BT strikes Disney dealHit US shows come to on-demand TV service

21 January 2008

Viewers who have signed up to BT’s TV over broadband service will be able to catch up with their favourite US shows after it agreed a deal with Disney-ABC International Television.

The deal will give BT Vision viewers on-demand access to current and classic US TV series, including Lost, Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty, Scrubs and Grey's Anatomy.

In total the deal means that over 650 new episodes will be available on demand to BT Vision’s customers.

Customers can either rent Disney programming on a pay-per-view basis or get unlimited access through a monthly subscription.

Pay-per-view

Dan Marks, BT Vision’s chief executive, said: ‘We are continuing to develop the quality and quantity of BT Vision’s programming offering and we are very pleased to bring Disney-ABC International Television’s outstanding TV series to our customers for the first time.

‘So many of these series, such as Lost and Desperate Housewives, continue to catch the imagination of viewers and media alike and now all these series will be available to BT Vision customers whenever they want to see them.’

BT Vision combines TV over broadband with Freeview.

Xbox deal

It allows customers to access movies and TV shows on-demand, as well as hundreds of ‘near-live’ FA Premier League football matches.

Currently BT Vision customers receive the service via a set-top box called a V-Box .

But BT and Microsoft have announced a deal to make the service available through the software giant’s Xbox 360 from this summer.