Finally moved onto new EE Broadband with EE TV on Apple TV

[somarcsaid]

I just wanted to post this to clarify some misleading information I've received and seen on here...

I was a legacy BB customer on EE and had well over 90 days remaining on my contract term. I've now moved onto new EE BB and TV with an Apple TV and despite the absolute ordeal in getting here the service itself is absolutely amazing (bar one or two niggles I'll come to)

Broadband router and set up was easy, no issues and able to manage with the app. I actually moved from Eero and don't feel like I'm missing anything by using the EE router.

EE TV App on Apple TV (that EE provide) is amazing, works really well and I love being able to watch within the app and not having to constantly app switch for live channels. The tv guide works really well - impressed. The remote Is garbage - I'll stick to the apple one.

Now for the frustrating and disappointing part (I knew this before ordering but it still warrants feedback) I have 2 other Apple TV 4K in my flat and when you download the EE TV app on them EE don't allow you to watch Live TV (other than discovery)  It's a crappy experience and rubbish on EE's part but I can deal with it. What I can't accept is that they don't even show the other channels in the TV guide. The channels are visible in the TV guide on the iPhone app (even though they can't be streamed via it) so this just seems like a totally pointless decision to limit the Apple TV app. Makes no sense.  At the very least the channels should be visible in the tv guide. I really hope this is something that is improved moving forward.

An interim experience would be being able to view the guide and have the EE app launch the live stream in iPlayer etc like other apps do - but really the aim should be consistency with the EE TV app on the main Apple TV. The devices are the exact same.

Regardless to if this is contractual or not it is a poor user experience and probably oversight from EE over anything else. Live TV streaming isn't new and if it can be supported on one Apple TV it should be supported on all of them for people paying to subscribe to the EE service. 

Other than this though, if you only plan to use the main Apple TV it is amazing, the app works really well. 

So just to clarify

If EE say you can't move from legacy BB to new EE BB with EE TV unless you're within 90 days. It's wrong. I've done it

(with no ETF)

*also please PLEASE train your CC staff consistently.

[DarrenDev]

You are an exception @somarcsaid - I don't know how someone has managed to work around the system for you, but it's NOT supported and I wouldn't encourage anyone to waste their time trying (or if they do, don't get upset that they waited a long time just to be told no).

Regarding your other points:

There are contractual reasons why we cannot offer the other channels in the app - these are non-negotiable, and we'd lose our right to broadcast Freeview channels if we allowed it.  The app was developed with the expectation to be able to offer Freeview to everyone, but it was blocked before launch.

The TV Guide is visible on the iPhone app because you can use it to set recordings on a TV Box Pro, if paired with it.  Having a full TV Guide just for info is confusing, and would lead to customers raising issues that they cannot watch channels.  Most users launching the app just want to get to their watchable channels as soon as possible - this is what the app provides.

[somarcsaid]

Why would contractual reasons not allow you to broadcast on another Apple TV but allow you to do so using your own boxes? Seems like a very poor decision that clearly isn't focussed on the best customer experience. 

That said, on the main ATV it's amazing, and I'm buzzing to have it. Shame you guys make it so difficult for existing customers but it is what it is.

[DarrenDev]

Our rights to broadcast Freeview on an Apple TV are restricted only to a box that is loaned to the user as part of a subscription.  It remains the property of EE at all times, and must be returned if the subscription is ended.

All boxes provided as part of an EE TV subscription are shipped directly to us from Apple, with serial numbers that are registered for access to the service.

I'm glad you like the service though - we're working hard to improve the issues with ordering.

[somarcsaid]

Really is a shame about the restriction because it would be absolutely faultless if this wasn't the case. I'd even pay extra for multi-room if it came down to that.

[Weerab2024]

It's a bit annoying that they blocked offering Freeview channels on the EE TV app. 

Everyone TV were probably trying to protect their investment in Freely, even though they are forcing people to buy Freely supported TVs if customers want Freely.

EE TV IP channels is a great innovation, giving that you beat your competitors to Freeview IP streams

[somarcsaid]

It's a shame that stuff like that is allowed to happen. EE on Apple TV is hardly a threat to Freely if you have to buy a specific TV to use it! Crazy. 

But yeah what you're saying is probably what it is. 

[SoupDragon57]

I think some of the broadcasters are worried if some settings aren't preloaded into the Apple TV box. Probably worried their IP streams could be hacked.
It's a shame that EE dinner offered the EE TV Pro box and allow Apple TV boxes to be used for additional rooms, rather than the EE TV mini boxes. I think this would be a winning combination.