The BBC are making some changes to the BBC Red Button service.

They will be reducing the available stream from 5 to one.

This will mean that the BBC will not be able to offer the choice of coverage that they have previously offered.
Big events will no longer be multi-screen on red button, disappointing many viewers, particularly sports fans, who will lose things like multiple Formula 1 screens and table choice for Snooker.

The BBC say

However the BBC Red Button service will not totally disappear. The BBC Red Button will continue to support a wide range of television and radio output, from big events like Wimbledon and Glastonbury to more niche offerings such as triathlon or BBC Four’s archive collections.

This autumn’s schedule will be as rich as ever. We’ll see the return of the Strictly Come Dancing live commentary and a new play-along game for Antiques Roadshow. BBC Sport output will include Formula One and extended coverage of UK Championship Snooker; there’s more live music to look forward to from 1Xtra and Radio 2, and for children CBBC’s Wolfblood.

The BBC will be “reinventing” the Red Button Service. It will become more of an “online” service, and be “Connected Red Button”.

The BBC say that

This will be more web-based technologies that deliver richer, more visually-enticing programmes. New functions like ‘live restart’ will be introduced directly to your TV, meaning that next time you come in halfway through The Apprentice, you can simply skip back to the start of the programme. Or, if you don’t like what’s on, find your favourite programme in BBC iPlayer or catch up with the latest news and sport live and on-demand, all on your TV.

It is unlikely this “Connected Red Button” will be available to users outside the UK and ROI without some form of IP address blocking service, or UK server connection.