How popular isBT?
In September 2026, people searched for BT by name about 117,000 times in the United Kingdom, a 19.5% decrease from the previous year. These searches made up 0.75% of all United Kingdom TV provider searches, placing BT seventh out of seven providers. When we asked both ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about TV providers, BT appeared in four of the five answers and was the fifth most recommended of the seven.
BT is the seventh most searched of 7 competitors and the fifth most recommended in AI answers.
NOWShare of searches 62.2%Mentioned in 5 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 4th
SkyShare of searches 17.1%Mentioned in 5 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 1st
FreeviewShare of searches 12.4%Mentioned in 2 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 7th
FreelyShare of searches 3.1%Mentioned in 2 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 6th
BTShare of searches 0.75%Mentioned in 4 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 5th
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Top TV providers in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, BT was mentioned in four out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in both Google AI Overviews. BT is the fifth most recommended of the seven.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- NOW5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Sky5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
EE5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Virgin Media5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers- BT4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Freeview2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Freely2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about TV providers
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which TV provider should I choose in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best TV providers in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best value TV and broadband package in the UK?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“tv packages”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“broadband and tv”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United Kingdom on October 22, 2026.
Which TV providers compete with BT?
Share of searches by month for NOW, Sky, Freeview, Freely, EE, BT. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | NOW | Sky | Freeview | Freely | EE | Virgin Media | BT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 53.2% | 18.7% | 10.6% | 7.2% | 2.6% | 6.7% | 0.96% |
| Nov 2025 | 57.6% | 16.5% | 11.6% | 6.3% | 2.3% | 4.9% | 0.85% |
| Dec 2025 | 60.8% | 13.5% | 12.2% | 8.2% | 2% | 2.5% | 0.73% |
| Jan 2026 | 62.9% | 16.1% | 12.6% | 3.8% | 2.1% | 1.7% | 0.76% |
| Feb 2026 | 64.4% | 15.8% | 10.5% | 3.2% | 2.1% | 3.2% | 0.77% |
| Mar 2026 | 64.6% | 16.3% | 10.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.5% | 0.78% |
| Apr 2026 | 64.3% | 15.7% | 12.9% | 2.6% | 2.1% | 1.8% | 0.63% |
| May 2026 | 63.9% | 14.3% | 10.5% | 5.7% | 2.1% | 2.8% | 0.63% |
| Jun 2026 | 55.8% | 18.1% | 13.6% | 7.5% | 2.2% | 1.9% | 0.82% |
| Jul 2026 | 63.9% | 14.9% | 12.8% | 3.8% | 2.1% | 1.9% | 0.63% |
| Aug 2026 | 67.2% | 15.6% | 9% | 3.3% | 2.2% | 1.9% | 0.66% |
| Sep 2026 | 62.2% | 17.1% | 12.4% | 3.1% | 2.5% | 1.9% | 0.75% |
| Rank | Brand | Share of searches | Estimated monthly branded searches | vs prior month | Share change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1, held 1st | 62.2% | 550K | -18.3% | -5 points | |
| 2, held 2nd | 17.1% | 151K | -3.8% | +1.4 points | |
| 3, held 3rd | 12.4% | 110K | +21.5% | +3.4 points | |
| 4, held 4th | 3.1% | 27.1K | -18.1% | -0.2 points | |
| 5, held 5th | 2.5% | 22.2K | 0% | +0.3 points | |
| 6, held 6th | 1.9% | 17.1K | -11.4% | 0 points | |
| 7, held 7th | 0.75% | 6.6K | 0% | +0.1 points |
1.
NOW62.2%
Held 1st. 550K estimated branded searches, -18.3% vs prior month. Share -5 points.
2.
Sky17.1%
Held 2nd. 151K estimated branded searches, -3.8% vs prior month. Share +1.4 points.
3.
Freeview12.4%
Held 3rd. 110K estimated branded searches, +21.5% vs prior month. Share +3.4 points.
4.
Freely3.1%
Held 4th. 27.1K estimated branded searches, -18.1% vs prior month. Share -0.2 points.
5.
EE2.5%
Held 5th. 22.2K estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share +0.3 points.
1.9%
Held 6th. 17.1K estimated branded searches, -11.4% vs prior month. Share 0 points.
7.
BT0.75%
Held 7th. 6.6K estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share +0.1 points.
Compare popularity between BT and its closest rivals
Every comparison with BT
13 comparisons
How has branded search demand for BT changed in the United Kingdom over the last 12 months?
2 findings
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, estimated monthly branded searches for BT in the United Kingdom fell from 145K to 117K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, BT’s share of searches among TV providers in the United Kingdom held steady, from 0.96% to 0.75%.
How did search popularity change for United Kingdom TV providers in September 2026?
6 changes
In September 2026, Freeview gained share of searches among TV providers in the United Kingdom, from 9% to 12.4%.
In September 2026, Sky gained share of searches among TV providers in the United Kingdom, from 15.6% to 17.1%.
In September 2026, NOW lost share of searches among TV providers in the United Kingdom, from 67.2% to 62.2%.
Freely’s share of searches among TV providers in the United Kingdom has lost ground for 3 months in a row, from 7.5% to 3.1% in September 2026.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Virgin Media in the United Kingdom fell 75.4% over 12 measured months, from 69.5K to 17.1K in September 2026.
Estimated monthly branded searches for BT in the United Kingdom fell 33.3% over 12 measured months, from 9.9K to 6.6K in September 2026.
How are BT’s branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using BT’s name. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brand is growing, holding steady, or fading.
- bt broadband
- bt tv
Who owns BT?
BT is owned by BT Group. Brandwave also tracks EE, 
BT Business and 
Plusnet, owned by the same company, in the United Kingdom.
Do you work for BT? To request corrections or removal please contact us via our support page and we will be happy to assist.
Where does BT compete?
| Competitor set | Rank | Share of searches | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broadband providers | 6th of 11 | 4.5% | Show ranking |
| TV providers | 7th of 7 | 0.75% | Shown above |
Is BT your brand?
Put your own campaigns, spend and outcomes next to this demand line, so you can see which of your marketing lined up with the movements above.