IPTV is one of those terms that sounds more technical than it is. If you have ever watched BBC iPlayer, you have used it.
How does IPTV get to your screen?
A TV channel is turned into a stream of small data packets, the same kind that carry web pages and video calls, and sent over the internet to an app on your device. The app rebuilds the picture. There is no aerial, no dish and no cable from the street, only your broadband router.
How is it different from Freeview, Sky and Virgin?
| How it arrives | What you need | Monthly cost | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freeview | Roof aerial | Aerial and a Freeview TV | Free (TV licence for live TV) |
| Freesat | Satellite dish | Dish and a Freesat box | Free (TV licence for live TV) |
| Sky (satellite or Stream) | Dish, or broadband with Sky Stream | Sky box or puck, contract | From £35 with UK Sports |
| Virgin Media | Cable or broadband | Virgin box, contract | Varies by bundle |
| IPTV subscription | Broadband only | A player app on your own TV, stick or phone | From £6.25 with us |
What do you need at home?
- Broadband: about 15 Mbps for each HD screen, and 25 Mbps for 4K. The average UK home connection is well above that. Our broadband speed guide shows how to test yours.
- A device: a smart TV that can install apps, a Fire TV Stick, an Android TV box, an Apple TV, a phone or a computer.
- A player app: for example IPTV Smarters Pro or TiviMate. The app is the remote control; the subscription is the content.
What do you get with a subscription?
Live channels arranged in groups (UK entertainment, news, sport, children’s, films, and channels from other countries), a TV guide showing what is on, and a library of films and series to watch on demand. Some channels also offer catch-up, so you can go back a few days.
Is IPTV legal?
The technology is. Whether a particular service is legal depends on whether it has the rights to its channels. We explain that properly, with the UK cases, on is IPTV legal in the UK?