James R | On 29, Jun 2016

NOW has launched a new box that will allow users to pause and rewind live TV.

The box, which costs £39.99, is more expensive than the old model, but adds a host of new features, including a Freeview tuner that allows people to watch 60 free-to-air channels (an 15 HD channels) alongside the up-to-35 Pay TV channels provided by Sky.

Over 50 apps are available for the box, which is developed by Roku, including BBC iPlayer, YouTube, ITV Hub, All 4 and My5, although Sky rivals Netflix and Amazon Prime Video remain absent. The box also has a newly redesigned homepage to provide a “one stop destination” for customers’ viewing needs, with recommendations updated throughout the day.

Sky describes the 2016 NOW Box as “the most advanced streaming box available in its [under £50] price bracket”. The launch of the new device follows the announcement of the new Sky Q box, which includes support for Ultra HD. While Roku’s latest model is 4K compatible, though, the new NOW box supports up to 720p.

As well as a standalone product, the box is available as part of a new set of NOW Combo packages, which mark the UK’s first ever contract-free triple play bundle, offering pay TV, unlimited broadband and telephone calls, all without a contract. Combos start fromm £9.99 a month plus line rental.

The main focus of the NOW Combo is the same as it always has been: an array of monthly passes to provide non-Sky customers access to Sky, both live and on-demand. These are:

NOW Cinema Membership (£9.99 a month)
Over 1,000 movies on demand and from July a new premiere every single day.

Entertainment Month Pass (£7.99 a month)
Watch 11 Pay TV channels not on Freeview (including Sky Atlantic, Sky 1, Sky Living, Sky Arts, FOX UK and MTV), plus 250 box sets.

Sky Sports Month Pass (£33.99 a month)
See the biggest matches and events live on seven Sky Sports channels.

Kids Month Pass (£2.99 a month)
Six dedicated channels for kids, including Cartoon Network, and thousands of episodes on-demand.

Customers can then choose from three unlimited broadband speeds: “Brilliant Broadband” (up to 17Mbps), “Fab Fibre” (up to 38Mbps) and “Super Fibre” (up to 76Mbp).

Call packages include Pay as you use – only pay for calls you make – Evening and Weekends – unlimited calls to UK landlines, UK mobile numbers and calls to 0870 and 0845 numbers during evenings and weekends – and Anytime calls – unlimited calls to UK landline and UK mobile numbers and calls to 0870 and 0845 numbers, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Prices vary, depending on the combination chosen. A NOW Combo comes with a one-off set up fee of £40 for Unlimited Brilliant Broadband and £50 for Unlimited Fab Fibre Broadband and Unlimited Super Fibre Broadband.

It will also launch with a 12-month special pricing offer across all packages. Prices range from £9.99 to £51.99 per month, plus line rental at £17.99 per month.

Here’s a full breakdown:

NOW TV Month Comno	NOW TV Month Pass	Broadband	Combo Offer	Total including £17.99 line rental and pay-as-you-use calls
Entertainment Month Pass (Brilliant Broadband)	£6.99	£8.00	£9.99	27.98
Entertainment Month Pass (Fab Fibre)	£6.99	£18.00	£19.99	37.98
Entertainment Month Pass (Super Fibre)	£6.99	£26.00	24.99	42.98
Sky Cinema Month Pass (Brilliant Broadband)	£9.99	£8.00	12.99	£30.98
Sky Cinema Month Pass (Fab Fibre)	£9.99	£18.00	£22.99	£40.98
Sky Cinema Month Pass (Super Fibre)	£9.99	£26.00	27.99	£45.98
Sky Sports Month Pass (Brilliant Broadband)	£33.99	£8.00	£36.99	£54.98
Sky Sports Month Pass (Fab Fibre)	£33.99	£18.00	46.99	64.98
Sky Sports Month Pass (Super Fibre)	£33.99	£26.00	51.99	£69.98
Kids Month Pass (Brilliant Broadband)	2.99	£8.00	£10.99	28.98
Kids Month Pass (Fab Fibre)	2.99	18	20.99	38.98
Kids Month Pass (Super Fibre)	£2.99	£26.00	£28.99	£46.98

Gidon Katz, Managing Director of NOW says: “We know people want the freedom and control of a no strings relationship when it comes to choosing their TV, broadband and call package, so the NOW Combo is the product and service they deserve.”

For more information, visit www.nowtv.com/combo

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