Ok so it isn't confirmed but it's an interesting possibility. And before people outside the UK start saying it's nonsense, free consoles with contracts are pretty common here for mobile phones so an extension to home phones and broadband is very believable.

http://www.xbox360wire.co.uk/2008/02/12/bt-microsoft-partnership-free-xbox-360/

BT & Microsoft partnership = free Xbox 360?

Earlier this year at CES’08 - Microsoft announced a strategic partnership with the UK’s biggest telecoms provider BT (British Telecom) to provide access to it’s ‘BT Vision’ content on the Xbox 360.

Due to arrive in late 2008, the content includes TV shows and movies but critically not in the HD format we’ve all bought those expensive tele’s for. A further chink in the armour is a complete lack of PVR functions, something which Sony is keen to push with it’s PlayTV service.

On top of all that, the BT Vision content will only be made available to subscribers of BT’s total broadband package - possibly reducing opt-in to a small percentage of Xbox 360 owners in the UK who don’t use an alternative broadband provider.

Things seem to be changing though, with the recent announcement that BT (in partnership with Motorola) will indeed provide HD content for the platform from early next year. Further whispers seem to suggest BT will soon begin to offer a free Xbox 360 console to anyone signing up for a Total Broadband package. No suggestion on whether this will be a Core, Premium or even an Elite package but it would seem ridiculous to offer streaming content then provide a console with no means of storing it - my money’s on a free Premium.

These rumours are hardly surprising, with other UK broadband providers offering free Laptops (Carphone Warehouse/AOL) for anyone signing up to an 18 month contract. Perhaps BT are getting hefty discounts on bulk purchases of the 360 consoles given their partnership with Microsoft?

BT currently offer a free Xbox 360 Wireless adaptor for new subscribers - hell, they even sell the HD-DVD add-on at the BT Shop.

We’ve contacted BT for clarification on this rumour and will report back when we get a response.

BT Have never offered free anything, they aren't going to start with £200 of consumer electronics they will see only a small return from.

Did you read the article? They already give a free Xbox 360 Wireless adaptor for new subscribers. Other broadband companies are giving away free laptops so if BT don't do something drastic they'll lose customers.

UK is already 360's strongest market in Europe, if this rumour is true it will probably set that domination in stone.

It could be hard for ioi to track these sales though.

free 360s...hmmm i what to no more

How big is BT going to be in this market though? Sky is probably already unassailable and I thought they were partnering with Sony? Not that I care much (at least now) by BT seem like late enterant and Sky already have HD sport tied up.

BT in UK isn't BIG anymore...


SKY outstrips them & Virgin Media is a distant second

with BT....well no-one really cares about their service...

Ironically, this was talked about nearly a year ago.

I've known via VGC, NeoGAF and awhile that MS was eventually going to work out an IPTV deal with someone to give away X360's as set-top boxes for IPTV subscribers.

It's almost a certainty it will happen.

If direcTV, could give us xbla channels instead of the crappy pay 5$ a month for flash games (gamezone) service, i THINK DIRECtV COULD BOOST SALES BY INCLUDING THEY HAVE over 100 videogames, over 1000 channels, and internet radio. Eat that cable. Sorry if that sounded like an advertisement.

hmm. interesting. i wonder what the contract will be. 2 years?