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Greg1988
Avid Contributor I
Dec 14, 2021 9:05 AM UTC
Answered

BBC Sounds - Google Assistant

Hi,

Now that BBC sounds is on Sonos, does anyone know how to change the Google Assistant default from TuneIn to BBC Sounds? My Google Home Mini uses BBC Sounds. There’s still some BBC stations that aren’t are on TuneIn like Radio 1 Relax and Radio 1 Dance 

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    James L.
    James L.Answer
    Retired Community Staff
    Dec 20, 2021 9:30 AM UTC

    Hi @Greg1988,

     

    It doesn’t appear that BBC Sounds is able to be added as a default music/radio service on non-Google hardware yet. 

    BBC Sounds is still in preview, so it’s possible that this feature may not launch until the service goes fully live, but it’s also possible that the BBC may not enable it at all.

    I suggest reaching out to the BBC Sounds team for confirmation.

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    15 replies

    James L.
    James L.Answer
    Retired Community Staff
    Dec 20, 2021 9:30 AM UTC

    Hi @Greg1988,

     

    It doesn’t appear that BBC Sounds is able to be added as a default music/radio service on non-Google hardware yet. 

    BBC Sounds is still in preview, so it’s possible that this feature may not launch until the service goes fully live, but it’s also possible that the BBC may not enable it at all.

    I suggest reaching out to the BBC Sounds team for confirmation.

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    Mark good posts by pressing the like button, and select the best answer on questions you've asked to help others find solutions.
      Greg1988Author
      Avid Contributor I
      Dec 20, 2021 9:53 AM UTC

      Hi @James L.,

       

      Thank you, I’ll keep an eye out incase anything changes when fully released

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        JD1702
        Contributor I
        Jan 29, 2022 11:32 AM UTC

        I'm still new to sonos, but not sure why bbc needs to be set as default? Is there not a command that will let you play on BBC? 

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        Greg1988Author
        Avid Contributor I
        Jan 30, 2022 9:59 PM UTC

        On the Google Home Mini, when you ask for Radio 1 it plays from BBC sounds not TuneIn. You can also play new BBC station, eg BBC Dance/BBC Calm with commands on Google Home Mini

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        Crantock
        Lyricist I
        Apr 15, 2022 6:59 AM UTC

        I am having issues with access to BBC radio programmes as sonos defaults to TuneIn as opposed to BBC sounds. Anyone else made this work?

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          JD1702
          Contributor I
          Apr 15, 2022 8:26 AM UTC

          Yeah there is an ifttt workaround. 

           

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            Hefalump
            Lyricist II
            Apr 15, 2022 1:03 PM UTC

            Playing BBC radio stations on Sonos using google assistant just stopped working for me today. It seems this has been disabled by the BBC as it previously worked great all the time (ie worked up until last night) streaming from TuneIn but now that’s stopped. When I open the TuneIn app and try playing BBC radio 6 it I says not available in my region - I’m in Northern Ireland in the UK! When I ask google assistant to play radio 6 from bbc sounds it doesn’t know what I mean, always says “ok, playing bbc radio 6 from TuneIn” then …. Nothing. It’s the thing I listen to most and they’ve just f**king crippled it!!!! Ugh, way to go BBC, nice and user friendly, NOT.

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              106rallye
              106rallye
              Apr 15, 2022 1:23 PM UTC

              Have you read this message?

              UK listeners need to listen through BBC sounds.

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                SRJz
                Lyricist I
                Apr 15, 2022 9:43 PM UTC

                The problem is that, using Google Assistant via voice and saying "Play BBC Radio 4" (my Google Nest Mini is set up to play all audio via my Sonos SL) still tries to play the radio station via TuneIn...and we've already established that BBC radio isn't on TuneIn any more, so the request fails. I tried saying "Play BBC Radio 4 on BBC Sounds", and that still tried to complete the request with TuneIn, and failed. This is likely to be down to a basic inconsistency in services, and I'm sure it'll clear itself up at some point. But it's irritating nonetheless! 

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                  Greg1988Author
                  Avid Contributor I
                  Apr 20, 2022 9:17 AM UTC

                  Yeah there is an ifttt workaround. 

                   

                  This worked for me, thank you. I just had to find a command that wasn’t already being used by Google Assistant 👍

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