Sky Go on the blocks
June 13, 2011
By Colin Mann
Beginning in July, all Sky TV customers will have the opportunity to watch Sky channels and programmes on PCs, laptops, mobiles and tablets at no extra charge.
Available free to all Sky TV customers from July 6, Sky Go – which brings together two existing services: Sky Player, Sky’s online TV service, and Sky Mobile TV -will provide flexible access to Sky content across multiple devices including the iPhone, iPad, PC and Mac. Designed to offer even more value from the Sky subscription, this will allow customers to watch live linear channels in line with their subscription while on the move in the UK and Ireland.
The initiative aims to give customers yet more control and choice over how, when and where they enjoy Sky. Each Sky home will be entitled to register up to two devices, through which they can enjoy access to live channels and selected on-demand content.
On mobile and tablet devices, customers will be able to access all five Sky Sports channels, ESPN and Sky News, with further channels to be added over time.
On laptops and computers customers will be able to access more than 30 live channels, including all five Sky Sports channels, Sky Movies, Sky News, Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Arts, MTV, Disney, G.O.LD, Nickelodeon, NatGeo, History, Eden and ESPN, supported by an extensive library of on-demand content.
Sky Go – which shares its rebranding with its Sky Deutschland counterpart – will be available from August to non-Sky TV customers, with monthly subscriptions priced from £15 to £40 (€17-€45). Sky will also remain available on Xbox and Fetch TV, but will rebrand simply as Sky from the current Sky Player).
Sky plans to leverage the Wi-Fi coverage available via the The Cloud, the public Wi-Fi network it acquired January 27. The Cloud offers wireless access in over 4,500 public locations – across coffee shops, hotels, restaurants, public transport hubs and other public spaces. Sky says that out-of-home Wi-Fi will support a higher quality experience for online services including Sky Go and other high bandwidth services and applications. Further details on the roll out of the network, including timings, will be announced in due course.
According to Stephen van Rooyen, Deputy MD of Sky’s Customer Group,the explosion of smartphones and tablets demonstrates the increasing consumer demand for accessing entertainment and communicating on the move. “We have already responded to this by offering a range of services, including live TV, across many new innovative platforms and devices, like laptops and iPhones. Clearly the consumer appetite is there, and it’s growing. In responding to that, and to create even more value, choice and flexibility for our customers, we are now going to offer online and mobile access to Sky content at no extra charge. The future support of a nationwide Wi-Fi network will help us supercharge that experience further still,” he claimed.