Scaling Globally with Stability: FX Digital & BritBox
Scaling
Globally
with
Stability:
FX
Digital
&
BritBox
FX Digital powered BritBox’s global expansion with a high-performance, accessible Connected TV app—built on a modular, LightningJS-based architecture optimised for low-powered devices—launching in Australia and scaling to Canada and the US.
BritBox partnered with FX Digital to strategically expand its Connected TV app into international markets, beginning with Australia’s challenging and fragmented device ecosystem. The primary objective was to develop a premium streaming experience that could perform seamlessly on low-powered set-top boxes without compromising user experience. Leveraging deep expertise in Connected TV development, FX Digital successfully adapted the app to multiple device specifications, ensuring robust performance and scalability. This initial success in Australia paved the way for rapid expansion, with FX Digital subsequently supporting BritBox’s launches across Canada and the US, delivering high-quality applications on leading platforms including Comcast, Xumo, Vizio, Rogers, and Videotron.
Client Background
BritBox emerged as a pioneering streaming platform, born from a joint venture between BBC Studios and ITV. Launched in 2019, the service was designed to make British television content more accessible to international audiences, offering viewers worldwide an extensive library spanning classic series, contemporary dramas, and exclusive premieres, catering to a global audience with a strong affinity for British culture.
Initially available on prominent devices like Amazon Fire, LG, and Samsung Smart TVs, BritBox recognised the need to expand its digital footprint and regional impact. The company sought a Connected TV development partner with not just technical prowess, but also the strategic insight to navigate the complex landscape of operator partnerships and the diverse device ecosystems that come with them.
Critical Challenges and Strategic Solutions
Faced with an increasingly complex Connected TV landscape, BritBox sought a technical partner capable of navigating multiple critical challenges:
Strategic Challenges:
- A highly fragmented platform ecosystem demanding a simultaneous, seamless multi-device launch strategy
- Complex requirements for implementing streamlined in-app purchase flows to optimise customer acquisition
- Significant technical constraints imposed by lower-end set-top boxes with limited processing capabilities
FX Digital’s Innovative Approach
To address these challenges, FX Digital deployed a comprehensive, multi-pronged solution:
Technical Solutions
- Utilised the LightningJS framework to achieve GPU-optimised performance, ensuring smooth application responsiveness across devices
- Developed a modular, adaptable component architecture that accelerated development cycles and cross-platform compatibility
- Implemented a robust hybrid QA methodology combining automated testing and manual verification to guarantee exceptional reliability
- Strategically collaborated with Evergent and Deltatre to create integrated, frictionless account and content management systems
Strategic Third-Party Integrations
To create a robust, scalable streaming app, the BritBox app integrates with several key third-party services — each selected to enhance specific areas of functionality and streamline operations:
Account Management (Evergent) Seamlessly handled user account creation and authentication across platforms, ensuring secure and flexible user onboarding.
Content Management (Axis CMS via Deltatre) Enabled dynamic content updates and management without manual app deployments, providing editorial agility and consistency across all platforms.
Analytics (Piano) Delivered deep user behaviour insights, empowering data-driven decisions on content placement, UX improvements, and feature prioritisation.
These integrations enhanced BritBox’s application infrastructure, creating a more responsive, intelligent, and user-centric streaming experience.
Ensuring App Quality:
FX Digital’s dedicated QA team worked hand-in-hand with developers from the outset, embedding quality assurance directly into the development lifecycle. This close collaboration enabled faster feedback loops, proactive bug identification, and smoother platform approvals.
To maintain high performance across a fragmented CTV ecosystem, the team implemented a blend of manual testing and scalable automation, ensuring the BritBox app remained stable, responsive, and reliable, even on lower-powered set-top boxes.
By running frequent regression tests and leveraging test automation where possible, FX Digital assured rigorous quality standards whilst accelerating time-to-market.
Partnership and Client Collaboration
A cornerstone of the BritBox project’s success was the strong collaboration and trust established between FX Digital and the BritBox team. From early workshops through to post-launch support, both teams maintained open communication channels that streamlined continuous improvement.
Collaborative Approach Highlights:
- User-Centric Design FX Digital drove innovation through design thinking, including the development of a custom TV keyboard interface that reduced user friction and improved conversion rates.
- Clear Stakeholder Visibility A rigorous cadence of weekly stand-ups, sprint reviews, and QA demonstrations enabled rapid, data-driven decision-making and allowed for agile, iterative delivery throughout every project stage.
- Quarterly Roadmapping Workshops: Both teams worked closely to plan, prioritise, and execute long-term goals through quarterly roadmapping sessions, ensuring strategic alignment whilst remaining responsive to market and platform changes. This proactive approach ensures that BritBox can stay ahead in the competitive streaming landscape by planning for future innovations and improvements.
Measurable Success
The project achieved an exceptional Net Promoter Score in the high 9s, validating the team’s collaborative approach and user-focused design strategy.
This partnership transformed technical development into a dynamic, responsive process that consistently prioritised user experience and business goals.
The Approach and Framework Utilisation:
The adoption of the Lightning framework, a JavaScript solution that renders to WebGL, enabled FX Digital to deliver high-performance streaming applications across diverse devices. By leveraging GPU processing, the team created optimised apps that could run smoothly on lower-spec devices like older smart TVs and set-top boxes. This innovative approach solved a critical challenge: making BritBox’s content accessible to viewers with limited hardware capabilities.
Accessibility: Designing for Every Viewer
FX Digital embedded accessibility at the core of the BritBox app design, ensuring an inclusive experience for all users. By conducting rigorous accessibility audits using advanced Figma tools, the team proactively addressed potential barriers for users with visual, auditory, and motor impairments.
Key accessibility features include:
- Comprehensive screen element design to support diverse user needs
- Text-to-Speech (TTS) capabilities for enhanced navigation
- Thoughtful focus on visual contrast, font sizing, and intuitive interaction patterns
Conclusion
FX Digital and BritBox have built a scalable, high-performing CTV experience that connects with global audiences. By tackling technical challenges and optimising for device fragmentation, FX Digital has helped BritBox expand its reach and impact.
Looking ahead, FX Digital continues to drive innovation through:
- Platform-specific enhancements, ensuring native performance on every device.
- Automated testing at scale, for efficient, reliable releases as the platform evolves.
- Personalisation, to deliver more relevant content experiences.
As streaming grows more complex, success demands more than tech—it takes innovation, user empathy, and strategic vision.
As BritBox expands, FX Digital remains a trusted partner, delivering accessible, future-ready viewer experiences.
Let’s Transform Your Streaming Vision
Whether you’re looking to build a brand new CTV Apps, optimise for emerging devices, or enhance the performance of your Connected TV app — FX Digital is here to help.
📩 Get in touch to explore how we can bring your streaming ambitions to life.
