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Sky
Everyone knows the satellite TV company that has now grown into a telecommunications giant offering not only digital TV, but also broadband and home phone lines. Its speciality is still TV though, and since it owns some of the most popular channels available - Sky One and Sky Sports - you should definitely consider Sky’s monthly packages.
Sky supplies your digital TV through a satellite dish that will be attached to the outside of your home. They offer different levels of hardware as well as different package subscriptions, so you can choose from normal Sky TV, Sky+ or Sky HD.
Sky TV is your standard digital connection, Sky+ provides you with a digital TV recorder with a built-in hard drive memory for recording, rewinding and pausing “live” television, while Sky HD allows you to watch their selection of high definition channels with even sharper, clearer images.
Sky offers a selection of “mixes” and then the cost depends on how many you choose. It costs £16 a month for one mix, going up by £1 for each additional mix you add. You can then add on their sports and movie mixes for additional costs.
Why should I get it?
You can build your own package from a choice of six mixes - Kids, Knowledge, Music, Variety, Style and Culture, and News and Events - so you can sign up for what you want without having to pay for what you don’t want. Including the Sport and Movie mixes you get a choice encompassing Sky One, Living, National Geographic, the Disney Channel and Sky News, Sports and Movies.
What do I need?
Because Sky uses satellite technology, you can receive their digital TV packages no matter where you live. This means that if you live in a rural area that isn’t yet covered by Freeview, you can still watch these channels as part of your Sky TV package.
When you sign up, an engineer will visit your home to install your Sky dish and connect your TV to the Sky box, Sky+ box or Sky HD box, depending on which service you sign up to.
However, listed properties will need planning permission before Sky can be installed and this may not always be possible.
How much does it cost?
The costs vary depending on how many mixes you want and whether or not you want to add on the Movie or Sport mixes. Another factor that affects costs is the hardware you go for. Sky+ and Sky HD are both more expensive than standard Sky TV.
To compare Sky TV against other digital TV suppliers click here, or to see what channels you get with each mix, click on a package in the Price Comparison Calculator.
