TalkTalk secures Sky content deal
October 7, 2016
UK quad-play operator TalkTalk has stepped up its continued commitment to TV with a renewed deal to offer its customers premium Sky content.
The new multi-year agreement will give TalkTalk TV customers continued access to Sky entertainment channels such as Sky 1 and Sky Living. In addition, TalkTalk will continue to offer live and on-demand content from Sky Sports, Sky Cinema, and pay-per-view service Sky Box Office.
The deal comes after a number of significant strategic developments from TalkTalk to boost its TV offering and rival competitors.
After acquiring SVoD service blinkbox in 2015, TalkTalk launched multi device pay-as-you-go movies and TV service, TalkTalk TV Store. The service offers the ability to stream, rent and buy-to-own popular boxsets and the latest movies at Britain’s lowest price – with no monthly subscription.
This summer the company also added BT Sport channels ahead of the start of the Premier League, giving TalkTalk subscribers access to every major televised football match and live sporting action in one place.
Later this year, TalkTalk will unveil upgrades to its set-top box which will make it faster and simpler for viewers to find more of what they love. The enhancements to the service will also offer a more personalised viewing experience.
Aleks Habdank, Managing Director, TalkTalk TV, described the deal as “an unequivocal demonstration of TalkTalk’s continued commitment to TV”, suggesting the service is going from strength to strength and that TalkTalk’s ambition to be the UK’s best value for money TV provider – offering customers flexible access to the widest range of free and paid for content – was firmly on track.
“Our investment in YouView, our app-based service, and securing some to the best content available is incredibly valued by our customers. TV continues to be a driving force for growth and customer loyalty and remains a priority for our business,” he added.
“We are delighted to be able to build on our partnership with TalkTalk,” added Mark Winterbottom, Business Development Director at Sky. “This deal enables its customers to enjoy the quality and breadth of Sky’s content for years to come, and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to broad distribution.”
TalkTalk launched its TV offering, using the YouView platform, in 2012 and it quickly became Britain’s fastest growing TV service. To date around 1.4 million customers, over a third of all TalkTalk homes, take TV from the value for money provider. As a result of a number of high profile content deals, TalkTalk TV viewers have access to Netflix, hit HBO shows such as Game of Thrones and blockbuster movies from all major studios.