topic Re: Help with "upgrading" please? - Signature v Ultimate in Sky Q

Help with "upgrading" please? - Signature v Ultimate

markoc1 — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 13:23:45 GMT

Joining the boards in the hope of some help please. Customer of 19 years, not that it seems to make a difference.

Just spent 40 minutes on the phone to an agent which was infuriatingly unproductive as they tried to sell me a Glass package and succesfully ignored my questions. Hoping for some help here.

Currently I have a SKY Q box and a TV subscription for Signature plus a few other bits, I'm out of contract and looking to renew. Straight TV package only.

Can someone help with the following questions?

SKY Ultimate appears to be the same as SKY Signature but includes the basic netflix?
Does the Ultimate package include HD? Currently I'm paying an add on for HD.

Thanks in advance

Re: Help with "upgrading" please? - Signature v Ultimate

MightyQuinn — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 13:29:43 GMT

Hi @markoc1

@markoc1 wrote:

SKY Ultimate appears to be the same as SKY Signature but includes the basic netflix?
Does the Ultimate package include HD? Currently I'm paying an add on for HD.

Hi @markoc1 Yes, Ultimate includes Netflix (used to be only Netflix so Signature required as well). No, Ultimate doesn't include HD so a HD subscription required if you want HD.

Re: Help with "upgrading" please? - Signature v Ultimate

nigea99 — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 13:29:36 GMT

@markoc1 wrote:

Joining the boards in the hope of some help please. Customer of 19 years, not that it seems to make a difference.

Just spent 40 minutes on the phone to an agent which was infuriatingly unproductive as they tried to sell me a Glass package and succesfully ignored my questions. Hoping for some help here.

Currently I have a SKY Q box and a TV subscription for Signature plus a few other bits, I'm out of contract and looking to renew. Straight TV package only.

Can someone help with the following questions?

SKY Ultimate appears to be the same as SKY Signature but includes the basic netflix?

Does the Ultimate package include HD? Currently I'm paying an add on for HD.

Thanks in advance

M

hi @markoc1

I think it is slightly confusing as on SKY Q Ultimate is the name for Netflix only add on (Signature being the main base entertainment)

On SKY Q HD is not included in anny base & is needed for any HD base channels that are not Free To Air (FTA ones being BBC & ITV etc.)

On Glass/Stream Utimate is includes Signature & Netflix and is the main base (although they now have a trimmed down Essential TV)

HD is standard on Glass/Stream

Re: Help with "upgrading" please? - Signature v Ultimate

markoc1 — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 15:28:47 GMT

Thanks both - much appeciated.

Not sure about the protocols of posting quoted prices on here, so I won't - however lets just say that the difference between my current "Signature with Netflix added" and "Ultimate including netflix" is £15 a month in my favour.

On the basis that the channels are the same for Signature and Ultimate, I'd be better off on Ultimate and still pay the £9 a month for HD.

The lady I spoke to should win a prize for pushing Glass - and was incredulous that I wanted to be able to store programs locally on my Q box,.

Re: Help with "upgrading" please? - Signature v Ultimate

PandJ2020 — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 15:30:40 GMT

@markoc1 wrote:
The lady I spoke to should win a prize for pushing Glass - and was incredulous that I wanted to be able to store programs locally on my Q box,.

Yup, because the days of local storage are numbered.

The hard drive is for time shifting and not for retaining programmes you do not have the licence for.

Re: Help with "upgrading" please? - Signature v Ultimate

markoc1 — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 16:48:35 GMT

Hard to understand the intent of your post, but could be taken a number of ways - so I'll be charitable. I'm a current customer, so the things on my hard drive are legit. No doubt the ability to store things locally originated before the ability to "time shift" as I have been storing things since I started out as a customer - but as a level 16 expert I'm sure you'll tell me otherwise.

Got anything helpful to add, as I'm here for help; not a lecture.

I could really do with some assitance as the product lineup is incredibly confusing.

Re: Help with "upgrading" please? - Signature v Ultimate

PandJ2020 — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 16:54:58 GMT

@markoc1 wrote:
so the things on my hard drive are legit.

I'm not suggesting otherwise. (Many believe they 'own' the programmes they download, whereas it's a limited licence)

The point of my post was to highlight that those days are numbered as all major broadcasters switch to streaming. That gives the content holders the control over their material. (And annoyingly the ability to inject advertising for example)

Staying on post, you cannot 'record' NetFlix but there's no need to...

Re: Help with "upgrading" please? - Signature v Ultimate

markoc1 — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 17:35:37 GMT

Thanks - appreciated. The netflix bit is transient for me; it's the ability to view things I have stored from some time ago and will revisit that I don't want to lose. Plus I'm of a certain age and recognise I fall squarely into the luddite category where I just want something to work, do what I need and be at the best (cheapest) price point. I guess it's my Northern roots.

SKY's pricing structure is less than transparent, with their customer service team little or no help - which I understand as their role is how to best monetise their service.

It's like turning up at a dealership with your three year old car that you bought with some options and being told that your only choice is to buy the same car again, but it'll be fractionally cheaper. There is however a much better model available with all the options you've paid for now as standard - and it's cheaper, but you've got to hunt around as they've hidden it somewhere in "new customer only land". Lucky for me though as a loyal customer (fool?), they have a lovely van on sale which is totally not what I need but they'll sell it to me for pretty much the same as I'm paying for my current car - and it has a trendy modern set of features I'll never use, but it must be right for me as it's their flagship thing.

If their user interface wasn't so good I'd be long shot of them having ditched the infernal broadband some time ago.

Tips and tricks appreciated for getting the best deal.

TIA

Re: Help with "upgrading" please? - Signature v Ultimate

DaveDrizen — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 17:40:31 GMT

Sorry you wrong on Sky stream & glass HD is standard there is no sad channels.

Re: Help with "upgrading" please? - Signature v Ultimate

DaveDrizen — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 17:41:58 GMT

That should read no sd channels

Re: Help with "upgrading" please? - Signature v Ultimate

PandJ2020 — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 19:02:09 GMT

@markoc1 wrote:
Tips and tricks appreciated for getting the best deal.

Of late I've cancelled then negotiated. YMMV.

Re: Help with "upgrading" please? - Signature v Ultimate

TimmyBGood — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 19:48:52 GMT

@DaveDrizen wrote:

That should read no sd channels

There are channels on Glass & Stream which have SD content. It's more accurate to say that there's no separate HD subscription supplement on the streaming platforms.