The pricing structure of my satellite television service has never made sense to me - at least not from a consumer point of view. There are only 4 or 5 channels that I actually require on a regular basis for my limited viewing needs, however I am forced to pay for at least a few dozen because each channel is strategically positioned within separate packages. In order to gain access to my favourite sports channel, for example, I am required to pay for the entire sports package.

Whilst I'm sure that trout fishing and pub darts are enthralling sports to some viewers, they are a sure-fire way of sending me off to sleep. However, the channels which offer such a reliable cure for amnesia are included in my sports package, 90% of which I reluctantly pay for each month through my ongoing subscription.

I have been hoping for a solution to this problem for many years, and thanks to new technology, and possibly also due to at least one major telecom company listening to the opinions of their subscribers (finally!), it appears that my problem may soon be solved.

BT has stepped up to the plate and announced that it will be launching an on-demand video service to it's legions of subscribers. The service will be known as BT Vision, which may be an appropriate name for several reasons.

The first, of course, is that the service will be visual by nature as it will include both television and movie products.

The second reason, in my opinion, is that BT have unveiled their vision of the future by creating a pay-TV service with no compulsory monthly fees. Unlike the pay-TV fee structures we have been subjected to for the past decade, BT Vision will offer Freeview plus video-on-demand, and subscribers will only pay for what they use.

The service will stream into our homes through an ADSL broadband connection and initially the service will be available only to BT Broadband customers.

In addition to answering my prayers for a fair pricing system, the service will also provide:

    * On-demand films
    * On-demand music
    * On-demand television programs
    * A digital video recorder with 80 hours of storage
    * Catch-up TV shows from the previous week
    * Instant messaging
    * Video telephony

The entire BT Vision service will be enabled by a device called the BT Hub. In addition to the services listed above, the Hub will also allow for wireless networking within the home and enable up to 5 different telephone calls to be made simultaneously using voice over internet protocol (VoIP) technology.

The package is being touted as a world first in combining access to TV channels through an aerial with the remaining services utilising a broadband connection.

Whatever the case, if I am no longer required to pay for services I don't use, I'm happy.

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