BT Vision hopes to offer cheaper Sky Sports channels

Sports fans signed up to a BT Vision service look set to be able to receive Sky Sports for a price that would undercut Sky’s own offering.

At the weekend, a BT spokesman revealed telecommunications watchdog, Ofcom, is currently deciding on whether or not to force Sky to drop its wholesale charges. If this gets the go-ahead BT Vision has confirmed it would be prepared to offer customers access to Sky Sports for a monthly subscription of around £15 per month. This would be significantly cheaper than Sky’s own subscription. Sky Sports is currently only available for £18 per month on top of an entertainment package, which itself costs a minimum of £18 per month.

If Ofcom gives Sky the nod to lower its wholesale charges it will be a result of three years of campaigning on behalf of BT’s retail boss Gavin Patterson. “I’m definitely looking forward to the decision,” said Patterson. “I think the case is crystal clear – the customer benefits if they get more choice. There must be a wholesale decision. Sky will have to sell it.”

At the moment, BT Vision customers are unable to add Sky Sports to their TV package as, according to BT, it’s too expensive to wholesale the channel from BSkyB. For BT the change to wholesale prices could be “pivotal” as it currently lacks any Premiership football coverage.

Speaking to the Telegraph, Patterson commented: “Our aspiration is to count our customer base in the millions, not the hundreds of thousands we have at the moment.”

Changes could be made from as early as next week when Ofcom’s board are set to meet to discuss Sky’s pricing structure. The average wholesale price of Sky’s premium content could end up being forced to fall from £20.72 per month to £14.55 and £18.55 a month.

Broadband Genie will be reporting on Ofcom’s decision as soon as it’s announced. In the meantime, it’s possible to compare BT and Sky’s current bundled broadband and TV packages here.