BBC Red Button (formally BBCi) is the successor to BBC CEEFAX, which was only available on analogue television. RB is a digital service and was introduced to homes across the UK in 1999, through services like ntl: and Sky Digital. 

Note that this is the text-based Red Button and not the new BBC iPlayer shite they're rolling out. BBC Red Button runs on a technology called MHEG, and doesn't require an internet connection to use, as all the content is delivered through the aerial. VM and Sky used different technologies to show you Red Button.

The service used to be available on Virgin Media and Sky, however has since been removed and is currently only surviving on Freeview. 

The BBC tried to shut the service down in 2020, however a bunch of people backlashed. The BBC has since begun stripping down Red Button. 

The current notable features Red Button still has are:

• Ability to read news

• Find out information about travel, find out about incidents on the motorway (road traffic collisions and roadworks). 

• Get the latest sport information from BBC Sport

• Get the latest weather information from BBC Weather 

Red Button on Cbeebies and CBBC is incredibly stripped down, and has barely any features, compared to its sibling channels BBC One and BBC Two.