Sky is ditching the dish. For the first time, you'll be able to get full Sky packages without a bowl on the side of your house with a new online service launching in the next six months.
Up until now, Sky's online services, such as Sky Go, have acted as catch-up or on-demand add-ons for customers who already have a dish. But while it will continue to beam your TV via satellites, you'll be able to subscribe directly to Sky Sports, Sky Movies and the rest without sending a man up a ladder on the side of your house.
Sky has clearly seen the writing on the wall in terms of opening up TV across as many platforms as possible. BBC iPlayer's record viewing figures show just how popular online and mobile viewing is, Netflix has just lobbed a hand grenade into the online streaming market, and Sky Go gets up to 3 million viewers during big Premier League games. So it's definitely time for Sky to catch that wave of people who want premium programming but don't want a dish.
Just today, Sky also announced that Sky Go lands on Android phones and tablets in February. Android owners will soon be able to watch Sky 1, Sky Living and Sky Arts 1.
Sky is bringing BBC iPlayer to Sky Anytime+ this year, and offers Sky Anytime on Virgin Media. And it's gone all-in for apps such as Sky remote control and Sky News.
The new online service hasn't been named and there's no details of pricing, but Sky has confirmed it will offer pay as you go options, or you can pay on a month-by-month basis whenever you feel like it. And the service will ditch the dish very soon, launching in the first half of 2012.
Is this the biggest development in Sky's history since it nailed up its first dish to the side of someone's house, back in 1990? Are you tempted by Sky without the dish? Dish in the comments or on our dishy Facebook page.
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Comments 9
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anonymous 31 January, 2012 10:14
Are we still talking HD quality over broadband..? How slow will that be to download and will it affect data download limits?
anonymous 31 January, 2012 10:31
They sure are taking their sweet old time launching the Sky Go service for Android… God knows how long it’ll be until they offer optical broadband!!!
As for Sky going online – not sure what the quality will be like given the measly speeds I’m currently getting from them…
iam a wp7 31 January, 2012 11:26
They should have done this years ago. Seems like a waste of time now though. A couple of years ago there were still quite a few people without sky or virgin media etc. So launching this service then would have made sense as it would have attracted many of these people. Launching now though makes less sense because nearly everyone already has sky or virgin or BT Vision. If they dont have them now I dont think they will ever be interested in getting it.
As for the Sky Go I think its a waste of time. I am a football fan and would never dream of watching a game on my phone while out and about. The main reason is you would run through your data plan in no time watching just one 90+ mins game of football.
To get just 1 gig of data a month on Oranges Sim only plan you have to spend £36 a month!!! On a sim only plan!!!
The other reason is when your out your normally out doing something. Never have I been out and thought iam not doing anything I might watch a football match on my phone.
You could say you can use Wi-Fi but in that case you may aswell just watch football on your TV as if you are connected to Wi-Fi your most likely going to be at home.
Rant over.
anonymous 31 January, 2012 15:32
This sounds like it could be the answer im looking for.
I dont watch normal tv very often these days, normally just as filler. Even then the only non freeview channel I watch tends to be sky one and that's only a few times a year when one of the shows I like is on (such as Fringe). I'm often either watching stuff through my itunes or on netflix all streamed through my apple tv box these days.
If sky released a service where I could get normal TV through my apple tv box which basically was the freeview channels plus sky for a sensible sum of money (£10 or what ever a month) then that would be pretty much perfect for me.
I currently have virgin and while there service is good there isn't a sensibly priced package that has just those channels and the ability to record, the price between there lowest package and highest package isnt very big so we just go for the biggest package for the sake of value.
I would assume a service like sky is suggesting would have catch up services so you could just watch the shows your interested in on demand.
To early to call but it could be a great thing.
mattbabs 31 January, 2012 15:34
Unless Sky get into fibre-optic broadband I can't see them competing in areas with Virgin/BT fibre. I left Virgin years ago when they stopped carrying Sky1 (and it showed programmes I watched). I switched to Sky and really loved Sky+ and then HD. But I'm still on "upto 20 meg" broadband that only gives me 4 meg. I will probably go back to Virgin as for the same price I can have a Tivo and 20-30 meg broadband. I don't really want the hassle of switching back but Sky won't be able to do anything about my broadband speed.
anonymous 31 January, 2012 19:01
the brilliance of Sky Go on a phone is that if youre not able to be home when great sports events are on, you at least have an option. if its on an iPad you basically got another TV with Sky on it which is SOOOO great when you wake up 2 mins before kick off and are too lazy to some down stairs. :). cant wait to watch the F1 coverage in BED during the races in the Far East. same goes for UFC on ESPN. its a great great service. Im not really sure though how useful the new internet service will be to those who already have dishes....
billfred 3 February, 2012 16:19
@where are you getting your data from that "now nearly everyone" has a premium TV package. (BT vision BTW, don't make me laugh!!) <br />
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I have Sky in a shared house and I think I would prefer an internet alternative, if I was living on my own or with my girlfriend Sky is definitely not worth the money! The TV they provide is over priced and at the slight hint of wind or rain half the channels stop working! I do like the Sky app on the Xbox though, so If they had more channels on Sky Go service I would be tempted. <br />
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As for the Sky Go app on Android I totally agree with the 2nd commenter. Where the **** is it?!<br />
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So if Virgin step up their game with an Xbox and smartphone app I could see myself committing to them as they do a pretty good job with my BB.
billfred 3 February, 2012 16:20
@iam a wp7 where are you getting your data from that "now nearly everyone" has a premium TV package. (BT vision BTW, don't make me laugh!!)
I have Sky in a shared house and I think I would prefer an internet alternative, if I was living on my own or with my girlfriend Sky is definitely not worth the money! The TV they provide is over priced and at the slight hint of wind or rain half the channels stop working! I do like the Sky app on the Xbox though, so If they had more channels on Sky Go service I would be tempted.
As for the Sky Go app on Android I totally agree with the 2nd commenter. Where the f*** is it?!
So if Virgin step up their game with an Xbox and smartphone app I could see myself committing to them as they do a pretty good job with my BB.
jk80 7 March, 2012 20:57
Offering a reasonably priced alternative method of watching stuff like Game of Thrones and so rather than - ahem - 'other means' might tempt quite a few. £10 a month max, I think though, esp if it's sans sports.