Digital TV News

Sky to unleash new on-demand TV service

Thursday 3 June, 2010

By Becca Talbot - becca@consumerchoices.co.uk

Sky is set to launch a new on-demand TV service - Anytime+ - with over 1,000 hours of viewing for Sky+HD and Sky broadband customers.

The Sky Anytime+ service will allow Sky (www.sky.com) customers to watch over 1,000 hours of the week’s best telly and on-demand movies.

Unlike the existing Sky Anytime service, which gives customers on-demand TV via their satellite dish, Anytime+ is delivered through customers’ broadband connection.

Over 2.5 million Sky+HD homes around the country will be able to enjoy the free new service from Sky, providing they have a Sky broadband package, prices of which start from £18.

Sky’s head of TV services, Kathryn Downward, said: “Whether it’s HD, 3D, Sky+ or the soon to expand Sky Anytime service, our customers can truly define their own TV experience, watching exactly what they want, when they want.”

When Anytime+ launches later in the year, it will offer around 1,000 hours of free content from the Sky Arts, Sky Movies, Sky1 and Sky Sports channels every week, along with programmes from other broadcasters, such as ESPN and National Geographic.

It will also have over 500 films available on-demand, as well as complete runs of popular series, though what you can access will depend on your Sky TV subscription.

Downward added: “The Sky+HD box is a gateway to the richest home entertainment experience available.”

The service will build on the existing Sky Anytime platform, which is already available to some Sky+ and all Sky+HD customers, and offers up to 40 hours of TV programmes and films.

The programmes on the Anytime+ will work on a progressive download basis, meaning they download in the background while you are watching them. You can also pause, rewind and fast-forward all available movies and programming.

Jon Ingram, operations director at Digitalchoices.co.uk, said: “Sky is finally taking the leap into the video-on-demand TV market, and its new service will rival similar services from Virgin Media (www.virginmedia.com) and BT Vision.”

“This is the latest in a slew of competing on-demand platforms, including SeeSaw and FetchTV, and the impending launch of Project Canvas. Consumers have a lot more choice when it comes to watching the programmes they love now.”