In a statement posted on their website, Plusnet TV viewers have been told they can continue using their YouView boxes, but there will be no technical support.
Plusnet TV was withdrawn from sale in January for new customers. Then in March, a number of channels were removed. Existing customers will lose the remaining subscription channels and associated recordings on 1st November.
Affected customers have been sent an email detailing Plusnet’s decision. Customers will no longer be billed for the TV service after 1st October.
Plusnet TV was first trialled in 2013 but didn’t officially launch until 2015. It piggybacked off parent company BT’s YouView-based platform with a limited range of premium channels, including BT Sport. Plusnet TV combined Freeview channels with channels delivered by broadband.
Plusnet TV closure timeline
19th January 2021: Service withdrawn from sale to new customers.
18th August 2021: Emails sent to existing customers confirming that the service will close, with a statement posted online.
1st October 2021: After this date, Plusnet TV customers will no longer be billed for the service.
1st November 2021: Access to Plusnet TV subscription channels (found in the 300-599 channel range) will be lost. Associated recordings will be deleted. Plusnet YouView TV boxes will continue to be able to access Freeview channels (channels in the 1-299 and 600-799 channel range) and associated on-demand/catch-up apps. There will be no further technical support from Plusnet.
The closure marks a wider shift in strategy within the BT Group, of which Plusnet is a subsidary.
Sister ISP EE withdrew its television service on 31st March 2021. Meanwhile BT has moved away from competing with Sky and Virgin Media. A relaunch in 2020 resulted in the bulk of BT TV now built around Sky’s NOW television platform. BT meanwhile is in talks to dispose of BT Sport. It wants to focus on rolling out fibre broadband instead.