VIRGIN Media customers are urged to check their TV equipment as BBC iPlayer will stop working on select boxes from tomorrow.
The popular streaming service will no longer be supported on Virgin’s older TV boxes from Wednesday July 23.
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Virgin has told customers with its older TiVo boxes that they will need to upgrade.
The Sun previously revealed the company’s plan to drop support last month.
They said the change only affected a “small proportion” of customers – who have been written to regarding the change.
Households with the older boxes are eligible for a free upgrade to a newer model.
But as of tomorrow, customers with these older TiVo boxes will no longer be able to use iPlayer on them.
MAKING THE SWITCH
Those with V6 and Virgin TV 360 boxes will still be able to access the streaming service as normal.
The platform allows TV fans to catch up on popular BBC shows from Doctor Who to EastEnders.
A Virgin Media spokesperson previously told The Sun: “We have written directly to the small proportion of customers with a TiVo box, who have used BBC iPlayer within the past six months, to inform them that their box will not support iPlayer from 23 July.
“As we have previously communicated directly to relevant customers, anyone with a TiVo box is able to upgrade to a new Virgin TV 360 box at no extra cost.”
It comes as Virgin Media O2 has become the latest mobile provider to shut off its 3G services.
The company says it will allow them to offer “faster, more reliable and more energy-efficient” 4G and 5G.
Customers in Torquay should take note, as the 3G network there is due to be switched off on August 4.
It will also affect Giffgaff, Sky Mobile and Tesco Mobile customers – as they all use Virgin Media O2’s network.
WHY DOES TECH STOP WORKING?
By Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun
It’s annoying when tech and gadgets are discontinued, rendering some features useless.
Fortunately, companies have got better at lengthening how long they support kit.
It tends to only happen after quite a few years have passed and the user numbers have dropped quite low.
The truth of the matter is, firms have to keep updating and servicing this older tech which costs them money.
When there’s only a small number of people left using them older gadgets, it’s harder to justify the cost.
Moreover, new features on things like apps may not work on dated kit.
So ultimately, in the end support is dropped for these gadgets so all their energy, money and time can be put into the newer ones.
