What is BritBox? BBC and ITV's Netflix rival explained

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(Pocket-lint) - BritBox is simply a subscription video streaming work from UK broadcasters BBC and ITV.

It is disposable to try for escaped for 7 days and tin beryllium viewed crossed aggregate devices, including iOS, Android, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Chromecast, Xbox consoles and astute TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic.

Here we explicate everything determination is to cognize astir BritBox, including however it works, what you are apt to spot connected the service, and however overmuch a monthly subscription costs.

What is BritBox?

The BBC and ITV partnered to bring BritBox to the UK successful precocious November 2019.

It is an original, paid-for, streaming work disposable connected aggregate devices, overmuch similar Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+.

However, its mandate is much specific; it hosts the "biggest postulation of British contented connected immoderate streaming service". In addition, it is location to a lineup of exclusive, archetypal shows from British accumulation companies - specified arsenic the relaunched Spitting Image.

Box sets from the BBC and ITV, positive chap broadcasters Channel 4 and Channel 5 tin beryllium recovered connected BritBox, with a overmuch larger enactment of British-originated shows disposable than connected immoderate different platform.

BritBox shows

BritBox claims to big the largest magnitude of British container sets of immoderate streaming service. That presently stands astatine much than 300 antithetic titles from the Beeb, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.

Included among those are Cracker, Downton Abbey, Broadchurch, Spooks, Only Fools and Horses and galore more.

The entirety of Doctor Who, from 1963 to 1989, is besides disposable - covering each disposable occurrence featuring the archetypal 8 Doctors. And, if you privation a existent portion of nostalgia, each of Grange Hill is being added gradually.

There are besides galore classical British movies, including Carry On films, The Ipcress File and Hitchcock thrillers.

New, archetypal programming includes Spitting Image. The 80s satirical drama puppet amusement returned successful 2020 and is exclusive to BritBox.

What devices volition BritBox enactment on?

BritBox is disposable to ticker done the pursuing devices:

  • Amazon Fire TV
  • Android phones and tablets
  • Apple TV
  • BT TV
  • Bush astute TVs
  • Freesat
  • Google Chromecast
  • Hisense astute TVs
  • Hitachi astute TVs
  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • iPod touch
  • JVC astute TVs
  • LG astute TVs
  • Logik astute TVs
  • Mac oregon PC (via a web browser)
  • Netgem
  • Panasonic astute TVs
  • Polaroid astute TVs
  • Roku streaming devices
  • Samsung astute TVs
  • Sony astute TVs
  • TalkTalk TV
  • Toshiba astute TVs
  • Xbox One & Xbox Series X/S
  • YouView

How overmuch does BritBox cost?

BritBox costs £5.99 per period for HD video crossed "multiple screens and devices". That's cheaper than astir rivals successful the UK.

Netflix, for example, costs £8.99 per period successful the UK for entree to HD content, portion Amazon Prime Video is £7.99 per period if you subscribe to the streaming work extracurricular of Amazon Prime yearly membership.

BritBox escaped trial

If you are caller to BritBox, you tin get a 7-day proceedings play for escaped earlier the archetypal outgo is due. Find retired much connected the authoritative website: britbox.co.uk.

Alternatively, if you are an EE wage monthly lawsuit you tin motion up for 6-months' worthy of escaped BritBox access. The connection is present disposable to each UK EE wage monthly customers: find retired much here.

BT is besides offering 6-months' escaped entree to BritBox. Like the EE offer, erstwhile the proceedings is up, you'll beryllium charged £5.99 a month. You tin find retired much astir the BT connection here.

Is BritBox UK the aforesaid arsenic BritBox US?

BritBox is comparatively caller to the UK, but has been disposable successful the US and Canada for years.

Also a task of the BBC and ITV, the North American BritBox was launched successful March 2017.

It is somewhat different, however, successful that it is simply a portal for British programming, with a smaller enactment of archive and caller shows disposable connected demand. There is nary archetypal programming connected the BritBox US proposition.

Haven't the BBC and ITV done this before?

The BritBox conception was archetypal explored by the BBC and ITV, on with archetypal spouse Channel 4, successful 2008 nether the sanction Project Kangaroo.

That was to beryllium a subscription-based streaming work for container sets from the 3 broadcasters but it was turned down by the contention committee astatine the clip arsenic it "would restrict contention successful the proviso of video connected request (VOD) services successful the UK".

The task was yet killed successful 2009 aft tweaks to the conception were besides rejected.

Instead, the UK video connected request marketplace is present mostly dominated by American services.

Is BritBox the extremity for ITV Hub, BBC iPlayer, All 4 and My5?

As a paid subscription service, BritBox is not pitched arsenic a rival to the escaped connected request services from idiosyncratic broadcasters.

The BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 person nary plans to devalue their ain escaped online offerings.

Also, portion BritBox is simply a nonstop rival to Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, BBC and ITV shows volition proceed to beryllium hosted by those services too. They conscionable won't get the magnitude of programming disposable connected BritBox.

Writing by Rik Henderson.

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