ISP Review: Update on Virgin Media O2 UK’s Free TV Streaming Service

Story from ISP Review: 

Some of Virgin Media’s (VMO2) UK ultrafast broadband ISP customers, specifically those who don’t already take their Pay TV service, are once again being invited to take their long-awaited TV streaming (IPTV) product – simply called ‘Stream’ – and it will come “at no extra cost“. But this time there’s no mention of a trial. 

More recently, the CEO of VMO2, Lutz Schueler, appeared to confirm that the final product would launch before the end of 2021 (here). The new Virgin Media Stream product essentially supplies a modified version of the palm-sized “mini box” device that they already offer alongside their premium Virgin TV 360 service, albeit without an internal hard disc and with modified TV360 code. 

The latest invites for this make no mention of it being a trial, although confusingly a spokesperson for VMO2 informed us that it was. 

As the related customer invite page states: “We think entertainment should be simple. So we’ve packed faves like Sky Sports, Sky Cinema, and Netflix (if you subscribe), as well as the free channels you can’t live without (like BBC, ITV, and Channel 4), into one clever little box – and put you in charge.” 

A total of 40 “free channels” (they mean Freeview) and various “favourite” apps (e.g. iPlayer, YouTube etc.). At present, no long contracts are involved with Stream, which means you can add or cancel TV add-on packs or subscriptions every month if so desired, and it can all be paid for via a single monthly bill. 

But Stream is only available with an active Virgin Media broadband subscription with a minimum download speed of 50Mbps and, for some inexplicable reason, it’s “not compatible with Gig1 broadband” (the gigabit package). 

The Stream Box, which also comes with a remote, needs to be used with at least Virgin Media’s Hub 3, 4 or 5 routers, and it requires an HDMI cable connection to your TV. 

The box itself can cope with 4K (i.e. for this it requires a 4K compatible TV/device with HDCP 2.2), although at present it looks like most of the channel packs available only offer HD (High Definition) rather than Ultra HD (4K). 

Just to be clear, “Stream cannot be taken along with other TV set-top boxes including V6 or Virgin TV 360 box.”