Mobile firm EE launches British TV service

UK 4G mobile operator EE is to launch a fixed-line TV service, competing with BT and TalkTalk.
The EE service will be available free with an EE home broadband subscription, or for £9.95 (US$16) a month for mobile-only subscribers.

EE will offer over 70 Freeview channels and a 24 hour Replay feature, plus the ability to access additional on-demand channels and catch-up channels, including more than 10,000 TV series and movies.

EE TV will allow viewers to watch programmes on their home TV, as well as on up to three smartphones or tablets simultaneously.

Users will be able to to stream live and recorded content directly from the EE TV box’s hard drive using a new remote app for iOS and Android. A multi-record function will enable users to record up to four separate programmes to be recorded simultaneously. Programmes are stored directly on the EE TV box, which is equipped with a 1TB hard drive.

The service will offer the BBC iPlayer and Demand 5 catch-up services at launch. Other services available will include Wuaki.tv, Dailymotion and YouTube.

The telco has tapped French technology company Netgem to provide boxes for the service, which will be HbbTV-based, EE having decided against joining the YouView consortium that forms the basis for BT and TalkTalk’s services.

“Today we’re announcing the most advanced TV service the UK has ever seen. How, where and when people watch TV and movies is changing, and mobile technology is driving that change. As the UK’s biggest and fastest network, with more than 25 million customers, we have unrivalled insight into people’s changing viewing habits. It’s helped us create a service that has mobile at its heart, and makes the TV experience more personal than ever before,” said Olaf Swantee, CEO of EE.

“With EE TV, not only can you watch different streams of live and recorded content, on multiple screens simultaneously, but your mobile becomes the remote. This gives each viewer the chance to watch, queue and view what they want, when they want. It’s a completely new way to enjoy your favourite programmes, films and internet content.”