BBC iPlayer warning issued to Virgin Media users - act now or face streaming block

Some Virgin Media users could find they are without access to BBC iPlayer later this month. Older set-top boxes provided by the telecoms giant are about to become incompatible with the popular streaming platform, and that means homes won't be able to tune into popular shows and entertainment.

Affected devices include ageing TiVo models which were first launched over 10 years ago. Those with newer V6 and 360 gadgets won't have any issues and will be able to continue viewing BBC content.

If you have a box that's about to lose iPlayer, you should have received an email from Virgin.

"We have written directly to the small proportion of customers with a TiVo box, who have used BBC iPlayer within the past six months, to inform them that their box will not support iPlayer from 23 July," Virgin Media confirmed in a message sent to The Sun.

Those who can no longer access the app are now being offered free upgrades to newer devices and it's well worth saying yes if you have an ancient TiVo box under your TV.

If you don't you only have a few weeks left to enjoy access to iPlayer. Once that July deadline arrives the streaming app will no longer work.

It's unclear why BBC iPlayer is losing support but this is not a new issue for older devices. For example, WhatsApp is often killing support for its app on older smartphones as they simply can't keep pace with new features.

Sadly, it seems if you want to keep apps and software working, you're going to need to keep your gadgets updated.

There is another reason to upgrade your Virgin box with the firm releasing regular updates for newer devices. In fact, if you have a Virgin TV 360, Stream or V6 box, you should have just received some new channels. These include British Screen Classics and wedotv movies, which can be found on channel 450 and 451 respectively.

Both are ‘FAST’ channels, which stands for Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television. As the name suggests, the programming has ads throughout to keep it free-to-air.