Sky Stream is an affordable way to Netflix and chill
(Picture: Sky)Sky has launched yet another way to get its TV channels without a satellite dish. Called Sky Stream, the service delivers Sky TV and other services – such as Netflix and Disney+ – over home broadband instead of via a dish.
Sky Stream is built on the same platform as Sky Glass, which launched last year. However, instead of having to buy an expensive television with the streaming capabilities built in, Sky Stream is delivered via a small streaming device that you plug into your existing television, making it a much less costly proposition.
Sky claims Sky Stream will offer the most affordable way to get Sky TV and Netflix together, with packages starting from £26 per month. Customers can either subscribe on a 31-day rolling plan or take out an 18-month contract to benefit from cheaper channel packages.
Customers who want Sky Stream on multiple televisions throughout the home can take out the Whole Home package for an extra £12 per month, which lets them have up to five additional Sky Stream devices. There’s also a £39.95 set-up fee for Sky Stream, reduced to £20 for those on 18-month contracts.
The company claims that Sky Stream will offer many of the same benefits as the full Sky Glass offering, including a voice-activated remote control, the ability to restart live TV programmes if you join midway through, and the same Sky Glass user interface that brings live TV channels and other streaming apps together in one place.
Sky Stream will run alongside Sky’s Now TV, which also allows you to stream various Sky TV channels to smart televisions, phones, tablets, and computers.
The launch throws further doubt on the future of Sky’s traditional satellite-dish products, such as Sky Q. The company denied reports earlier this week that it was planning to phase out the installation of new satellite dishes by the end of 2023. However, with customers able to install streaming services themselves and with the huge costs involved in satellite broadcasting, it feels like only a matter of time before Sky shifts to streaming-only products, even if the satellite cut-off is years away.
