Bouygues Telecom is expanding its 5G box offer, starting this Monday. The operator will offer a second version, equipped with a physical B.tv key which will allow customers to have access to television. Here is all you need to know.
Like several other operators, Bouygues Telecom offers a fixed 5G box capable of offering speeds of up to 1.1 Gbit/s for downloading and 58 Mbit/s for sending, against 40.99 euros/month, without commitment. The operator already offers access to the B.tv service, that is to say to numerous television channels, but only from the application accessible on smartphones and tablets. Exclusively, Bouygues Telecom unveils Clubic an extension of this offer, with a 5G box accompanied by a B.tv key, which will act as a TV decoder for your television. Here are all the explanations.
Offering a TV experience to all Bouygues Telecom 5G box customers
Bouygues Telecom wanted to offer its customers a complete TV experience to all its customers benefiting from the very high speed of the 5G box, and to meet the expectations of those (2/3) who watch television using applications , or via TNT. This is how the operator wanted to market the B.tv key, under the Homatics brand, for the record.
On the menu therefore: a parallel 5G box offer at 44.99 euros/month, which includes unlimited internet in 5G (or, failing that, in 4G), physical B.tv key included, from this Monday March 4, 2024 The key enriches the service with 180 channels, and it is easy to take advantage of it, thanks to ease of installation, to which we can add a saving of time. As soon as you subscribe to the offer, the connection is immediate, since no line installation at home is necessary.
“ Thanks to this new device, installation of the B.tv key is simple and quick, in “plug and play” mode. », explains Christophe Bortoli, operational marketing and terminals director at Bouygues Telecom. No need for a TV decoder anymore, because “ the applications are directly integrated into the B.tv key “. And the latter connects very easily to the HDMI port of the television. A remote control accompanies the key and offers more ergonomic navigation, with YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video and B.tv shortcut buttons.
Almost like a TV decoder, close to a Chromecast Google TV
The 5G box obviously includes unlimited 5G internet, access to B.tv+ with more than 180 live TV channels, and more than 30 replays. Optional TV packages and services are available. And, as we said, the customer can also find all the main video streaming applications, which are pre-installed on the key. “ Let us add that like a TV decoder, the B.tv key offers ultra-practical services such as recording, pausing a program or even returning from the beginning “.
Yes, symbolically, it is a TV decoder which offers almost the same functionalities as a Bouygues Telecom decoder, but with a little subtlety. “ The key allows access to Bouygues Telecom services in the same Google TV environment. We especially compare the key to a Chromecast with Google TV (same universe, same performance), with simplified access (pre-boarding and button on the remote control) to Bouygues Telecom TV services (B.tv+ application) », adds Christophe Bortoli.
The ease of installation that we talked about above is an asset. Once connected, the key offers a Google TV installation path (connection to the Google account and connection to the Bouygues Telecom account). Once installed, Bouygues Telecom services are immediately available. There is no longer any need to install the B.tv+ application, since it is already available on the main page of the key. The application can be launched by pressing the B.tv+ button on the remote control.
Why this offer? What about 5G technology? Who makes the key? What are the real costs for the customer? Our FAQ, and the answers from Bouygues Telecom
The B.tv key costs 20 euros to purchase. Is it possible to have multiple keys and users on multiple TVs?
“ The new 5G box with TV offer is available without commitment at the price of 44.99 euros/month with purchase of a single B.tv key per use (20 euros). The customer can use the B.tv key on other TVs if they are traveling to watch Netflix for example, but will not be able to access their TV channels from the B.tv+ application (it must be connected to the 5G box ).
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What are the costs for providing and canceling the 5G box with TV offer?
“ The provision and termination fees are 19 euros each.
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Where to connect what to make it work?
The 5G box must be plugged into a simple electrical outlet. The key must be plugged into the HDMI port of your television. And voila.
On which frequency bands does the box’s 5G work? Is it compatible with the core band of 5G, 3.5 GHz (the advantages of which can be recalled in passing)?
“ 5G box offers require sufficient 5G (3.5 GHZ frequency) and 4G coverage inside the building as well as commercial eligibility at the subscription address. In terms of performance, the theoretical maximum speeds go up to 1.1 Gbit/s in downstream speed and up to 58 Mbit/s in upstream speed depending on the aggregated frequency bands. »
What tool would you recommend to consumers to find out if they have a good 5G/4G network at home?
“ To determine their theoretical eligibility for the offer, the customer can go to a Bouygues Telecom store, contact us on 3106 or on our website through the eligibility test. »
How many people have already subscribed to the initial 5G box offer?
“ Today we have several tens of thousands of 5G box customers
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Bouygues Telecom is a major Internet service provider (ISP) in France, offering a range of varied internet box offers, the most popular of which are the Bbox Fit, the Bbox Must, and the Bbox Ultym.
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The 5G box with a physical key, the reasons for an evolution:
After being the first to launch the 5G box on the French market in June 2022, to reduce its decoder to an application in its Bbox Smart TV offer, after the launch of the Bbox Wi-Fi 6E then the Bbox Wi-Fi 6 eco-designed, Bouygues Telecom continues its dynamic of innovation by putting the customer at the center of its concerns.
For the company, the objective behind this development that is the 5G Box TV is to offer a solution combining the simplicity of Internet access with that of TV in a single offer. “ This idea was born from our desire to simplify the customer experience and allow them to easily access all our services in addition to the internet », concludes the operator.
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