BT is hoping to boost uptake of its flagship internet television service through a tie-up with Microsoft’s XBox 360.

The British telecoms group announced today it will make "on-demand" films and sport content from its Vision service available via the XBox games console so consumers can watch the service in a second room without the need for a special BT set-top box.

BT finally launched its television service in November 2006 after talking about entering the market for a decade but the tie-up with Microsoft's XBox 360 will not be available until the middle of this year.

So far, BT has 70,000 installed subscribers, a figure it insists is in line with its target, and has 100,000 signed up. The company is hoping to have between two and three million customers by 2010. The service combines Freeview channels with a range of on-demand content which is piped over a broadband connection.

However Vision, which hopes to scoop up customers who are unwilling to pay a monthly subscription for premium content, faces a fierce fight for customers alongside existing satellite and cable television services. The service is critical to BT's efforts to increase its broadband market share.

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