BT plays catch up to Sky over on-demand TV
Telecoms giant BT is looking into gaining further control over on-demand TV service YouView from TalkTalk in an attempt to build up its market share of the premium TV industry and catch leader Sky.
BT has held informal talks with TalkTalk over the future of the joint business venture, which would allow BT to pour more money into the service.
Both BT and TalkTalk currently use YouView software in their set top boxes.
BT has been debating its TV technology strategy following its £12.5bn takeover of mobile network provider EE, which has its own TV set-top box service, it was first reported by The Sunday Telegraph.
TalkTalk last year acquired Tesco’s online streaming business Blinkbox.
YouView was originally thought to be a successor to Freeview though backers the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 cut their funding after it moved towards the pay-TV model.
BT and TalkTalk both declined to comment.