Motorola has announced it will be the chief supplier of next-generation set-top boxes for BT’s (News - Alert) BT Vision digital TV service.


The V-Box includes a huge variety of applications such as an access to over 40 Freeview TV channels, 30 radio channels, a large array of films, TV shows, music videos and sports programming. Eighty hours of content can also be recorded on the HD capable V-Box.

Dan Marks, BT Vision CEO commented, "Motorola (News - Alert) has extensive experience in IPTV and particularly in working with our platform partner Microsoft (News - Alert) on deployments of Microsoft Mediaroom around the world," said Marks.

"Today's announcement will lead to the development of a new set-top box to take full advantage of the increasing capabilities of the Microsoft Mediaroom platform and of the most recent advances in chipset technology. This underpins our medium-term goal of securing 2-3 million customers for BT Vision."

Joe Cozzolino, corporate vice-president and general manager Motorola Home & Networks Mobility EMEA also commented, "We are proud and excited to be selected by BT to develop its new set-top box. As consumers demand more choice, convenience and control over how they watch TV, service providers like BT require the latest technology innovations to help satisfy this discerning audience. We look forward to working closely with BT to further drive development of IPTV in the UK."

British Telecommunications plc (BT), a wholly owned subsidiary of BT Group (News - Alert). The company’s expertise lies in networked IT services; local, national and international telecommunications services; higher-value broadband and Internet products and services and converged fixed/mobile products and services.

 

Anyone with a BT Broadband connection with suitable minimum line speed and a BT Home Hub can access BT Vision. The service includes a free HD-ready set-top box, known as the V-Box, as well as 60 or so Freeview TV and radio channels, an inclusive digital video recorder (DVR) with up to 80 hours of pausing and rewinding of live TV.