Playing BBC Radio on Home Hub

[Block]

I have always been able to play BBC radio stations on my Home Hub by asking 'play radio 4', but today it just responds 'i can't do that on here'. What has changed?

[JC43]

Not very helpful.  We’re pensioners and have already invested a lot into a hub, a mini, a big speaker and a Lenovo clock.  

[Tim54]

This is very annoying.  Problem was fixed for a while, but it has now returned

[LondonMatt]

Same here, glad it's being looked into!

Is there anywhere that announcements are made for things like this? There must be a lot of frustrated users out there. 

[Civvycivvy]

There are LondonMatt, very frustrated.

[WD1]

If you ask it to play "hay Google play radio 2 on BBC Sounds " it works 

[Filler]

This doesn't work for me 😢

[Davey1]

Doesn't work for me either...

[BattyM]

Tried that and it told me I need to update my Netflix account. I don't have one and why would you need  Netflix to listen to BBC!

[Dougal]

No - “Play BBC Radio 4 on BBC Sounds” only gives me the message that “Voice actions aren’t available for that app”. 
And that may in turn explain why the much trailed BBC “Smart Speaker play a BBC playlist” command didn’t work. 

[Gasman]

You just ned to say 'Hey Google, play BBC Radio4'
I just tried your request and got the same response.

BBC Radio (only one I generally ask for) has been working for a few weeks now after the huge fiasco when it did not.

[Bbeaz]

I get "voice actions aren't available for that app" when I try

[katyotter]

Tried that - it said 'voice actions aren't available for that app', Sooooo annoying!

[Anything]

Mine says voice activations aren’t available for that app 🙄

[Shanjp]

Not for me.  I have to put it on on my phone and cast it 

[Vixen_vg22]

Nor me, she says " I don't know but I've found these results on search " 🤦🏻‍♀️ it was all fine for me until about 9th April 

[kickmaleerie]

Does not work for me. I just get "Voice actions are not available for that app"

[Cheverells]

I tried that but it didn't wotk for me because it said I didn't have the app installed!

[Davey1]

One hub and two speakers not playing BBC for me. Only happened this morning. UK 08/04/23.

Thanks to everyone else who commented, seems like an ongoing problem getting worse?

[BattyM]

Same here, so annoying! 

[EmmaHo]

not working for me this morning 😢 

[TheFreedIndeed]

I have to report the same as so many others this morning (8 April):

"Hey Google, play Radio 4"  or "Hey Google, play Radio 4 from the BBC" used to work, but now generates the response "I can't do that here, but you can ask me to play it on one of your other devices"

"Hey Google, play BBC Radio 4 on BBC Sounds"  generates "Voice actions aren't available for that App"

From this thread I appreciate many have been struggling with this all week.  I guess I've just been lucky thus far... 😕

[Ageldridge]

I get exactly the same messages as reported here 

[Colin-8]

I’ve had the same problem for the last 2 days. on 4 google home minis.  I get the message “sorry I can’t do that yet” along with other messages mentioned in this thread. 

I’ve reset and reconfigured all the devices, rebooted the router but no change. A fix would be nice as playing BBC radio in multiple rooms is what I use the devices for most. 

[Vixen_vg22]

Same here, is probably my main use for the Google minis 

I've gone back to the Radio ! 

[Colin-8]

Replying to myself here. 

Still no fix to this problem. the main reason I bought Google devices is to multi room stream BBC Radio after I returned the main competitors smart speakers because they don't do it. It's ridiculous that the countries biggest and most important radio stations don't work on the two major smart speaker platforms, especially at a time when the BBC are running a promotion about using smart speakers.

It might be time to start investigating other ways to get multi room BBC Radio streaming with voice control but the options seem almost non existent. 

[Kevinsssss]

So this issue has been ongoing for a week and still no updates or solution for anyone?

[Gillymh]

Same here - very annoying!! 

[Dougal]

The BBC are trailing the use of the command “Smart speaker ask BBC sounds to play…” however when I ask Google that way to play BBC radio 4 I get a response starting “Hmm, it looks like that contact isn’t set up for Duo messaging…” 

My Google smart speaker isn’t being very smart about its relationship with the BBC. 

[TaraT]

The problem is now back for me again, affecting all the speakers in the house.

So, it first happened on Tuesday afternoon. It went away on Wednesday. It has returned on Saturday.

Feedback sent as suggested above.

[SimonM0]

The same for me as Tara T .... please fix this issue soon, as it is a major restriction on the use of the devices. 

[Missus]

I am also having issues. Now Google nest is telling me that it is using TuneIn and so it's using that old stream which  warns that it will be discontinued.  I have contacted thee BBC but this look like a Google configuration issue

[JC43]

Still can’t get BBC. No problems with other broadcasters or utube etc.  9/4 European date. 

[J51]

Good old fashioned Radio - for me. This is so darned annoying 

[Travisteeee]

This seems to be a problem in Australia with a radio station called 2GB part of the 9 network. 

[HelsBels]

This started to happen for us yesterday, which is very annoying as it’s the main things we use our Nest for. She is nearly in the bin! Any actual answer that works been submitted yet?

[Wrr1]

I have had the same issue this weekend, also tried reset and no change, any updates about this yet for reason this has stopped playing 

[Stennerz]

Not an answer but found this on BBC  posted wednesday:

Why can't I listen to live BBC radio on my Google speaker?

Smart speaker | Under investigation

*** Wednesday 5 April ***

We're aware of reports that live BBC streams aren't working on some Google Home, Nest and Mini devices. 

We are investigating and will update this page when we know more. 

In the meantime, affected users may wish to cast to their speaker from the BBC Sounds mobile app.

We all know casting isn't an answer but good that there is recognition from both sides, notwithstanding both are saying very little.

[JC43]

It seems to be progressive, not all at once. Some sort of “planned obsolescence”?
anyway, how do you “cast”?

[Kevinsssss]

You have to do it via your phone. Basically it seems that the BBC might be forcing everyone to download their 'BBC Sounds' app. Which I, honestly, find very annoying to navigate compared to just asking my hub to play the radio station.

[Speaker1]

If they want us to download the Sounds app why don't they just say so for goodness sake!!???