Brace yourselves for yet another TV service vying for your monthly subscription money.
It seems mobile giants Vodafone and Three aren’t content with just dominating your phone bill – they’re now plotting to get their hands on your TV viewing too.
The companies are reportedly in early discussions about launching a subscription TV service once their massive £15bn merger completes.
According to The Telegraph, the service would likely include live TV alongside the usual streaming suspects like Netflix and Amazon Prime – a clear signal they’re eyeing up your entire digital lifestyle, not just your mobile contract.
The Merger: Creating a New Giant
If you’ve not been keeping up with telecom news, Vodafone and Three got the regulatory green light in December to join forces. If the deal completes in the first half of this year, they’ll become the UK’s largest mobile provider with a whopping 27 million customers.
The merger reduces the UK’s major mobile networks from four to three – something the companies argue is necessary to properly invest in 5G and take on EE and Virgin Media O2.
But the broadband market is where things get interesting. Currently, the merged company would hold just 6% of the UK broadband market – barely worth mentioning compared to the big players – but the new combined company would likely look to change that.
Why Your Broadband Provider is Desperate to Sell You TV
There’s a reason every broadband company seems obsessed with bundling TV services, and it’s not because they’ve got amazing taste in programming.
It’s all about keeping you locked in. Once you’ve set up your TV service, downloaded all the apps, saved your favourites and got used to the interface, the thought of switching providers becomes a massive faff.
It’s also about appearing to offer value. “Get Netflix included!” they trumpet, even though you’re essentially paying for it within your bundle. The broadband provider takes a cut for being the middleman, while creating the illusion of a better deal.
The irony is that these bundles feel increasingly outdated in 2025. Most of us can download Netflix, Disney+ or Amazon Prime directly onto our smart TVs or plug in a cheap streaming stick.
Why would I need Virgin Media to provide my Netflix when I can get it straight from the source?
And yet, many customers – particularly older ones – still value the convenience of having everything on one bill and one interface. For them, these bundles remain appealing, which is why providers keep pushing them.
What Might Vodafone-Three’s TV Service Look Like?
Given market trends, a Vodafone-Three TV service would almost certainly be streaming-based rather than requiring new physical infrastructure. They’d likely offer:
- A streaming box similar to Sky Stream and Virgin Media Stream
- Some Freeview channels delivered over broadband (possibly with an aerial port as well)
- Integration with the major streaming apps
- Bundles that include TV, mobile and broadband services
They’d probably try to undercut competitors initially, but with such slim margins in the broadband market, don’t expect anything revolutionary or sustained price advantages.
How the Current Players Stack Up
If Vodafone and Three do dive in, they’ll be competing with some established offerings:
Sky: The Streaming Trailblazer
Sky has aggressively moved away from satellite dishes toward streaming in recent years:
Sky Glass: Their own telly with everything built-in, just refreshed with a Gen 2 model offering better picture quality and sound. No dish needed, just broadband and a willingness to part with your cash.
Sky Stream: The same experience, but in a small box you plug into any TV – A smart option if you don’t want a whole new telly.
Sky Q: Their traditional satellite box that’s still selling despite Sky’s clear direction of travel – but it’s becoming harder and harder to find on Sky’s website and in its stores.
Packages start at £15/month for Sky Essential TV (24-month contract) or £18/month (31-day rolling). But let’s be honest – once you’ve added all the good bits like sports and UHD, you’re looking at significantly more.
Virgin Media: Stuck Between Two Worlds
Virgin seems caught between cable and streaming:
TV 360: Their traditional cable TV platform with recording capabilities.
Stream/Flex: Their newer streaming service, which was rebranded last year, now costs £5/month for the basic service.
In a recent change, Virgin is now giving Stream boxes to TV 360 customers who want multi-room setups instead of traditional mini boxes. It’s a clear sign they’re gradually moving toward internet-based delivery rather than physical cables.
BT/EE TV: Masters of Repackaging
EE TV (formerly BT TV) isn’t really creating its own TV service – it’s more cleverly repackaging existing services. They essentially give you a Freeview box (or Apple TV 4K) and bundle in Sky’s NOW streaming service.
Their “flexible” bundles include:
- Entertainment at £20/month
- Big Entertainment at £30/month
- Sport packages from £23/month to £48/month
- Full Works Plan at a hefty £80/month
The catch? You must be a BT or EE broadband customer on a 24-month contract, though you can change TV packages every 30 days.
Interestingly, since late 2024, EE customers can also choose Sky Stream instead – blurring the lines between these services even further.
Will Anyone Actually Want This?
That’s the million-pound question. Another TV service might create:
- More competition: This could potentially drive prices down, though more likely it’ll just create more confusing options.
- Bundle deals: If you’re already with Three or Vodafone for mobile, there might be savings by adding TV and broadband.
- Customer inertia: Once they get you signed up, they’re betting you’ll stick around rather than face the hassle of switching.
The challenge for Vodafone and Three is that they’re entering an increasingly crowded market where many consumers are questioning the very need for these bundled services.
Why get Netflix through your broadband provider when you can go direct? Why pay for channels you never watch?
When asked for comment, Vodafone played it coy, telling The Telegraph that it is “too early to comment on the company’s plans post-merger.”
With the merger due to complete in the coming months, we’ll likely hear something more concrete later this year.
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Each and every broadband provider has tried and failed to launch a TV service. The exception being Sky, which started as a TV service which moved into phone/broadband.
TalkTalk TV – failed
BT TV – failed.
Both ended up as NOW TV clones at higher prices than NOW TV alone.
Some people are willing to pay for convenience, even if it means spending slightly more than they would for a stand-alone service like NOW. Providers such as SKY, Virgin, and EETV offer this convenience, especially for individuals whose televisions may not have access to all the regular streaming services or who find them cumbersome to use. The entry of another provider into the market will create more competition. I hope that in the future, all TV providers will offer a free tier with their broadband services, ensuring that everyone can access basic services.
Another reason to ditch the BBC tax then.