A top of the range ONdigital package, costing 29.99 per month, offers 31 channels, including some devoted to digital teletext. Despite the bitter rivalry, ONdigital subscribers can watch Sky's sport and movie channels. Both are gearing up to offer Internet-style facilities for home shopping and banking. They are also offering discounts on telephone calls. Yet both packages feature potential snags.
Many consumers think they look ugly and downmarket.
For ONdigital viewers, the snag is if they stop paying the subscription charge they must give back their set-top box. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.