BBC service button Red get last minute snooze, turn off suspend

The BBC has suspended plans to phase out its red button text service.

Its completion was due to begin this Thursday (January 30) and continue over the coming weeks, but BBC director Tony Hall has called a halt before closing while he considers calling for it to stop. The "fresh solution" will be announced in the spring.

The BBC's initial plans were first announced last September with the broadcaster showing that running Red Corporation's text button services costs more than $39 million a year.

In addition, smartphone and tablet use, covering 80% of the UK population, the news, sports and weather information platform has been deemed too costly to operate as the corporation goes through a budgetary restructuring process.

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However, a petition signed by over 100 organizations was delivered yesterday to 10 Downing Street demanding a reprieve, and appears to have been respected.

The petition was organized by the National Federation of the Blind in the UK and claims that the services provide an invaluable connection to the outside world for older people with vision, hearing problems who do not have an internet connection.

With a final decision suspended until spring, the UK and Freeview channels will continue to offer network-free texting services -- a continuation of a tradition that began with the launch of Ceefax 45 years ago.

Regardless of whether we're still seeing some of its text features closed after spring, the BBC previously confirmed that Red's other button services, such as video streaming available during events such as Glastonbury, will still be available.

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