mean BT having to replace all such boxes they have either rented out or sold to people who have TV packages through BT. That would cost a fortune ? 

[NigelB72]

Boxes usually get updated when customers renew contracts so a lot of one's being sold could be ones that customers were allowed to keep under the old terms of their contract. Personally, I've been with BT TV for several years now and I'm on my third box upgrade. Started with the HD box, moved to 4K when I went to BT Sport Ultimate and now I have a Pro Box. 

The first two boxes are in a cupboard as I've not needed to return them. 

BT will be picking up the boxes for a lot less than retail price so the cost is negligible over the customer life cycle.

Under the latest terms the only ones that should be available for sale will be ones that ex customers have been charged for because they didn't return them when their contracts end or ones that have been stolen and BT would be able to brick those when they're activated online as Youview connects to an ISP's servers for authentication.

[scharter]

Hi have just hd an email saying my BT Biig Sport package is expiring next month, yet if still has a year to run.

Is this BT pulling a fast one trying to get me to sign up for a new contract with inflated prices from a year ago?

[garybs29]

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@scharterwrote:

Hi have just hd an email saying my BT Biig Sport package is expiring next month, yet if still has a year to run.

Is this BT pulling a fast one trying to get me to sign up for a new contract with inflated prices from a year ago?

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How on earth do you get to the "inflated prices" swipe, your other post says you're paying 43.72 for big sport yet it's 41 on the website, a complete overreaction to what sounds like a simple mistake

[scharter]

@garybs29  Hi, Because when you take up a new offer, they renegotiate your existing packages up to their new prices. I.e. you restart one facit of your package, then rest restructure to the current prices, droppng any deals/discounts for existing services like brodband, as I have.  Wait until it's your turn!

[garybs29]

They don't! I've been there already & the broadband renews with the same discounted price for 24 months automatically

[ney]

As I have said  before elsewhere. I cancelled BT TV back in March after being with BT TV for over 4 years and now get the same as I was getting with BT TV going with Now direct but with discounts.

Only thing I cant do is record the Now channels and no longer get AMC but I very rarely watched AMC.

[scharter]

@ney  I only use the TV packages to watch sport, and Now TV doesn't have BT Sport (unless one lives in Ireland).