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What channels are on BT TV?

BT TV offers access to a number of channels, but exactly which ones they are will vary according to the package that you have. 

The basic TV plan is BT TV Essential. This package offers just Freeview channels and AMC, which is exclusive to BT. This package comes with a YouView TV box, which has an on-screen TV guide that’s easy to navigate. Many streaming apps, such as Netflix, NOW TV, Prime Video, BT Sport and BT TV, are also accessible via the box.

If you would like to add to this, there are five BT add-ons to choose from. Signing up to these add-ons involves taking out a 30-day rolling contract, so you can watch a different set of channels every month if you wish. Among the most popular is BT Sport, which offers Premier League and Champions League and Europa League football, Champions Cup and Premiership rugby, MotoGP, boxing, UFC, WWE and other popular sporting events. 

You may also add NOW TV Memberships to your BT TV package to watch Sky Originals, Sky Sports and Sky Cinema content.

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These are the five flexible TV plans you can choose from:

BT Entertainment

BT Entertainment combines NOW Entertainment with a basic Netflix plan, allowing you to watch popular films and TV shows whenever you want at a cost of £18 a month. The package includes:

• All Freeview channels plus AMC.
• Sky Atlantic, Sky One, Sky Max, Sky Showcase, kids’ channels (including Nickelodeon), National Geographic and other channels included in the NOW Entertainment Membership.
• Sky Originals, HBO and 300+ box-sets on demand.
• Basic Netflix plan, offering unlimited content on one screen in standard definition (SD).

BT Sport

One of the most popular sports TV packages in the UK, available for £17 per month. This package includes:

• All Freeview channels plus AMC.
• All four BT Sport channels and BoxNation for boxing events.

BT Big Sport

This package combines BT Sport with a NOW Sports Membership, allowing access to Sky Sports and BT Sport channels to let you watch live Premier League, Europa League and Uefa Champions League matches for £42 per month. The channels on offer here include:

• All Freeview channels plus AMC.
• All BT Sport channels.
• All Sky Sports channels.
• Eurosport 1 and 2.

BT Big Entertainment 

Combines NOW Entertainment and NOW Cinema membership to give you all the best Sky channels for just £28 per month.

• All Freeview channels plus AMC.
• Sky Max, Sky Atlantic, Sky Showcase, kids’ channels and other entertainment channels included in the NOW Entertainment membership.
• Basic Netflix plan, offering unlimited content on one screen in SD.
• All Sky Cinema channels plus more than 1,000 films on demand with the NOW Cinema membership.
• Sky Originals: 300 box-sets on demand and the best content from HBO.

BT VIP

Combines everything from the Big Sport and Big Entertainment deal along with a standard Netflix plan. It costs £75 per month, so it’s not cheap but offers a huge selection of TV programmes. 

• All Freeview channels plus AMC.
• Sky Max, Sky Atlantic, Sky Showcase, kids channels, plus entertainment channels with the NOW Entertainment membership
• All Sky Cinema channels plus more than 1,000 films on demand with the NOW Cinema membership 
• Sky Originals: 300 box sets on demand and the best content from HBO.
• All four BT Sport channels.
• All 11 Sky Sports channels.
• Eurosport 1 and 2.
• A range of full high definition (HD) channels, including BT Sport HD and Sky Sport HD with NOW Boost. 
• Standard Netflix plan, offering popular films and TV shows on up to two screens at the same time in HD. 

All five packages come with a YouView set-top box, as well as free-to-air channels and AMC. They also allow you:

• Up to 600 hours of recording space.
• The flexibility to swap your package every month.
• To watch TV without an aerial using only the internet.

Be aware that you can only sign up to BT TV if you have BT internet. The provider offers a number of broadband plans, ranging from basic ADSL to fibre-optic internet. If you’re looking for a stand-alone TV plan that you can combine with a different broadband provider, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

BT TV channel list

Want to explore a more complete list including all channels offered by BT? Here’s what you can expect from each package:

Freeview channels

Freeview is the UK’s digital terrestrial television service, offering more than 70 free-to-air channels, including 15 HD channels and 30 radio stations. Freeview is available via BT TV without the need for aerial. The following free-to-air channels are included with all BT TV packages, including BT Essential:

NOW TV add-ons

With any BT TV package, you can add NOW Entertainment, NOW Cinema or NOW Sports memberships. These packages offer access to the best Sky channels for an extra monthly charge. NOW TV packages involve only a 30-day commitment, so you have the flexibility to change your package every month.

Here’s a list of the channels your can expect to get with each NOW TV membership:

NOW Entertainment

All the best channels from Sky Entertainment, including Sky Max, Sky Showcase, Sky Witness, Sky Atlantic, Sky Comedy, Sky Documentaries, Sky History, Sky Nature, Sky Crime, Sky Sci-Fi and Sky Arts, plus MTV, Gold, Alibi and NBC News NOW.

NOW Sports

All 11 Sky Sports channels, including Sky Sports Premier league, Sky Sports Action, Sky Sports Arena, Sky Sports Racing and Sky Sports News.

NOW Cinema

More than 1,000 movies on demand and access to all Sky Cinema channels, including Sky Cinema Select, Horror, Premiere, Hits, Action, Thriller, Greats, Family, Drama, Comedy and Animation.

Bolt-ons 

If you want more TV content, there’s always the option to add a bolt-on to your deal. With a bolt-on, you can add your favourite channels to your plan. You’ll need to pay a little extra every month, but you get to choose the extra channels you want and have the flexibility to start or stop your subscription whenever you like. Here’s what you can choose from:

BT TV with broadband

To get BT TV, you need to sign up to BT Broadband. The provider often has special offers on TV and internet bundles. Alternatively, you can combine the broadband and TV package of your choice. If you’re already a BT broadband customer, you can sign up to a TV subscription whenever you want. 

BT offers a wide range of ADSL and fibre broadband deals, but to stream and get the most out of your BT TV box, you’ll need a fibre internet connection offering speeds of 36Mbps or more. Here’s a list of BT’s fibre broadband packages:

• Fibre Essential: Average speeds of 36Mbps.
• Fibre 1: Average speeds of 50Mbps.
• Fibre 2: Average speeds of 67Mbps.
• Full Fibre 100, 300, 500 or 900: Average speeds ranging between 150 and 1,000Mbps.

BT YouView Box

You’ll get a YouView set-top box, known as the BT TV Box Pro, with any BT TV deal. This TV box connects to your broadband hub so that you can access your TV service. You don’t need an aerial, but if you want one BT will charge a one-off £30 fee for an engineer to install it. 

Otherwise, you can set up your TV service yourself easily – simply plug your YouView box into a power socket, then connect it to your BT Home Hub either wirelessly or with an ethernet cable. Once this process is complete, you’ll get instant access to all channels and apps included in your plan. 

Many streaming services, such as BBC iPlayer, Britbox, Amazon Prime Video and Netflix, are integrated into the BT TV box. YouTube isn’t supported yet, however, so you’ll need a smart TV to watch YouTube videos on your television. The box comes with other useful features, such as rewind, pause and record functions. It allows you to record up to 600 hours of TV on up to four channels at once. 

BT multi-room

Multi-room allows you to watch TV in more than one room at once. You can do this with an Extra Box subscription, which provides you with the BT TV Box Mini. This is a non-recordable box that allows you to watch different shows in different rooms at the same time. The Extra Box costs an additional £10 per month.

Alternative TV providers to BT

Most broadband providers also offer broadband and TV packages and subscriptions, including Virgin Media, TalkTalk, Sky and NOW. Sky and Virgin Media offer a wide selection of channels and packages. Their set-top boxes are more advanced than BT’s, and you can also add BT Sport through their packages. Their plans are typically more expensive than BT, however, particularly when you factor broadband deals into the equation.

BT Sport is also available through Plusnet at a discounted price, either with the BT Sport app or as an add-on, but this is only possible if you also sign up for Sky TV. The cheapest suppliers of BT Sport at the moment are NOW and TalkTalk. Anyone can purchase a NOW TV pass on a monthly basis, so it’s a cost-effective and flexible way to sign up for an additional TV service. With TalkTalk, you get a TalkTalk TV 4K box, where you can watch Freeview as well as other subscription services like NOW TV, Netflix and Prime Video.

Pros and cons of BT TV with Broadband

• BT Sport is available, allowing access to the UEFA League, Champions League, Champions Cup and Premiership Rugby, Boxing, UFC, WWE, Moto GP and more sporting events.
• Free YouView TV box.
• Many streaming services available through the BT TV box.
• Flexibility – you can change your TV plan every 30 days to suit your needs.
• No need for an aerial or satellite dish. Stream via broadband hub.

• Only available to BT Broadband customers – you can’t get a TV package by itself.
• Only 24-month contracts; no short-term contracts available.
• The YouTube app is not available through the TV box.
• Rivals Sky and Virgin Media offer more channels, films and shows, though these are more expensive.

TV and Broadband Deals December 2023

How many channels do you get with BT TV?

Every package offers 16 HD channels and at least 94 standard channels, with new ones being added all the time. 

Certain Freeview channels, such as Dave, are not available with BT TV via the internet. You’ll need to be connected with an aerial to access these channels. 

You can also add additional channels to your package with a NOW TV Membership.

What TV channels do you get with BT Entertainment?

You get all standard Freeview channels as well as AMC, which is exclusive to BT. 

You’ll also get some premium channels, such as Sky Max, Sky Showcase, Sky Nature, Sky History, Sky Crime, Sky Comedy, Sky Witness, Sky Documentaries, Sky Sci-Fi, Peacock, MTV, Comedy Central, NBC News, GOLD and Alibi. 

Six kids’ TV channels are also part of the package, including Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and Cartoonito.

What kids channels are included?

Free children’s channels include: CBBC, CBeebies, CITV, CBBC HD, CBeebies HD, POP, Tiny POP, POP Player, Ketchup TV, Ketchup Too and YAAAS!

When you sign up for the BT Entertainment or Big Entertainment bundle, you can also get Boomerang, Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Nickelodeon, Nick Toons and Nick Junior.

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