What Is BT TV? How It Works, Boxes and Channels
BT TV brings live channels, streaming and optional sport together through a TV box linked to BT Broadband.
How does BT TV work?
You connect a BT TV box to your television and BT Hub, then use its guide, search and apps to find programmes. BT sells the service with BT Broadband. What you can watch depends on your TV package, any extras and the viewing mode you use.
Subscription channels arrive over broadband, rather than through a rooftop aerial. BT says you need the supported BT Hub it supplied to watch those channels. The box can connect to the hub using Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
Subscription channels, streaming apps and catch-up TV.
Freeview channels available through aerial reception.
Brings your available channels and apps together.
An aerial fault and a broadband problem affect different parts of this setup. Our guide to broadband and TV signal explains the distinction. If wireless reception at the TV is unreliable, compare Wi-Fi and Ethernet before changing your broadband package.
BT TV Box Pro vs Box Edge: can both record?
Box Pro records programmes; Box Edge does not. Saving a programme to find later in an app is different from making a recording. I would settle that question before choosing a package, especially if your household relies on series recordings.
| Feature | Box Pro | Box Edge |
|---|---|---|
| Recording | Supports recording, subject to channel and mode restrictions. | No programme recording on the box. |
| Viewing modes | Internet mode or aerial mode. | Internet-based viewing. |
| Best fit | People who want a recorder alongside streaming. | People comfortable with live streams, catch-up and on-demand viewing. |
BT currently lists Box Edge with its entry Entertainment package and Box Pro with Entertainment Plus, Sport, Sport Plus and Full Works. Check the equipment on your own order, particularly if you have an older contract or a different offer.
Do you need an aerial or satellite dish?
You can use internet mode without a TV aerial. Box Pro also offers aerial mode, using a working aerial to receive the Freeview channels available at your address. Neither setup requires a satellite dish.
The channel selections differ. Internet mode carries popular free-to-air channels, but it is not identical to the aerial line-up. Check any channels you watch regularly before relying on an aerial-free setup.
For Box Pro, BT recommends aerial mode where broadband speeds are below 22 Mbps. That recommendation concerns the viewing mode; it does not remove the broadband requirement for subscription channels and apps.
Are Netflix, Sky channels and TNT Sports included?
Only when your package or extras include them. An app appearing on the box does not mean its paid membership is part of your subscription.
- Entertainment
- BT offers packages involving NOW Entertainment and Netflix. HBO Max inclusion and streaming tiers vary, so check the exact plan rather than relying on a service logo.
- Live sport
- TNT Sports and Sky Sports are different subscriptions. BT offers Sky Sports through NOW Sports; choosing a TNT Sports package alone does not include the full Sky Sports line-up.
- Other apps and extras
- Cinema memberships, streaming upgrades, additional rooms and purchases or rentals can add to the bill. Check each inclusion separately.
For the individual plans and charges, see our BT TV prices and packages guide. Here, the key distinction is between access to the box’s interface and access to paid content.
What changes if you already have EE TV?
From 15 October 2026, EE TV is renamed BT TV for customers with BT Broadband. BT says the name change keeps their existing package, monthly price, channels, subscriptions, recordings and TV box in place. It does not describe a move of every EE TV customer to BT.
Watching through your box
You do not need a replacement box. You may see BT branding and a blue light replacing the aqua one. If EE branding remains, BT says to leave the box powered on in standby overnight for its software update.
Watching through the app
- Open the EE TV app and follow the instructions for moving.
- Download the BT TV app and sign in as directed.
- Keep the EE TV app installed until BT confirms the move is complete.
Offline downloads need downloading again. BT also says its customers can no longer use the EE TV app on their own Apple TV device after 15 October.
Is BT TV free, and can you cancel monthly?
BT TV is a paid service. Free-to-air channels being available through the box does not make the broadband-and-TV package free.
BT advertises 24-month TV plans with flexibility to change the line-up. That flexibility does not mean the whole contract can be cancelled every month without consequences. BT’s help says downgrades are normally available once every 30 days, excluding the first month and the final three months of the contract.
Before confirming a change, check whether it affects your minimum term or linked services. Treat a cancellable extra, a change between TV tiers and ending the underlying contract as separate decisions.
What should you check before ordering?
Start with the programmes
List the channels, competitions and services you actually watch. Compare that list with the precise package inclusions, including adverts and picture-quality tiers.
Choose the right viewing setup
Decide whether recording matters and whether your aerial or internet connection is the better route for free-to-air TV. Check which box is supplied.
Compare the complete bill
Add broadband, TV, extras and equipment charges. Include the price after introductory discounts and any scheduled increases, then compare the total commitment.
BT TV makes most sense if you value a conventional TV guide, supported streaming services and, with Box Pro, recording in one setup. If you already watch everything through a smart TV’s apps, consider what the additional box and contract would improve for you.
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