Now TV / EE TV subscription query

[jon_1103]

I couldn't find the answer for my query so I decided to make a new post.

Is anyone aware  if the EE TV / Now TV subscriptions are linked both ways between both services?

For example,  I wondered if I got an offer via Now TV, which I frequently receive, and then accepted one of these would it apply to EE TV?

For instance, the Now Boost option which I currently don't have but would consider adding when it's on offer, would allow me to watch Now TV entertainment channels in HD but would that only work using the Now TV app, or does it apply to the EE TV app?

My thoughts are it would because the EE TV app knows I pay for a Now TV Entertainments subscription as it currently displays the SD channels, plus my NOW TV membership shows I pay EE for this service.

Sorry if it's a stupid question but I just wanted to confirm so I can tell my partner to just use the EE TV app.

[jon_1103]

Bump...

[DarrenDev · Accepted solution]

Sorry, I missed this when you first posted.

If you buy Now Boost directly within the Now TV app then it will only apply within that app - it won't apply to the EE TV app, which uses a different system to validate subscriptions.

If you buy the HD add-on via the EE ordering process, it adds Now Boost (for Now TV), and the HD add-on (for EE TV).

[Midnight_Voice]

@jon_1103 @DarrenDev 

And more generally, when you take Now TV from EE, you cut yourself off from all Now offers, of discounts on the Memberships, either from offers or from playing the ‘cancel game’.

For me, the only reason to get Now from EE is that you can record Now channels if you have a Pro box, especially valuable for live sport.

Though I daresay you get a rather more streamlined Now experience from the full EPG on the Apple TV EE TV app, as distinct from Now’s Now and Next display.

But no doubt there are other compelling reasons to take Now from EE which I’ve missed; and no doubt @DarrenDev can put us straight on them.

[jon_1103]

No worries Darren. Thanks for clarifying my query!

[jon_1103]

@Midnight_Voicethanks for the advice, that's a shame that these discounted offers stop due to that the fact EE are managing the subscription.

I've only been an EETV customer for 2/3 months so cannot compare the previous experience, but if I compare it to Virgin Media I would say that initially it's going to take some time adjusting, predominantly for my partner, however, she's been okay so far.

I do like that EE appear to be actively tweaking the EETV app experience on the ATV devices and whilst it's never going to be as good as a dedicated PVR/Set top device for watching live TV, the way we watch TV has changed over the years and the ATV device offers a lot more and better experience in a whole in my option.

[Midnight_Voice]

@jon_1103 

I think we sail a bit close to the wind here, discussing competing products, even when the ‘competing product’ is one that EE offer 😛

But there really wasn’t a ‘previous experience’ to EE TV on the Apple TV box, unless you contrast it with the Pro box, the ‘dedicated PVR/Set top device’ that you could have had from EE instead of the EE TV ATV.

In general, I would regard the ATV as superior to the Pro box in every way, except:-

you can’t get all the Freeview channels on the ATV. (But if you want them, you can get them on your TV, if you have an aerial, and if you don’t, you can’t get them anyway);

you can’t record (which these days just means you can’t timeshift the stuff that isn’t on catchup, mostly the channels IP doesn’t get, and Sky Sports, where Sky dictate when replays are shown).

If you just want to record Freeview, source a T2xxx or T4000 - or even a Pro box - off eBay, or from CeX. All you really give up taking an ATV instead of a Pro box from EE is the ability to timeshift Sky Sports at will.

I just recorded the Olympics Opening Ceremony on one of my YouView boxes, out of sheer force of habit. I even asked my wife if she wanted it on the upstairs or downstairs box, depending on where we were going to watch it.

Recorded because we wanted to skip huge chunks of it, and I think we watched it in less than an hour, and still sucked all of the juice out of it.

Brain fart, though; we could have done it all on the BBC iPlayer, and not had to decide in advance either where to record it, or to record it twice. Force of habit, and old thinking 😢

EE do make Now easier to subscribe to, watch, and get support for, inside of EE TV than just on the Now app on a non-EE ATV though, as I do. For some people that’s very important, especially if the rest of the family isn’t techy-minded, and makes it worth the EE TV ‘premium’. Which is, after all, just paying the sticker prices for Now and getting on with it, instead of the month-to-month monitoring that getting Now discounted requires from us cheapskates 😛