This affordable Sky Stream deal just got much better overnight …and Sky TV can’t take the credit
Netflix just hiked prices for millions of subscribers in the UK, including raising the monthly fee for its ad-supported plan for the first time since its introduction in November 2022. The cheapest way to stream shows like Squid Game, Bridgerton, The Crown, Stranger Things, and Celebrity Bear Hunt is now £5.99 a month.
Despite the rising cost of Netflix, one company that has not followed in its footsteps with a price hike is Sky TV.
Yes, the cost of its newest package — Essential TV, which includes a Netflix subscription — remains £15 a month.
This subscription shake-up means that one of the best Sky Stream deals is now even better.
For that monthly fee, you’ll take delivery of its newest Sky Stream set-top box, access to live and on-demand content from Sky Atlantic, Netflix Standard with Ads (now worth £5.99) and Discovery+ (worth £3.99). There’s no upfront cost and next-day delivery is included as standard.
Sign-up for Essential TV and avoid Netflix’s UK price rise
Netflix increased its UK pricing on February 6 — a fortnight after it confirmed price hikes for the US and Canada. New subscribers pay the higher monthly fees immediately, while existing subscribers will be contacted by email with a timeline based on their billing cycle. The ad-supported plan increases from £4.99 to £5.99, the Standard plan increases from £9.99 to £11.99, and Premium subscribers increase from £16.99 to £18.99.
Sky Stream has never been this affordable. The broadcaster has just launched an affordable new bundle of channels and on-demand services, dubbed TV Essentials. It includes its plug-and-play Sky Stream box, over 100 live channels including Sky Atlantic — the exclusive home of shows like Game of Thrones, And Just Like That, and The White Lotus. You’ll also find a subscription to Netflix and Discovery+ included too and can upgrade to Sky Cinema and Sky Sports at an extra cost.
Of course, there’s a chance this monthly subscription will increase in the future, but for now, Sky Stream viewers will be shielded from the latest price increase from Netflix. While Sky Q — which still relies on a satellite dish to access its exclusive channels — viewers must pay extra for High Definition (HD), Sky Stream lets you watch in 1080p HD quality at no extra cost.
You can pause and rewind live telly via Wi-Fi as long as you have a minimum download speed of 25Mbps.
Existing Netflix subscribers who want to switch to Essential TV will be able to keep their existing profile — complete with viewing history and recommendations. Payment for your subscription will just be bundled as part of your Sky TV subscription.
You can continue to log in on other devices, like a phone or tablet. If you want to upgrade to Netflix Standard or Netflix Premium, you’ll need to pay an extra £5 and £10, respectively.
Essential TV includes access to Sky Atlantic, which is home to prestige US dramas and exclusive Sky TV shows like House of the Dragon, Succession, The Last Of Us, Euphoria, …And Just Like That, Game Of Thrones, Mare Of Eastown, Chernobyl, The Wire, and The Sopranos, to name just a few.
5 details that Sky never told you about its Sky Stream box
Other Sky TV channels, like Sky Sports News, U&Gold, Comedy Central, MTV, Sky Crime, National Geographic, and Sky History, are reserved for the Ultimate TV package, which costs £22 a month. For that, you’ll also find a Netflix Standard with Ads subscription bundled as part of your telly package.
Whatever package you decide on, since there’s no satellite dish with Sky Stream, there’s no need to organise an engineer appointment.
Order today and your Sky Stream box should be delivered tomorrow. Getting connected with Sky Stream is speedier than traditional set-top boxes, like Sky+ and Sky Q, as there’s no need to wait for the satellite engineers to organise an appointment and start drilling into the side of your home.
Instead, the moment Sky Stream drops through your letterbox, simply plug in the power and HDMI cables and follow the on-screen instructions. And that’s it.
Sky Stream is the latest set-top box launched by the teams at Sky TV. It offers access to dozens of live television channels — with the ability to pause and rewind.
On-demand catalogues from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky TV are combined with shows and films from streamers like Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, and Prime Video in the main menu. AI will intelligently suggest new shows based on your viewing history from across all of these apps.
Sky Stream also supports fitness apps and music streaming services, like Spotify.
The small box runs EntertainmentOS, a bespoke operating system developed by Sky TV to stream linear channels and seamlessly blend catch-up services and streamers.
Searching for titles and actors on Sky Stream will scour live channels, the Sky Store, and signed-in streaming services, ensuring you don’t pay for included content.
Sign-up for Essential TV and avoid Netflix’s UK price rise
It also supports voice commands, eliminating the need to tiresomely type on the on-screen keyboard using the directional pad on your remote. Quoting from your favourite films can also find titles on Sky Stream.
Sky Stream supports up to 4K UHD quality and Dolby Atmos, although you’ll need to pay extra to unlock this premier standard in all the apps, live channels, and on-demand boxsets available to stream on your box.
Sky Stream has never been this affordable. The broadcaster has just launched an affordable new bundle of channels and on-demand services, dubbed TV Essentials. It includes its plug-and-play Sky Stream box, over 100 live channels including Sky Atlantic — the exclusive home of shows like Game of Thrones, And Just Like That, and The White Lotus. You’ll also find a subscription to Netflix and Discovery+ included too and can upgrade to Sky Cinema and Sky Sports at an extra cost.