BT adds Discovery channels

BT Vision is continuing its efforts to grow its triple-play market share by adding three channels from Discovery Networks UK to its television offering.

Discovery Channel, Real Time and Animal Planet will be available to BT Vision’s 750,000 subscribers shortly, as part of a deal between the companies announced today. Content from all three channels will also be available through the telco’s VoD services.

In June, BT signed a similar deal with Discovery rival National Geographic to carry the National Geographic and Nat Geo Wild channels and it has also recently added UKTV’s Gold, Watch and Alibi channels, among others.

BT is making a big play in the TV market as it aims to increase the number of triple-play subscribers –customers who take television, broadband and fixed line phone from the same provider.

This market is currently dominated by Sky and Virgin in the UK but BT is beefing up its TV offering and recently paid big money for rights to show live Premier League football and European rugby union on its soon-to-launch sport channel.