BT is partnering with Google to launch broadband plans in the UK that come with access to the Stadia cloud gaming service. It’s a first for Europe, allowing BT to offer a free Google Stadia Premiere Edition with broadband deals direct to consumers. BT, the biggest ISP in the UK, is planning to offer the free kit to customers who opt for the company’s Superfast Broadband 2, Ultrafast Fibre 100, or Ultrafast Fibre 250 services. BT is also planning a marketing campaign to promote its Stadia bundles.
BT partners with Google to bundle free Stadia with broadband deals in the UK
A boost for Stadia game streaming in Europe
A boost for Stadia game streaming in Europe
is a senior correspondent and author of Notepad, who has been covering all things Microsoft, PC, and tech for over 20 years.
Google recommends a connection of at least 35Mbps for Stadia 4K streaming, and the vast majority of the UK will only be able to access the basic “Superfast Fibre 2” service from BT, offering average download speeds of 67Mbps. That’s not as “superfast” as the name implies, and it’s no guarantee you will get 67Mbps regularly. BT’s Fiber To The Premises (FTTP) packages are still being rolled out to homes, and the company expects to offer average download speeds of 145Mbps and 300Mbps through its two “Ultrafast” deals to 12 million homes this year. If you drop below 100Mbps on BT’s FTTP services then the company will compensate you.
BT’s deal with Google comes just a day after the promise of more than 120 games in 2020 for Stadia, including 10 exclusives. That’s a big jump from the 26 games currently available, and Google had previously only confirmed four games for 2020. Google is also bringing 4K gaming to the web part of Stadia in the coming months, alongside support for more Android phones and wireless gameplay on the web with the Stadia controller.
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