Sky is offering a free trial for Sky Stream that gives users access to the Sky Entertainment package plus a Netflix Standard with adverts subscription.
The news comes as Sky is planning to raise the price of its Sky Entertainment package by £2 a month, to a total of £31.
Sky Stream is a streaming service that basically gives users access to Sky TV but without needing a satellite dish installed. Instead of the dish, you get a streaming device that plugs into the back of your TV, similar to an Amazon Fire TV Stick, Roku streaming stick or the Apple TV 4K box.
As an alternative Sky streaming can also be accessed by purchasing a Sky Glass TV, but that’s a lot less appealing as it’s unlikely that most people are willing to trade their existing telly just to access the service, especially if that telly happens to be superior – such as an LG or Samsung OLED TV, for example.
The advantage of no satellite dish is that installation is easier, and it can enable Sky to come to properties that previously couldn’t get it very easily, such as some kinds of flats. So long as you have a decent internet connection, with Sky recommending at least 25 Mbps, you’re ready to sign up.
Sky Stream offers a refreshed user interface that’s slicker and more modern-looking than the one you get with Sky Q, and it’s said to be easier to use. Instead of the dish, you get a 4K and HDR-enabled Sky Stream Puck device, though you’ll need to pay a premium to access either one. One disadvantage is that there’s no hard drive with it, so it’s not possible to record TV shows to watch in future. However, because most of the content is on-demand, you can simply add it to your playlist and watch whenever you want.
Sky’s real advantage, compared to not having it, is that it’s by far the best service in the U.K. for accessing live sports, especially Premier League football, though it must be pointed out that streams tend to come with a slight delay of a few seconds, which means if someone next door is watching the match and you suddenly hear a big cheer, then you can guess that something is about to happen imminently.
That said, there’s still a lot to like about Sky Stream, which is why the company has been such a dominant force in U.K. TV for decades already, and now it’s aiming to entice more subscribers with its free trial. You’ll need to provide your credit or debit card details, but there’s no obligation to continue, so you’re getting free access to all it offers for an entire month, with no questions asked.
But takers beware: The package will auto-renew itself at the end of the month for £31, so you’ll need to specifically opt out before that happens. The price drops to £28 per month if you’re willing to sign up for a full 18 months.
