Sky has debuted a cheaper entry-level pack for £15 a month including the excellent Sky Stream box. Sky Essential TV will get you around 100 channels including Sky Atlantic as well as Netflix (with ads) and Discovery+, which includes access to TNT Sports and Eurosport content.
Sky Ultimate TV sits above this, with extra channels for £7 more including Sky Stream. This pack has got a little more expensive since Sky’s Black Friday deal, when it was available for £19 a month.
If you want Sky Glass, you can add that on, just as you can with Sky’s premium packs such as Sky Sports, Sky Cinema, Sky Kids or Ultra HD and Dolby Atmos (yes, that still costs more unfortunately).
Sky also says it is offering next-day delivery for Sky Stream and three-day delivery for Sky Glass. Note these offers are for new customers only and the prices are for 24 month deals, though you’re able to pay more each month and get them on a rolling month-long contract.
Whichever hardware you choose, you can also get access to all the streaming apps you’d expect such as Apple TV+, Prime Video, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4 and YouTube. As we mentioned, Netflix and Discovery+ are included in Sky’s bundles, too.
We spoke to Ben Case, Managing Director of Sky TV about the new deal. “We think it’s a really rich offering, we’re hoping that it will appeal to people who haven’t considered Sky before or found us too expensive. Given [the new package costs £15 a month] you get Netflix at £5, Discovery+ at £7, and then Sky content, including the Sky Stream puck. We think it’s unbelievable value.”
We also asked how Sky sees Essential TV sitting alongside Now TV: “We’re just as committed to now as we are to Sky Stream and Sky Glass. Now really serves as just a gateway to Sky content only. What Now doesn’t do is provide you with that aggregated big-screen experience,” continued Case.
“What’s better about Sky Stream is that you get all of that Sky content, but you also get BBC iPlayer alongside Spotify, alongside Netflix. Now can’t do that, and so I think if you’re watching on a big screen, especially if you’ve got a family with lots of different competing needs and content, the Sky Stream or Sky Glass experience is superior for those that just want to dip in and out of content.”
Your Sky TV options
Sky Essential TV – £15 a month
The new entry pack with Sky Stream includes Sky Atlantic, Netflix Standard with Ads and Discovery+, as well as free to air channels like BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sky News and Sky Arts.
Sky Ultimate TV – £22 a month
Sky Ultimate TV includes everything in Sky Essential TV and Sky Stream plus more channels such as Sky Max, Sky Comedy, Sky Documentaries, Sky Crime, Sky Showcase and Sky Witness (so including shows like Brassic, A League of Their Own and And Just Like That). Other premium channels include U&alibi, Comedy Central, U&GOLD and National Geographic.
NB Sky Glass can be added on from £14 a month.