Sky has confirmed a new multi-year agreement with satellite operator SES that will keep Sky Q services running across the UK and Ireland well into the next decade. The deal eases concerns that the popular set-top box could be phased out as Sky pushes customers towards its newer streaming devices.
New agreement extends satellite commitment
Sky's previous satellite capacity deal with SES was due to run until 2029. The new agreement extends that commitment further, providing a major boost for Sky Q users who are not ready to make the switch to streaming.
Millions of UK homes still rely on Sky Q to watch shows, movies and live sport, but it has fallen out of favour in recent years. Sky is increasingly promoting its Sky Glass and Sky Stream products, which use the internet to beam content directly into living rooms. Sky Q has also become increasingly difficult to find on the company's website, prompting speculation that its days could be numbered.
Sky's statement on the deal
“As we give customers more choice in how they access Sky, satellite continues to play an important role in how we deliver our services to customers across the UK and Ireland,” said Nick Herm, Group Chief Operating Officer at Sky. “This agreement with SES provides the reliability, reach and service quality we need to continue delivering the viewing experience our satellite customers expect.”
The news comes hot on the heels of Sky confirming a major update for its Glass and Stream devices. The incoming changes include an easier way to jump straight into live TV, while a new menu bar across the top of the homepage will provide quicker access to favourites.
Recordings feature arrives on streaming devices
Perhaps the biggest change is the arrival of a full “Recordings” option on Glass and Stream – a feature Sky Q users have long taken for granted. The update will let customers manage recordings, choose specific programmes to record and delete them once they have been watched. That is a dramatic shift from the current Playlists system, which features less control over those recordings.
These changes should make Sky's streaming products feel much more familiar to long-standing Sky Q customers – and could help persuade more people to make the switch. That said, Sky Q clearly is not ready for the scrapheap just yet, and it seems loyal users are happy staying put.
Analyst says Sky Q is not dead yet
“Sky Q is not dead yet,” analyst Paolo Pescatore told Express.co.uk. “If anything, these latest Sky OS updates underline both Sky Q's enduring success and the challenge Sky still faces in persuading customers to migrate from a tried, tested, reliable satellite-based service to what it sees as the future of television.”
“Many of the changes now being introduced address fundamental differences that made Sky Glass and Sky Stream feel unfamiliar to long-standing Sky Q users. Five years after the launch of Sky Glass, that tells you just how difficult it has been to convince an established customer base to leave behind a product that, for many, still works extremely well.”
