BT / EE TV loses ability to record streamed BBC content

Customers who use the EE or BT TV Box Pro in Internet Mode will no longer be able to make indefinite recordings of BBC content.

From 21st August 2024, trying to watch a recording of a BBC program will automatically redirect to the BBC iPlayer app instead.

Effectively, it means that when programmes are removed from iPlayer, so will the customer's 'recording'.

Changes to BBC recordings

Customers of BT/EE TV who use their BT/EE TV Box Pro in Internet Mode, therefore receiving the broadcast channels over their broadband connection, will see a change to the way they can watch and record BBC programmes from 21st August 2024.

When customers want to watch a BBC program they recorded to watch later, they'll be redirected to the BBC iPlayer instance to view the recording, rather than loading up from the box-set. Although, undesirably, these 'recordings' still take up storage space.

BT/EE TV customers were informed by email, "As you're watching EE TV in Internet Mode (without an aerial), the way you watch your BBC recordings will change.

"From August 21, your BBC recordings will launch through the BBC iPlayer app. There's no change to how you'll record a programme, or where it will be stored."

The biggest downside to this cloud-based 'recording' of BBC content is that when programmes are removed from BBC iPlayer, so will the customer's recording.

It's a small change that will have big implications for BT/EE TV due to previously being one of the only streaming TV services that allowed indefinite recordings to the box-set.

Sky's new Stream TV service for example, only offers a cloud-based 'Playlist' for keeping programmes customers want to watch later. And in line with the changes we're seeing for BT/EE TV, once programmes become unavailable on their particular app, the recording is removed from a Sky customer's Playlist as well.

There is one workaround to the inability to record BBC programmes indefinitely, and that is putting the BT/EE TV Pro Box into aerial mode, and connecting to an external TV aerial.

Yet, one upside put forward by BT/EE TV is that the change also "means no more partial recordings. So, if you press record after a programme has started, or there's an issue with your internet, you'll always get the full programme in the best quality".

Competition blur

Disgruntled BT/EE TV customers have been quick to point out how the change will erode the competitiveness and unique features of the BT/EE TV service.

The loss of indefinite BBC recordings follows ITV disallowing ad skipping on their programmes in November 2023, when customers were told, "When you watch live and recorded ITV shows in internet mode you can no longer fast forward through adverts, just like the ITVX app. You'll still be able to pause, fast forward and rewind ITV shows, but you won't be able to fast forward through the adverts."

Indeed, BT/EE TV's ability to record streaming services to a physical hard drive on the BT/EE TV Box Pro has long been one of the service's unique selling points.

Up until recently, BT/EE TV was the only way to pause and rewind or record content from NOW TV, with these features unavailable on the NOW app itself.

The launch of Sky Sports+, and its integration into NOW, means that all NOW customers can pause and rewind key moments on sports shown on Sky Sports+, whether customers subscribe directly, or through TalkTalk TV or BT/EE TV.