Connect Fibre and WightFibre add Netgem PLEIO TV box

Netgem’s new PLEIO streaming puck is starting to appear in more regional full fibre bundles, with Connect Fibre and WightFibre both adding the box to their TV offers. For customers in these areas it means a new way to combine live channels, streaming apps and cloud gaming on one device, without a classic pay-TV contract.

PLEIO is the first stand-alone Freely box, so these launches also help bring the new broadband-based replacement for Freeview into more homes while retail stock of the device remains limited.

Two smaller full fibre providers have joined Brsk in adding Netgem’s PLEIO set-top box to their TV line-up.

Connect Fibre, which is building its own full fibre network across parts of the East of England, has launched “Connect Fibre TV” using PLEIO as the core hardware. Customers can bolt the TV service onto an existing broadband plan for £10 a month or choose bundles that include both connection and TV in one price.

On the Isle of Wight, WightFibre has also adopted PLEIO for its TV service. It is offering the box and service at £5.95 a month for the first 12 months, rising to £8.95 a month afterwards. Broadband and TV bundles that include PLEIO start from £26.90 a month for eligible premises.

Both moves follow Netgem’s recent UK launch of PLEIO and reflect a strategy of working closely with alternative networks rather than waiting for big national brands to sign on first.

Freely, alt-nets and TV

Freely is the new broadband-based TV service backed by the UK’s main public service broadcasters. Instead of using a rooftop aerial or satellite dish, it delivers channels such as BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 over your internet connection.

Until recently, Freely support has mostly appeared in brand-new TVs and a handful of integrated devices. PLEIO changes that by offering Freely in a small HDMI puck you can plug into almost any modern TV, as long as you have a decent broadband connection and Wi-Fi that can cope with video streams.

Alternative full fibre networks – often called “altnets” – are looking for ways to match the bundle story from Sky, Virgin Media and BT without building their own TV platforms from scratch. Netgem’s white-label approach, where the same PLEIO hardware sits under different ISP branding, gives them a quick route into that space.

Brsk was one of the first to launch PLEIO-based TV. Connect Fibre and WightFibre now follow, and more regional providers are likely to join over time if the model proves popular.

Netgem PLEIO streaming box details

PLEIO is a compact streaming box that plugs into your TV’s HDMI port and connects to your router over Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Everything runs over broadband rather than aerial feeds or satellite cables.

Key features include:

• Freely live TV, bringing broadcast channels over IP instead of traditional Freeview.
• Streaming apps such as Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, YouTube and catch-up services.
• An optional cloud gaming service with a large catalogue of games and a bundled controller.

If you buy the box retail, PLEIO normally costs £99 and comes with a voice remote, gamepad and a three-month trial of the premium channel and gaming bundle. If you keep those extras beyond the trial, the subscription is £9.99 a month on top of whatever you pay for broadband and streaming apps.

The retail box and the hardware used in ISP bundles are effectively the same. The difference is how you pay for it and whether the TV element is tied directly to your broadband contract.

Connect Fibre TV with PLEIO: pricing, bundles and Wi-Fi 7

Connect Fibre focuses on bringing gigabit-capable full fibre to parts of the East of England. With its new Connect Fibre TV product, it is using PLEIO to round out the package for customers who want more than just broadband.

The TV element costs £10 a month when taken as an add-on to a broadband plan. Connect Fibre is also talking up bundles that combine:

• Full fibre broadband on its own network.
• The PLEIO TV box and service.
• Its recently launched Wi-Fi 7 routers.

The idea is simple: one provider delivers the full fibre line into the property, provides a modern Wi-Fi system inside the home, and adds a TV platform that brings together live channels, on-demand apps and cloud gaming.

Connect Fibre’s CEO has framed this as a way to offer “all things streaming” in one package, with particular focus on younger viewers who split time between UK broadcast shows and global streaming apps.

WightFibre + PLEIO: new TV option on the Isle of Wight

WightFibre operates its own full fibre network across the Isle of Wight, serving homes and businesses just off the South Coast of England. Its adoption of PLEIO gives island customers another route into Freely and app-based TV.

The core TV pricing is:

• £5.95 per month for the first 12 months.
• £8.95 per month after the introductory period.

Bundles that include both PLEIO TV and WightFibre broadband start at £26.90 a month for premises within the FTTP coverage area.

As with Connect Fibre, the offer combines:

• Freely live TV over broadband.
• Access to streaming apps on the same box.
• Cloud gaming through PLEIO’s service, for customers who want casual gaming without buying a separate console.

For households on the island that already have, or are considering, full fibre from WightFibre, it gives a way to move away from aerial-based TV without investing in new Freely-ready hardware.

WightFibre PLEIO TV deals on the Isle of Wight

The PLEIO puck is also sold through Amazon at £99, but early demand means it has gone in and out of stock since launch. When it is unavailable at retail, ISP bundles become the main straightforward way to get the device.

What you need to know:

• Buying retail: pay the full £99 upfront, keep the hardware even if you change broadband provider, and decide later whether to add the £9.99 subscription.
• Taking an ISP bundle: lower upfront cost (or none at all for the hardware), but the TV service usually sits on the same contract as your broadband.

If you know you want to keep broadband and TV from the same supplier for a while, the bundle route can be simpler. If you prefer to switch broadband provider regularly and keep TV separate, waiting for retail stock may be more flexible.

How this compares with Sky, Virgin Media and BT TV

On paper, PLEIO does not try to copy Sky Stream or Virgin Media’s full TV platforms. It sits closer to a smart streaming stick with extra features:

• Live UK channels via Freely rather than satellite or cable.
• A familiar app-based interface for streaming services most people already use.
• A gaming option included in the same device.

Compared with Sky, Virgin Media or BT:

• You are less locked into a specific TV ecosystem and hardware.
• There is usually less emphasis on large sports and film bundles, although some premium content is available through apps.
• The TV add-on price from altnets tends to be closer to what you would pay for a mix of streaming services than a full pay-TV bundle, but the value varies by area and by broadband price.

For Connect Fibre and WightFibre, the main benefit is being able to say they now offer a full broadband-plus-TV package, not just faster speeds and better routers.

Should you get PLEIO through your ISP?

If you live in an area covered by Connect Fibre or WightFibre, the launch of PLEIO-based TV changes your options in a few ways.

First, it gives you a way to move broadcast viewing over to broadband. You can get Freely’s live channels, catch-up and streaming apps without worrying about aerial quality or extra cables. This is useful if you are already leaning heavily on apps and only watch live TV occasionally.

Second, it can simplify billing. Instead of a patchwork of separate streaming subscriptions and a TV licence on top of broadband, you can at least roll the box and its service into one bill alongside your connection. You still need to manage individual streaming subs, but the hardware and Freely side sit under the ISP.

Third, it may change how you think about performance. Because everything runs over your broadband line, you need enough speed and reliable Wi-Fi to support multiple streams and gaming while other devices are in use. That is where full fibre and newer Wi-Fi kit help.

The flip side is flexibility. If you add PLEIO TV through your ISP, you should check:

• Whether the TV add-on has its own minimum term.
• What happens to the box if you cancel broadband.
• Any early exit fees that apply to the TV portion of the bundle.

If you value the freedom to switch broadband provider regularly, buying PLEIO outright when it is back in stock may still appeal more.

How the providers see PLEIO

Connect Fibre is talking about delivering a complete streaming package, bringing together broadcast channels, apps and gaming on top of its full fibre and Wi-Fi 7 hardware. WightFibre highlights the relatively low monthly price and the ability to pair island-wide fibre coverage with a modern TV platform.

From Netgem’s perspective, these deals are part of a wider plan to work with altnets that want to compete with national providers on bundles but do not want to invest in their own TV technology stack. PLEIO is essentially a ready-made TV and gaming layer that can carry the ISP’s brand.

If more regional networks sign up – which seems likely if the first wave performs well – PLEIO could become a common sight in full fibre homes that sit outside the traditional Sky and Virgin Media footprint.

Key takeaways

If you are already on, or considering, Connect Fibre or WightFibre:

• Check whether PLEIO TV is available on your specific plan and what the add-on or bundle prices are in your area.
• Compare the total monthly cost of broadband plus PLEIO against a broadband-only deal plus separate streaming, and against Sky, Virgin Media or BT bundles if those are also on offer where you live.
• Think about how much live TV you actually watch. If you mainly use apps, PLEIO’s value sits more in Freely integration and cloud gaming than in replacing a full pay-TV package.
• Keep an eye on retail availability if you prefer to own the hardware outright and keep TV separate from your broadband contract.

For now, these launches are another sign that regional full fibre providers are moving beyond pure connectivity. They are starting to offer complete home entertainment packages, with PLEIO giving them a relatively low-friction way to do it.