BT Announces Three More Content Deals for Forthcoming IPTV Services

January 16th 2006 - BT today announced three more deals with leading rights owners to widen the range of family entertainment available on its national next generation TV offering.

Building on last month’s announcement of deals with three of the world’s biggest entertainment companies, BBC Worldwide, Paramount and Warner Music Group, BT has  added deals with documentary and factual providers National Geographic Channel and with kids TV programming leaders HIT Entertainment and Nelvana.

National Geographic Channel is a world leader in factual television spanning a wide range of topical subjects including science, technology, real-life investigation, history and wildlife.

HIT Entertainment provide such programming as programmes such as Bob the Builder and Pingu, which are included in BT’s licensing deal.

Nelvana, part of the Corus Entertainment Group, also produce children’s entertainment. Their licensing deal with BT includes Maggie and the Ferocious Beast, Max and Ruby, as well as Beyblade and Franklin.

BT promised to unveil even more big name deals this year, as it builds to a launch of the service in late summer or Autumn 2006. Customers of the service will be able to choose from a  range of on-demand film, music and television programming as well as a groundbreaking interactive and communications service, all available through their TV sets.

The service will combine access to digital terrestrial channels through the aerial with broadband-powered video on demand. This combination, delivered on a software platform powered by Microsoft and through a set top box made by Philips, will allow customers choice, control and convenience. Tthere will be no mandatory monthly subscriptions.

Dan Marks, chief executive of TV Services, BT Retail, said: “. Any service of this kind is only as good as the content it offers, which is why we have swiftly signed these significant entertainment deals.

“Significantly, our service will be offered nationwide and not restricted to metropolitan areas, and customers will not be required to commit to a monthly subscription.�

BT To Launch IPTV Services 2006
BT revealed on 26 October, 2005 that its next generation TV service will be available to BT broadband customers without the need for a subscription fee and services available at launch or shortly afterwards will include entertainment on demand – an extensive library of movies, TV and music all available instantly; catch-up TV – programmes from the previous seven days broadcast schedule will be available on demand without the need to record; flexible payment – no mandatory subscriptions; pay-per-view options; a Personal Video Recorder capable of storing up to 80 hours of programming; more than 30 digital terrestrial TV channels; Communication services such as instant messaging, chat and video telephony on TV and interactive services such as online games, retail opportunities and community services.

For more information, please visit http://www.bt.com/aboutbt