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Sky customers are up in arms after a recent change downgraded them to a cheaper, ad-riddled version of a popular streaming app.
After two years of uninterrupted Paramount Plus streams, Sky switched Sky Cinema users to the streaming service’s basic tier with ads from January 21.
As news spread about the change, customers made it clear they weren’t happy with the downgrade.
“It is totally out of order. I have been a sky customer for over 20 years. I am now thinking of cancelling our Sky subscription totally over this. I just can't get on with adverts at all,” an angry user wrote on Sky’s online community forum.
Another Sky customer wrote: "I've just discovered this while watching an episode of Tulsa King. 3 ad breaks of 60-90 seconds each. Very surprising, as I watched an episode of Lioness last night with no ads. I had no previous knowledge of this change."
As that comment shows, the move is causing confusion, with customers claiming it wasn’t communicated properly.
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“Looking at my account it says I have Paramount + Basic with ads. I'm 99% sure that wasn’t the case before. Have I missed something as I've had no warning from Sky as to this change,” wrote another user baffled by the change.
However, there’s more bad news for those averse to ads: Sky isn’t offering customers the option to upgrade to a Paramount Plus membership sans adverts.
And, those who have tried to switch memberships have been met with mixed messages.
Despite reaching out to both Sky and Paramount, a frustrated customer on X said they were stuck in a loop with no clear way to upgrade to the ad-free version.
Already done that & the message from them is to contact the platform that I get subscription from which is Sky as I get it free with sky movies!
— Miss Leeny (@missleeny) January 28, 2025
How many ads are on Paramount Plus?
Adding insult to injury, a comparison of premium streaming services found that Paramount Plus airs the most ads, with around 10 minutes of commercials per hour.
This isn’t the first time Sky customers have been caught off guard by sudden changes to their TV plans. Last year, Sky was forced to shift viewers to Netflix with ads, leading to a similar outcry.
Paramount Plus prices and plans explained
In both cases, the change was driven by adjustments made to the streaming services’ membership tiers.
Netflix axed its Basic tier, while Paramount Plus went from a single subscription plan to three tiers late last year.
They include a basic plan, at £4.99, with full HD streaming and access to the entire content library – but with ads and only one device streaming at a time.
For £7.99, the Standard plan upgrades you to ad-free streaming, two simultaneous streams, and downloadable content.
Meanwhile, the Premium tier, priced at £10.99, offers 4K UHD, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and four simultaneous streams, all with no ads and downloadable content.