TalkTalk TV

While TalkTalk TV in its current form launched in 2012, its predecessor dates back to 2000 when the UK's first video on demand service, HomeChoice, was launched, at first covering an area in north London.[1] It was provided by Video Networks Limited (VNL), based in Shepherd's Bush in London, which utilised high speed ADSL connections. By 2003, HomeChoice had just 3,000 subscribers, compared to Sky's 7 million and over 2 million each for both Freeview and digital cable operators.[2] HomeChoice avoided bankruptcy and relaunched in 2004, striking a deal with BSkyB to provide Sky Sports and Sky Movies to HomeChoice customers.[3] HomeChoice was purchased by Tiscali UK in August 2006 and rebranded to Tiscali TV in February 2007, by which time it had 40,000 subscribers in areas of London and Stevenage.[4]

On 30 June 2009, the European Union approved a deal in which The Carphone Warehouse would buy all the assets of Tiscali UK. As a result of Tiscali UK's acquisition, Tiscali TV was rebranded as TalkTalk TV in January 2010.[5]

TalkTalk TV however struggled to compete against Sky, Virgin Media and BT's television services. On 20 October 2010, TalkTalk announced its plans to launch a new TV service in 2011, in a partnership with YouView.[6] By the start of 2011, TalkTalk discontinued its existing TV service and removed it from their official site.

TalkTalk formally launched its YouView-based TV service in September 2012.

As of May 2013, TalkTalk TV was Britain's fastest growing TV service.[7]

YouView launched a Netflix player for new and existing Netflix customers. This is now on retail boxes and this launched on TalkTalk in late 2015.

TalkTalk Plus TV is delivered by IPTV signals using a YouView set-top box. These boxes also allow access to digital terrestrial television (DTT) signals using an additional aerial to watch Freeview channels. Originally all its channels and content were available on the TalkTalk Player without any EPG channel numbers. On 7 August 2013, the channels became available on the YouView EPG with channel numbering ranging from 401 to 599. The channels can be bought as packages or 'boosts' which can be changed every 30 days if desired. Customers can Record these 'Boost' channels, along with a new version of the TalkTalk Player. As of June 2015 the channels were re-numbered.

Current TalkTalk packages with the channel numbers are as follows (On Demand content is in the TalkTalk Player):

Entertainment

• ABC Studios – On Demand
• Sky One – On Demand
• Sky Witness – On Demand
• Sky Arts – On Demand
• Comedy Central – On Demand
• MTV – On Demand
• National Geographic – On Demand
• History – On Demand
• Crime + Investigation – On Demand
• Lifetime – On Demand
• FOX – On Demand
• Gold – On Demand (UKTV Play)
• W – On Demand (UKTV Play)
• Alibi – On Demand (UKTV Play)
• Good Food – On Demand (UKTV Play)
• Eden – On Demand (UKTV Play)

Kids

• Hopster – On Demand
• Nickelodeon – On Demand
• Nick Jr – On Demand
• Cartoon Network – On Demand
• Boomerang – On Demand
• Cartoonito – On Demand
• Baby TV – On Demand

Movies

• Sky Cinema – On Demand
• TalkTalk TV Store (Buy or Rent)

Access

Access to the channels and the Video on demand is via a self branded set-top box that is connected to the customer's Television set. The current set-top box features an Aerial socket and a DVB-T receiver. A wireless router for internet access that connects to the set-top box is also provided.

TalkTalk+

TalkTalk+ includes a 160 GB hard-drive Digital video recorder, which holds 50 hours of recorded television and acts as a replacement for the standard set-top box. TalkTalk+ can simultaneously record up to three separate channels.

Service area

TalkTalk TV was initially only available in parts of London, Surrey and Hertfordshire. Since September 2007 Central and Northern England were TalkTalk TV enabled. Around 680 Telephone Exchanges are now Tiscali LLU enabled, mostly in London, Manchester, the Midlands and Yorkshire and a spattering throughout the rest of the country.

TV Services

The majority of standard UK channels are available, such as BBC One and BBC Two, as well as Premium channels such as Sky Movies and National Geographic Channel, depending on the selected package and corresponding price paid per month.

Video on Demand is available, depending on the selected package. All customers have access to a channel-specific 'catch up' service which allows customers to view a selection of programmes up to seven days after they were initially broadcast. Channels with the catch up service are: BBC One, BBC Two, Channel 4, Fox, ITV, ITV2, BBC Three, BBC Four, CBBC Channel, Channel 5 and CBeebies.

On 13 February 2007, HBO announced C1, its new VOD service was to become available on Tiscali TV.

British Sky Broadcasting announced that it was to supply Tiscali TV with its basic TV package including Sky1, Sky2, Sky Arts, Sky News and Sky Sports News.

TalkTalk TV packages as of 2010 are:

• Variety Pack
• Entertainment Xtra Mix
• Music Mix
• Kids Mix
• Bollywood and South Asian TV Subscription
• Picturebox Movies
• Disney Cinemagic Subscription
• Sky Movies Subscription
• Sky Sports Subscription
• ESPN Subscription
• Chelsea TV Subscription
• Adult Pack

• TalkTalk TV Store

• TalkTalk official website
• TalkTalk TV Support Website
• TalkTalk Group
• List of channels on YouView (TV Channel Lists)