More UK households are dropping the satellite dish and the 18-month TV contract and watching over the internet instead. This guide explains what IPTV UK is, how it works, what it costs and how to be watching live TV and sport in about fifteen minutes.
The short answer
IPTV UK is live television streamed over your broadband. You install a player app on your smart TV, Fire TV Stick, phone or computer, enter the login details your provider e-mails you, and live channels, live sport, films and box sets appear on screen. There is no dish, no cable line and no engineer visit.
How IPTV works
IPTV stands for Internet Protocol Television. Instead of a satellite signal or a cable feed, the picture travels as data over the same connection you use for everything else online. A player app on your device decodes it and adds an on-screen TV guide (EPG), so it feels just like flicking through channels on a normal TV.
Because it is just data, it works wherever your broadband reaches: the living room, the bedroom, the garden office, or a phone on holiday.
Why UK households are switching
- Price. A typical satellite or cable package with sport and films costs well over £50 a month. IPTV UK starts at £15 for a month and works out at about £4.58 a month on a 24-month plan.
- No contract. You pay once for 1 to 24 months. Nothing renews automatically and there are no mid-contract price rises.
- No installation. No dish to drill, no engineer to wait in for, no landlord permission needed.
- Every screen. One plan covers up to 4 devices at once, so the football and the kids' cartoons can play at the same time.
- Moving house is easy. Log in at the new address and carry on.
What you need
- Broadband. Around 10 Mbps per screen for HD and 25 Mbps for 4K. Most UK fibre packages cope with two or three screens. Our broadband speed guide explains the details.
- A device. The Amazon Fire TV Stick is the most popular because it turns any TV with an HDMI port into a smart TV. Samsung, LG and Android TV sets, iPhones, iPads, Android phones, MAG boxes and computers all work too.
- A subscription. Choose the length and number of screens, pay once, and receive your login by e-mail.
IPTV UK prices
| Plan | 1 screen | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month | £15 | £15.00 |
| 3 months | £35 | £11.67 |
| 6 months | £45 | £7.50 |
| 12 months | £60 | £5.00 |
| 24 months | £110 | £4.58 |
Plans for 2, 3 and 4 screens are in the full price table.
What you can watch
Live UK and international channels, live sport (football every weekend, plus F1, boxing, cricket and rugby), a large library of films and box sets, 24-hour news and children's programmes, with a TV guide in supported apps. The exact line-up depends on the plan, which is why we suggest a free trial instead of trusting a channel count on a website. See what's on.
Getting started in about 15 minutes
- Ask for a free trial with the form on the home page. No card details needed.
- Install the player app. The setup guide covers every common device, and there is a detailed Fire TV Stick guide.
- Enter your login details: a username, a password and a server address.
- Pick a channel. If anything looks wrong, send us a photo of the screen on WhatsApp.
If the trial runs well on your TV and broadband, choose a plan. Orders are checked by a person, and login details normally arrive within 5 minutes to 6 hours.
How to choose an IPTV UK provider
- Can you try it free first? A provider that will not offer a trial is asking for blind trust.
- Are prices clear and in pounds? Watch for currency conversion fees and hidden extras.
- Is there real support? You want a person on WhatsApp or e-mail, not just a ticket form.
- What is the refund policy? Ours: a refund before activation, or within 7 days if support cannot get it working on your device.
- Does it auto-renew? It should not without your say-so.
Summary
IPTV UK gives you live TV, sport, films and box sets on every screen in the house, over the broadband you already pay for, from £15 a month and with no contract. Start with a free trial and see it on your own TV tonight.