Digital TV News

TalkTalk to bring out bargain broadband, TV and phone bundle

Wednesday 16 November, 2011

By Kelvin Goodson

Provider to offer a “value for money” bundle incorporating YouView early next year.

TalkTalk is to launch a budget broadband, TV and telephone bundle next year.

In its financial results for the six months up to the end of September, the provider revealed that it is ready to re-enter the digital TV market with the launch of YouView next year.

YouView is set to be a plug-and-play TV platform like Freeview, but will also incorporate online catch-up and video on-demand services, high-definition (HD), pay-TV channels and personal video recording.

Dido Harding, chief executive at TalkTalk, said: “The launch of YouView next year will be a major development for TalkTalk and we are on track to offer a value-for-money product of phone, broadband and TV in Spring 2012.”

YouView has been jointly developed by communications company Arqiva, the BBC, BT, Channel 4, Channel 5 and ITV as well as TalkTalk.

The idea behind the platform is to deliver television to users through all the mediums now available, without the need for a contract or monthly subscription - all the user will need is a YouView set-top box and any broadband connection.

TalkTalk’s last TV offering was TalkTalk TV, formerly known as Tiscali TV, which the company acquired from Tiscali following its takeover of the provider in 2009.

Originally offered as an individual product or as a bundle with broadband - or broadband and telephone - TalkTalk TV is no longer available to new customers.