The venerable Livebox Play TV decoder is set to retire. Better yet, Orange will do a free swap to the UHD TV decoder, which supports 4K and Dolby Atmos sound. Excellent news for subscribers!
For more than a year, mobile operators and internet service providers (ISPs) have been increasing the prices of their subscriptions. Just last month, Orange sent an email to its customers discreetly mentioning the introduction of new fees, in small print. But, sometimes, we still have the right to a nice surprise! Recently, the historic operator had improved the speed on all of its Livebox subscriptions, without changing the prices (see our article). It continues its momentum since, this time, it is its TV decoders which are entitled to a small upgrade !
Launched in 2013, the Livebox Play decoder is preparing to bow out, after more than ten years of good and loyal service. Presented at the time as the “the most powerful decoder on the market”it stood out for its imposing design, its compatibility with Wi-Fi 5 and its range of advanced functions (compatibility with 3D mode and the Blue-Ray player, support for Full HD at 50/60 Hz, incredible bit rate of 200 Mb/s…). A real revolution! But since then, technologies have evolved a lot, so Orange announced its famous decoder would soon stop working. But don’t panic! Subscribers will instead be able to benefit from a more modern UHD TV decoder, without exchange fees or change of offer, as reported Freebox universe.
End of Livebox Play: 4K is coming free for everyone
The UHD TV decoder was released in 2018, and supports ultra high definition in 4K, Dolby Atmos sound, as well as integration of the Alexa voice assistant, allowing content to be searched directly from the device. This transition is therefore excellent news for users who want to benefit from 4K without having to pay extra.
Because, until now, Orange offered the switch to the UHD TV decoder for 40 euros. From now on, this exchange is free. Subscribers will have to turn to their customer area or look directly in store. Be careful though, the exchange fees are still displayed on the operator’s website, although the latter indicates that it is free of charge for eligible customers. Note that this change also concerns Sosh subscribers, who will also be able to benefit from this move to a more recent model. Really good news!