EE TV review

Apple TV 4K from EE is a good addition to EE broadband and mobile services for sports fans.

Price:

Content:

Features:

TV Box:

It includes BT Sport and access to Freeview as standard, plus customers can integrate their other subscriptions into one hub.

The Apple TV 4K set-top box is an impressive piece of kit that allows streaming in Ultra HD quality if a customer has a compatible TV.

However, the requirement to take both EE broadband and EE mobile services to be able to sign up for this EE TV service will be frustrating to some customers.

© EE

At a glance

What EE TV includes:

What we like	What we don't like
Excellent set-top box	Must be taken with broadband and mobile
Access to plenty of apps via App Store	No recording features
Includes BT Sport as standard	Lengthy contract
	Limited inclusive content

EE TV packages

EE TV is an extra service that can only be added to an EE broadband plan if customers also take pay monthly mobile services from EE.

It costs an additional £15 per month on top of EE broadband and mobile services and can be added to any EE home broadband deal.

	Package	Broadband	Monthly price	Upfront price	Contract term
	Fibre + Apple TV 4K	36Mb average	£41	Free	24 months
	Offer: Apple TV 4K with BT Sport Ultimate for EE pay monthly mobile customers only + 10% off for EE pay monthly mobile customers + 5GB extra data for EE pay monthly mobile customers + Free setup
	Fibre Plus + Apple TV 4K	67Mb average	£44	Free	24 months
	Offer: Apple TV 4K with BT Sport Ultimate for EE pay monthly mobile customers only + 10% off for EE pay monthly mobile customers + 5GB extra data for EE pay monthly mobile customers + Free setup
	Full Fibre Max 100 + Apple TV 4K	100Mb average	£46	Free	24 months
	Offer: Apple TV 4K with BT Sport Ultimate for EE pay monthly mobile customers only + 10% off for EE pay monthly mobile customers + 20GB extra data for EE pay monthly mobile customers + Free setup
	Full Fibre Max 500 + Apple TV 4K	500Mb average	£54.50	Free	24 months
	Offer: Apple TV 4K with BT Sport Ultimate for EE pay monthly mobile customers only + 6 month free Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for EE pay monthly mobile customers + 10% off for EE pay monthly mobile customers + 20GB extra data for EE pay monthly mobile customers + Free setup
	Full Fibre Max Gigabit + Apple TV 4K	900Mb average	£64	Free	24 months
	Offer: Apple TV 4K with BT Sport Ultimate for EE pay monthly mobile customers only + 12 month free Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for EE pay monthly mobile customers + 10% off for EE pay monthly mobile customers + 20GB extra data for EE pay monthly mobile customers + Free setup

It's worth reiterating again here that EE TV can only be taken if a customer has both broadband and pay monthly mobile services from EE.

This wasn't always the case and, at launch in 2019, customers could combine just EE TV with broadband. However, this policy changed and now it's part of a triple-play deal.

From the point of view of EE, encouraging customers to take multiple services from them and highlighting the fact EE TV is only available for customers committed to more than one service may make for good business.

It does mean that plenty of customers will be put off, however, and they may want to look at standalone pay TV alternatives like Sky TV and Netgem TV instead.

Remember to factor in any costs from an EE mobile contract as well when considering whether EE TV and broadband is the right package option.

Adding extras

Customers signing up to EE TV packages can also add Netflix or Amazon Prime Video to their plan during the sign-up process.

These services cost an extra £5.99 per month on top of the EE TV and broadband plan.

While customers don't save any money by signing up through EE in this way, the services will be billed on their monthly EE TV and broadband bill rather than being paid for through a separate subscription. Some customers will prefer this convenience.

How does EE TV work?

EE TV with Apple TV 4K works differently to many TV services.

Customers receive an Apple TV 4K set-top box with BT Sport Ultimate included and the ability to access Freeview channels through an aerial.

Beyond this, customers can use the box to access some popular streaming services, although it's important to note that separate subscriptions may be required for those as we mentioned above with Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

Other examples of streaming services available for Apple TV 4K via the App Store are:

• Now
• BBC iPlayer
• ITV Hub
• All4
• My5
• YouTube
• Disney+
• Apple TV+

As you might expect with an Apple branded product, they are especially keen to encourage customers to sign up to the Apple TV+ service which costs £4.99 per month.

At the time of writing, customers signing up to EE TV can add Apple TV+ free for three months to get a taster of what the service offers.

BT Sport

The flagship feature for EE TV customers is the ability to watch BT Sport on their Apple TV 4K set-top box and another compatible device.

It allows access to sport from BT Sport and associated content within the app and, thanks to being accessible through the Apple TV 4K box, content can be viewed in UHD quality where available and where a customer has a compatible UHD television.

The BT Sport app is usually £20 per month when purchased as a standalone product through EE, so customers taking Apple TV 4K will be getting a decent discount on that.

Customers will need to set up a BT ID in order to use the BT Sport service.

Apple TV 4K

The power of the Apple TV 4K service lies in the set-top box itself. The latest Apple TV 4K box has powerful internal specs and boasts of its ability to turn a home living room into a cinema.

Apple released a 2nd generation Apple TV 4K in 2021 and that's the box EE customers can expect to receive when they sign up for this TV and broadband deal.

Here are some of the main specifications:

To use the Apple TV 4K box, customers will need to set up an Apple ID in the same way that they need to set up a BT ID for access to BT Sport.

Note: Apple doesn't routinely supply a HDMI cable in the box for connecting the Apple TV 4K to a TV, so customers will need to supply their own. A lightning connector for charging the remote is supplied.

Quality streaming

The Apple TV 4K box is designed for HD and UHD streaming, so it has the power inside to handle all that.

It supports 4K streaming, HDR10 and Dolby Vision, giving an all-round quality entertainment experience that beats many set-top boxes.

The box also has an A12 Bionic processor that allows users to watch HDR at 60fps. This might be a niche spec that many users will ignore, but for those serious about their streaming and viewing, it could be a useful addition for the future.

Siri Remote

The remote on the Apple TV 4K has been upgraded for this generation.

With the Siri activation button on the side, users can access menus and content through their voice as well as by using the manual controls on the remote.

It might take a little while to get used to the sensitivity of the touchpad, but the remote generally offers a fluid experience that works well with the fluid nature of modern viewing.

Integrations

The Apple TV 4K box really comes into its own for iPhone and iPad users, as well as those with headphones in the AirPods series and the HomePod system.

Inter-product integration options on the Apple TV 4K include the ability to adjust the colour balance on the TV using a setting on the iPhone and the option to connect AirPods to the box for late-night or private viewing.

Overall, existing users of Apple technology can get a lot out of their integrations with the Apple TV 4K box - and that might be a deciding factor when considering whether to sign up.

EE customers with iPhones on Full Works plans can already get access to services that work well with the set-top box such as Apple Music and Apple Arcade, so it's easy to see how those customers might be more tempted by the Apple TV 4K deal from EE than Android users.

Verdict: is EE TV any good?

Apple TV 4K from EE isn't a traditional type of TV service for several reasons.

First, the box is essentially a hub for other streaming services that customers will need to take out extra subscriptions for.

Some customers won't like that idea and would expect to get more of a varied TV service for £15 per month, but the Apple TV 4K box is an excellent piece of equipment that can handle those streaming services (both now and in the future) extremely well.

The inclusion of BT Sport as part of the package will sweeten the deal for many, particularly as it is one of the cheapest ways to watch BT Sport - and on a big screen too.

Second, the requirement to take both EE broadband and mobile services to be able to get the Apple TV 4K deal will be frustrating for many.

Perhaps it's simply because it fits so well alongside the EE iPhone Full Works plan or because EE are as focused as other providers on bringing customers into triple-play and quad-play deals. Whatever the reasoning, there will be some customers who won't (or can't) sign up to Apple TV 4K via EE for this reason.

The value of the service depends on a customer's priorities.

If they value affordable sports content and want the option of viewing in UHD, this package may be the right option. However, if they would prefer a more varied channel line-up, looking at other providers such as BT TV and broadband might be a better move.

Remember, too, that there are different EE broadband deals to consider, with superfast plans available across 96% of the UK and their EE Fibre Max plans available to over six million households at the time of writing.

Making sure that EE broadband and EE mobile services are the right options for a customer will dictate whether EE Apple TV 4K is the right option too.