Advanced Television

Sky, Netflix join for ‘Ultimate On Demand’

September 19, 2018

Netflix is coming to Sky Q and with it a new Sky subscription pack: Ultimate On Demand.

Ultimate On Demand will be the UK’s biggest on demand TV service, bringing together for the first time Sky Box Sets, which boasts 400 of the best UK and US series, and the full Netflix service with its range of global entertainment.

In one package, subscribers will be able to access Sky original productions such as Patrick Melrose, Save Me and Tin Star, and US hits such as HBO’s Game of Thrones and Showtime’s Billions, alongside Netflix’s original dramas, films, comedies and documentaries, which include The Crown, Stranger Things, The Kissing Booth, Making a Murderer and Queer Eye.

Ultimate On Demand will be £10 a month for all new and existing customers alongside their Sky Q subscription, and with a 31-day rolling contract available, Sky says it is both flexible and great value.  Existing Sky Q customers with Netflix will be able to easily move their account to the new pack or sign in to the Netflix app on Sky Q using their existing Netflix account details.

“We want Sky Q to be the number one destination for TV fans,” commented Stephen van Rooyen, Chief Executive Officer, Sky UK and Ireland. “Partnering with Netflix means we will have all the best TV in one great value pack, making it even easier for you to watch all of your favourite shows.

“Innovation is at the core of Netflix,” declared Chris Whiteley, Director Business Development UK/IE, Netflix. “We are delighted to partner with Sky to offer fans a new and exciting way to access the best of entertainment from around the world.”

Customers with a Sky Q Entertainment subscription will get Netflix’s Standard plan (HD 2 streams) and Sky Box Sets in HD as part of Ultimate On Demand. And customers with Sky Q’s premium subscription, Sky Q Experience (multi-room viewing and Ultra HD), will enjoy Netflix’s Premium plan (Ultra HD, 4 streams) – amounting to more than 2,000 hours of Ultra HD content across Sky and Netflix.

Payment for the Ultimate On Demand pack will be added to customers’ monthly Sky bills, making it easier than ever to sign up and removing the need for separate payments for each service.

Titles available to download can be watched on the go, with Sky shows available through the Sky Go app and Netflix shows through the Netflix app.

According to technology, media and telco analyst Paolo Pescatore, Europe lags the US when it comes to cord cutting due to numerous reasons. “Among other things the pay TV penetration is a lot lower in Europe and has been dominated by a handful of players. However, both regions are seeing huge growth in binge watching driven by changing user behaviour towards on demand programming.”

“Sky wants to position itself as an aggregator of services as underlined by recent tie-ups. As important as bringing services together is to be offer users a seamless and integrated service experience. Therefore, the move further increases Sky’s own value as a one stop shop provider. More importantly it will also get access to Netflix’s catalogue and metadata which will prove more attractive to Disney (as Comcast is already working with Netflix).”

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