Additional digital TV services

UK digital TV offers more than increased channels. Interactive services, internet access, TV email, games and video on demand are a range of the services available from the UK digital TV providers.

Most UK digital TV providers offer some kind of pay per view service, allowing you to pay a one off charge to view movies, such as Sky Box Office or ntl Front Row, or an event that is being shown at a specific time. Prices start at around £3 per movie but are higher for major sporting or music events.

There are two kinds of interactive service offered by UK digital TV:

One-way interactive UK digital TV

These services do not offer you any method of 'responding' to what is happening on-screen and are offered by most UK digital TV providers. They can include:

• "Red button" extras – i.e. access to further information about a television programme, extra sports coverage etc.

• Electronic Programme Guide

• Digital text services such as Teletext Ltd and 4Text from BBCi

Two-way interactive UK digital TV

These services allow you to interact with what is happening on-screen. They require a cable or phone line to carry the information back and forth to the UK digital TV provider, so as a result two-way interactive services are only offered by UK digital TV providers that use these methods to carry their digital signal, such as ntl and Tiscali.

Your UK digital TV provider may also charge you for access to these services. They can include:

• gaming

• betting

• shopping

Digital cable TV and digital ADSL TV transmit their UK digital TV signals along either cables or phone lines, which can also support high speed internet. Broadband internet is a fixed cost cable connection that can be more than 10 times faster than traditional dial up modems. Your connection will be constant, so you will pay a monthly fee rather than a call cost – it doesn’t matter how long you’re on the internet for, as you will always pay the same monthly amount. ntl, Telewest, Wight Cable and Tiscali all offer broadband along with their digital TV packages. Sky launched a free broadband service in July 2006 for Sky digital Tv customers who live in inubundled areas. ntl and Telewest also offer home phone with their UK digital TV service, where you can benefit from special rates and services.

If you are interested in any of the broadband or home telephone services provided by UK digital TV providers the uSwitch.com digital TV comparison service will give you the opportunity to compare packages that combine digital TV, broadband and home phone.