NEWS: BT Vision targets footie fans

BT Vision aims to slash the cost of watching Barclays Premier League matches on TV with the launch of its BT Vision Sport service.

It's offering a package of 'near-live' matches for just £4 per month. Fans can choose to view a selection of Premier League matches just a few hours after the game, at a time of their choosing, provided they subscribe to BT Total Broadband and have the BT Vision set-top box installed.

BT Vision Sport will offer 242 Premier League matches each season (except those shown live on other channels) and up to 125 Coca Cola League and Carling Cup games.

Alternatively, viewers can combine the package with a mix of live English and Scottish matches from Setanta Sports for £12 a month.

Rival broadcaster BSkyB has hit back, saying it will broadcast 92 live matches this season: "Next season, Sky Sports will offer more live Premiership football than ever before and, just as importantly, we'll show the biggest head-to-head matches live. What's more, Sky Sports will offer near-live coverage of the same 242 matches that BT will offer to its broadband subscribers, but without any extra costs."

BSkyB also points out that it is the only broadcaster to offer live Premier League coverage in high-definition and with Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.

Technorati Tags: BT Vision, Dolby Digital Plus, HDTV, Sky Sports, TV

Andy Clough

Andy is Global Brand Director of What Hi-Fi? and has been a technology journalist for 30 years. During that time he has covered everything from VHS and Betamax, MiniDisc and DCC to CDi, Laserdisc and 3D TV, and any number of other formats that have come and gone. He loves nothing better than a good old format war. Andy edited several hi-fi and home cinema magazines before relaunching whathifi.com in 2008 and helping turn it into the global success it is today. When not listening to music or watching TV, he spends far too much of his time reading about cars he can't afford to buy.