Introduction to Sky

Sky is the leading subscription-based digital TV provider in the UK. It also happens to provide broadband (both ADSL and fibre) as well as home phone services.

It offers the widest range of channels, including 37 that are in crystal-clear High Definition (HD).

The channels are grouped into themed Entertainment Mixes, so you only pay for the kinds of shows you want to watch.

Bundling

The basic package comes with a Sky Box, a wireless router, basic broadband and free evening and weekend calls. You also get your choice of one of Sky's Entertainment Mixes, like the Style and Culture Mix or the Music Mix.

If you want faster broadband or more channels, Sky makes it easy to mix and match packages to fit your needs.

Sky digital TV

You can also upgrade from the standard Sky Box to the Sky+ Box or the new Sky+HD box. With Sky+, you can pause and rewind live TV, so you can get up and make a cuppa without missing a moment of the action.

It also lets you record an entire season of your favourite show without the hassle of video tapes or DVDs. Sky+HD adds the wealth of High Definition content and extra storage space.

You can also subscribe to a service called Sky Multiroom. With Multiroom, you can have an extra box to watch different channels in different rooms at the same time.

There'll be no more fighting over the remote because each member of the family gets to watch the shows he loves, even if those overlap.

Whether you're a sports fan, a film buff or an arty type, Sky offers the widest range of television channels to suit your interests. With Sky's Entertainment Mixes, you only pay for the kind of shows you want to watch. Choose from 6 different mixes including Music Mix, Kids Mix and News & Events Mix.

There are also 2 Premium Mixes. Movies Mix comes with 10 different film channels, each dedicated to a specific genre. Sky Sports Mix gives you over 100 sports on 4 different channels, including live Barclays Premier League games. It's essential for any sports fan.

If you have a high definition TV, you'll love Sky's 37 dedicated HD channels. Sky has more live HDTV than any other provider.

The Sky+ Box allows you to pause and rewind live TV, so you'll never miss a crucial moment because the phone rang. You can record entire seasons of your favourite shows with the touch of a button. There's no need to program complicated timers or mess about with video tapes. With Sky+, it couldn't be simpler. The standard Sky+ Box stores up to 40 hours of television. You'll never have to schedule your night around the TV guide.

The more expensive Sky+ HD Box is great for fans of Sky's dedicated high definition channels. It has double the capacity of the standard Sky+ Box and can store up to 30 hours of HD programmes, or up to 80 hours of standard definition programmes.

Did you miss that show that everyone is talking about? With Sky's Anytime TV, you can watch the most popular programmes up to a week later, at no extra cost. Anytime TV lets you choose from a selection of hit shows, as well as hidden gems that you may not normally watch. Watch what you want, when you want.

Why it may not be right for you

When you sign up for Sky, their engineers will come to your house to install a satellite dish. If you live in a flat, this may not be allowed. Be sure to get the consent of your landlord or freeholder before you sign up.

Sky TV is transmitted via satellite, but its broadband comes in through a telephone landline. If you live outside of Sky's broadband network area, and want to take its broadband product, you will have to pay extra for internet access.

Also, Sky's basic phone package includes free UK evening and weekend calls, which is great for talking to your family and friends at those times. However, if you mostly make calls during the day or to overseas, this may not be the best option for you. However, you have an option to upgrade to Sky Talk Unlimited, which gives you free daytime calls to UK landlines and 20 international destinations. With either option, you will still have to pay monthly BT line rental, which is not included in the price.

There is something else to consider. The actual broadband speed you get will depend on the quality of your phone line and your distance from the telephone exchange. In some areas, you could be paying for 8Mbps but getting a lot less.

Sky history

From a single satellite and 4 channels, Sky has grown into the UK's largest subscription-based digital television provider, offering over 300 channels, fast broadband and free calls.

Sky is operated by the British Sky Broadcasting Group (BSkyB), which is part-owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation.

It began in 1989 as a 4-channel network, with the launch of the Astra satellite. By 1990, Sky had 1m UK customers. These days Sky has over 9m direct subscribers and 3.2m more through a partnership with Virgin Media.

The 4 channels have expanded to over 300, including 100+ digital entertainment channels and 200 free to air channels. With such a great selection, you can always find something to watch, any time of day or night.

While Sky is most famous for its digital TV, it also offers broadband and free telephone calls. In 2006, BSkyB acquired the networking company Easynet, and in July of that year launched a broadband internet service for all its customers naming it Sky Broadband.

Sky joined other triple-play providers in offering packages that include digital TV, broadband and phone. It means you can pick and choose the services you want and save money in the process.

Sky's popularity has been boosted by the launch of its own news and sports channels. The most famous of these is Sky Sports. Since its launch in 1990, Sky Sports has outgrown its single channel and now takes up 5.

If you're a sports fan, you can't beat Sky Sports' coverage. However, these channels are also available from other providers, including Virgin Media and Tiscali (now TalkTalk).

All Sky broadband packages include a 12-month subscription to McAfee Internet Security Suite. This means that you can surf with confidence knowing that you have the latest technology to fight virtual intruders. McAfee also has parental control features, which can filter out websites that may be inappropriate for children.

TV upgrade options

You can add up to 5 other Entertainment Mixes for £1 a month each.
- Variety Mix
- Music Mix
- Style Mix
- News Mix
- Knowledge Mix
- Kids Mix
- Sky Movies Mix
- Sky Sports Mix

Sky boxes

A Sky box or Sky Digibox is a digital satellite TV receiver marketed by Sky in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Put simply, the Sky box decodes signals from satellites high up in space above the UK and displays digital satellite TV on our televisions at home. The Sky box is connected to a satellite dish (Sky calls its small dishes minidishes) which receives the signals from space.
There are three different types of the Sky box:

Sky box - standard option

The Sky box is the standard option for Sky customers. It doesn't have enhanced features such as recording - which is only available on Sky+ or Sky+ HD boxes.
The basic features you can get with a Sky box are:
- Access to your chosen Sky Digital TV package;
- The Sky Digital EPG;
- Interactive services.
The Sky box gives you access to games and interactive services such as Sky Active. You can also order movies and major sporting events from your remote control with Sky Box Office. These features are only available if your Sky box is plugged into a working landline telephone socket.

Remember that if you do have your Sky box connected to a phone line and you have broadband at home, you should fit an ADSL filter to your Sky box to reduce interference on your broadband connection and home phone line.

A Sky box is a great way to access the world of Sky TV. But if you want better features such as recording and high-definition digital TV viewing you should consider a Sky+ or Sky+ HD Box.

Sky+ box

The Sky+ box has revolutionised the way we watch digital TV. A Sky+ box has all the basic features of the Sky box but its main feature is recording. The Sky+ box enables you to pause, rewind and record live digital TV, record an entire series of your favourite show using series link, record one digital TV programme while watching another and record two digital TV programmes while playing back a recorded digital TV programme. Programmes are recorded to a hard drive in the Sky+ box so there's no need for tapes or discs. The Sky+ box also includes one touch recording and the on-demand Sky Anytime service.

Another great service for Sky+ is Sky+ Remote Record. This allows you to set your Sky+ to record a programme using your mobile phone when you're out - so there's no excuse for missing your favourite shows!

Sky+ HD box

Sky+ HD combines all the best features of Sky+ and tops it off with stunning high definition digital TV.
When you compare the Sky+ HD picture quality to your standard Sky+ box picture you probably won't be going back to standard definition ever again!

With a Sky+ HD box you get:
- Access to 35 HD digital TV channels
- Sky Anytime
- Enhanced Sky+ HD EPG
- Double the hard drive space for recording

To watch Sky+ HD channels you need a HD ready TV.