What is TalkTalk TV?

Nathaniel Dalby • 07 May 2015 Guides

TalkTalk’s digital TV service, YouView, offers a wide variety of channels and bundles that ensure you won’t miss your favourite shows.

YouView comes with a number of different options and deals, with film, drama and sports fans all able to alter their package to cater to their tastes. YouView is also compatible with external services, such as Netflix, Sky Sports and Sky Movies.

Essentials TV

Essentials is the basic TV package from TalkTalk, offering a number of digital channels as well as all the UK's most popular digital radio stations. This includes mainline channels such as BBC, ITV and Channel 4 as well as a variety of digital counterparts like Film 4, 5 USA and More 4. Essentials customers can enjoy all the benefits that Plus members receive, including On Demand services, the ability to pause and rewind live TV and TV2Go, which allows you to view channels on your mobile device.

Essentials comes with broadband and phone built in, allowing you to pay for only one inclusive package. With speeds of up to 17Mb and free evening and weekend calls to UK landlines included, you can have everything bundled in at once. A YouView box, worth £149, is also included in the price of your subscription, meaning minimal install fees.

Plus TV

Plus works in much the same way as an Essentials subscription, but offers more choice in channels and features. Fans of US TV will want to stick with Plus, as it offers 7 different Sky channels that show programmes you won't find anywhere else. This includes Sky 1, Sky Atlantic and Sky Living, with some of the world's hottest shows like Game of Thrones and True Detective showing being broadcast exclusively.

Plus subscribers can also enjoy the ability to record and store programmes as well as pausing and rewinding. Users can store up to 200 hours of shows and films and watch them back when they wants. If you've missed a show you like, you can use the Catch Up TV feature, allowing you to watch back shows you missed for up to a week after original broadcast .Another benefit of subscribing to Plus is Homesafe internet security, which provides safe browsing for the whole family.

Packages

Both Essentials and Plus TV are available as part of a variety of packages that allow you to take whatever broadband and phone deal suits you. If you want YouView but are looking for a stronger broadband connection, both Essentials and Plus are compatible with fibre-optic, providing it is available in your area.

If there's something specific you want to watch but don't want to have to pay extra to continually subscribe, TalkTalk offers multiple “Boosts” that grant you extra channels for however long you like. Entertainment Boosts range from £5 to £15, which you can add or remove monthly. These will allow you to check out channels such as Sky Atlantic, Fox and Comedy Central if they're not already part of your package. A Kids Boost is also available, giving you all the best children's programming including Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and The Disney Channel.

Extras

YouView customers have the option to add external services to their subscription. These include Sky Sports and Sky Movies, which you can add via the Movies or Sports Boost one month at a time. As well as this, on demand services such as Netflix are viewable through YouView, including a number of original programmes you can't see anywhere else.

As well the option to see movies before anyone else via Sky Movies, YouView also offers its own film service with TalkTalk Box Office, where you can rent the newest movies as soon as they leave cinemas. Some films are available on the same day as DVD release, meaning you won't have to wait to see the film you've been anticipating.