BT will vanish from thousands of homes across the UK as part of a major rebrand of BT TV boxes. The software overhaul will put EE centre-stage, with upgraded EE TV boxes due to launch in the coming months.
BT TV customers will switch-on their set-top boxes to find an EE TV rebrand from December 6, 2023. If you have a BT TV box, there's no need to do anything – the change will happen automatically overnight, with the EE logo splashed in a few new places.
Everything else – the subscription price, the controls, and any recordings saved on your set-top box – will be unaffected by the rebrand, BT says. BT broadband and landlines will not be changed as part of the shake-up.
This shiny rebrand of BT TV is only the start of a much larger revamp across BT and EE's services. The shift will see EE take the spotlight for a number of exciting new products, including upgraded EE TV hardware, lightning-fast full-fibre broadband, and all-new products and subscriptions sold by EE.
BT TV customers will be one of the first to spot the change, with 'BT' set to be replaced with 'EE' branding throughout the device from December 6, 2023
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EE has already confirmed that an all-new EE TV Box Pro is in the works that will allow viewers to beam live television and on-demand shows and movies across multiple rooms in your home. There's no confirmed release date, but EE says to expect the new set-top box in "the coming months".
The BT-owned brand will also launch an app for Apple TV 4K set-top boxes that'll launch a bespoke TV Guide, offering access to the same selection of channels and paid-for content available with a dedicated EE TV box.
EE has long-offered an Apple TV 4K box with a number of its broadband packages, so it makes sense to offer those loyal customers a way to tune in to EE TV without replacing their existing kit.
As part of the EE upgrade, customers will now be offered an EE ID. This is designed to be a single account to rule them all, protected by multi-factor authentication to keep your personal data secure.
EE ID can be used to purchase the products you'd typically associate with EE and BT – like pay monthly phone contracts and home broadband – as well as some more unlikely candidates, like the latest generation of games consoles, home security cameras, smart fridges, and insurance.
EE ID offers discounts when you trade in existing gadgets and offers the ability to spread the cost with monthly payments. In other words, you can pay for your kitchenware, insurance, broadband, games consoles, and your smartphone in a single Direct Debit each month.
"With an EE ID, customers nationwide will be able to access a wide range of exciting new products, services and experiences across new sectors – easily and conveniently, in one place," said EE chief executive Marc Allera. "We are also evolving the EE brand, while at the same time doubling down on great new connected products, with the launch of the fastest broadband, best value convergence, and exciting new TV services."
Finally, the refreshed EE has debuted a lightning-fast new full-fibre broadband option for those who need the ultimate home internet connection.
The broadband provider will offer maximum download speeds of 1.6Gbps, while the guaranteed minimum speed will be 1.3Gbps. Upload speeds will top out at 115Mbps. For context, the average download speed for UK household broadband was measured at 69.4Mbps by Ofcom earlier this year.
EE's flagship full-fibre package is 23x faster than the average home broadband connection in the UK. Yes, it's that fast.
Those who subscribe to the 1.6Gbps service will be treated to an upgraded new Wi-Fi router and will be able to download a one-hour television show in Standard Definition (SD) in under 2 seconds. For comparison, that same show would take around one minute on a standard home broadband connection.
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EE ID will be a new way to verify your identity and purchase new product categories, from security cameras to smart fridges
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Full-fibre plans from EE arrive with a new WiFi Enhancer as standard, which allows users to prioritise online traffic using ‘game mode’ and ‘work mode’. As the names suggest, these place an emphasis on online multiplayer from consoles like the Sony PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch with the former, and video call software like Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams with the latter.
The full-fibre EE broadband bundle is available to purchase now, with prices starting from £69.99 per month.
EE customers will unlock a number of extra benefits when they buy broadband and their mobile phone from the provider. If you already have an EE SIM inside your phone and decide to switch to EE's broadband packages, you'll enjoy unlimited data on all your existing EE mobile plans costing £10 or more a month.
You can also add an extra SIM card with an unlimited data allowance for just £10 per month.
EE has promised an all-new lineup of gadgets under its brand, including an upgraded set-top box
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The decision to put EE in the spotlight means BT (British Telecom) will play a smaller role in consumers' minds. While the iconic British brand isn't going anywhere, it does mean fewer people will interact with the company in their day-to-day lives.
BT's roots can be traced back 177 years when it was founded as the Electric Telegraph Company, before becoming the National Telephone Company, then the Post Office. Since 1981, it has been a private company under the British Telecom banner.
BT announced plans to buy EE for £12.5 billion in December 2014. Since then, the brands have become increasingly close, with all high street stores now jointly branded as EE and BT – offering advice and products for all customers. Following the latest announcement, EE will increasingly become the brand for consumers, while BT will be used for enterprise users.
