topic Re: Should Sky now consider making the extra HD charge consolidate in the basic subscription. in Sky Q

Should Sky now consider making the extra HD charge consolidate in the basic subscription.

DaveDrizen — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 13:16:51 GMT

I notice that Sky are gradually continuing to remove the SD channels from the SkyQ line up today the TNT sports SD channels were removed. This being the case there may be a time when there is little SD channels left to watch, however it might be satellite tv finishes before that happens. But in the case that it is not, is about time that Sky scraped the extra HD charge on packages and may be absorb the small charge in to the core HD subscription. After all without having HD there will soon be little channel to watch any way. Sky steam and glass is HD only and standard in that platform, why not Sky Q after all it's only £9 a month without any any discount. Compared with what subscribers pay in total for there package it is small a amount and could easly be absorbed in to the basic package price without noticeable difference, or even give it without extra cost as part of the annual price increase.

Re: Should Sky now consider making the extra HD charge consolidate in the basic subscription.

Angel_Aka — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 13:13:06 GMT

@DaveDrizen wrote:
I notice that Sky are gradually continuing to remove the SD channels from the SkyQ lin up to day the TNT sports channels were removed. This being the case there may be a time when there is little SD channels left, however it might be satellite tv finishes before that happens. But in the case that it not, is about time that Sky scraped the extra HD charge on package and may absorb the small charge in to the core HD subscription. After all without having HD there will soon be little channel to watch any way. Sky steam and glass is HD only and standard in that platform why not Sky Q after all it's only £9 a month without any any discount compared with subscribers pay for there total package is small amount and coils easly be absorbed in to the basic package without noticeable difference, or even give it without extra cost as part of the annual price increase.

Very unlikely to happen. It's very easy for Sky to downscale all their HD channels to SD and to make SD versions of HD content for on demand download.

They make a packet from those HD add-ons on Q and they also use it as an incentive to entice customers over to Sky Stream, where the only upcharge is for UHD. Sky Q is fast approaching legacy status. Comcast want rid of it, they don't want to entice people back to it by offering HD as standard.

Re: Should Sky now consider making the extra HD charge consolidate in the basic subscription.

TimmyBGood — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 14:07:29 GMT

@DaveDrizen wrote:

after all it's only £9 a month without any any discount. Compared with what subscribers pay in total for there package it is small a amount and could easly be absorbed in to the basic package price without noticeable difference, or even give it without extra cost as part of the annual price increase.

It's definitely not a small amount when scaled up though. I did a rough calculation a while ago which suggested that if only half of Sky satellite customers chose to pay the HD supplement that's about half a billion pounds a year in revenue, which is rather more than the whole of Sky Group has made in profit in any recent financial year.

Re: Should Sky now consider making the extra HD charge consolidate in the basic subscription.

oj01 — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:31:31 GMT

@DaveDrizen Which SD channels have been removed that means customers without the HD subscription can no longer watch?

Re: Should Sky now consider making the extra HD charge consolidate in the basic subscription.

daveNOS — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:39:36 GMT

@DaveDrizen wrote:
I notice that Sky are gradually continuing to remove the SD channels from the SkyQ line up today the TNT sports SD channels were removed.

@DaveDrizen Sky can't remove any non Sky owned channel unless they have ended their carriage agreement, if TNT sports SD have been removed then that is down to the channel owner.

Re: Should Sky now consider making the extra HD charge consolidate in the basic subscription.

DaveDrizen — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:42:54 GMT

I have had more thought of what what you get for the HD subscription. In reality you are on,y paying for HD in the basic entertainment package (signature and news channels), Sky Moves and kids if you have those subscriptions any thing else the standard HD charge dose not cover. If you have Sky sports there is mandatory Sky sports HD charge, which I don't know why they don't just combine it in to the Sky sports subscription any way as it's only Sky sports mix and Sky sports news that have SD channels any way and they are part of the basic Sky entertainment package, you can get them without a Sky sports subscription. The rest of Sky sports channels are only avalable in HD , So it impossible to have Sky sports subscription with out the Sky sports HD compulsory add on any way. And if you have TNT sports you now have to have a HD subscription from to day now as the those SD channels have been switch off. How ever for TNT sports there has always been a sprate HD subscription though believe if you have though Sky it's been included in your TNT sports subscription but if look on your bill like I did there is a sprate entry " TNT sports HD" with cost of £0.00 as it appears on my bill which presume is the same for most TNT sports Subscription though Sky. So you actual HD subscription dose not apply to any of them, just you basic package and movies and kids if you have those. One final point about TNT sports subscription though the closure of SD channels probably won't effect subscribers though Sky as the HD is already in your TNT sports Subscription, if you subscribe to TNT sports though likes of BT receiving the service though there Sky box they made a extra charge for having service inHD now the closure of the SD channels probably won't they are going to be forced to pay the extra HD subscription to carry on viewing though there Sky box.

Re: Should Sky now consider making the extra HD charge consolidate in the basic subscription.

Angel_Aka — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:47:03 GMT

@DaveDrizen wrote:
I have had more thought of what what you get for the HD subscription. In reality you are on,y paying for HD in the basic entertainment package (signature and news channels), Sky Moves and kids if you have those subscriptions any thing else the standard HD charge dose not cover. If you have Sky sports there is mandatory Sky sports HD charge, which I don't know why they don't just combine it in to the Sky sports subscription any way as it's only Sky sports mix and Sky sports news that have SD channels any way and they are part of the basic Sky entertainment package, you can get them without a Sky sports subscription. The rest of Sky sports channels are only avalable in HD , So it impossible to have Sky sports subscription with out the Sky sports HD compulsory add on any way. And if you have TNT sports you now have to have a HD subscription from to day now as the those SD channels have been switch off. How ever for TNT sports there has always been a sprate HD subscription though believe if you have though Sky it's been included in your TNT sports subscription but if look on your bill like I did there is a sprate entry " TNT sports HD" with cost of £0.00 as it appears on my bill which presume is the same for most TNT sports Subscription though Sky. So you actual HD subscription dose not apply to any of them, just you basic package and movies and kids if you have those. One final point about TNT sports subscription though the closure of SD channels probably won't effect subscribers though Sky as the HD is already in your TNT sports Subscription, if you subscribe to TNT sports though likes of BT receiving the service though there Sky box they made a extra charge for having service inHD now the closure of the SD channels probably won't they are going to be forced to pay the extra HD subscription to carry on viewing though there Sky box.

Didn't understand a word of that.

Re: Should Sky now consider making the extra HD charge consolidate in the basic subscription.

DaveDrizen — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:52:18 GMT

@oj01 wrote:
@DaveDrizen Which SD channels have been removed that means customers without the HD subscription can no longer watch?

I am not sure but there is a list some where though most of the core Sky channels are still in SD some of the non Sky channels that form part of the basic Sky package are no longer in SD . I believe BBC, ITV, and 5 channels are now in HD though I believe you get those in HD without a HD subscription anyway and as put my earlier post the TNT sports channels are now in HD only but I gather for subscribers that have though Sky it is included in the TNT sports subscription anyway as also pu in my earlier post.

Re: Should Sky now consider making the extra HD charge consolidate in the basic subscription.

SKY1992bf — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:04:08 GMT

In my particular case I've been paying bt directly for bt/tnt sports sd only on sky since 2017

got an email the other day from bt saying that from yesterday my access was being upgraded to hd at no extra cost , so one happy bunny here has i simply refuse to pay for hd when it should be standard but can also also see that it's a revenue source for sky on the entertainment side of things

Re: Should Sky now consider making the extra HD charge consolidate in the basic subscription.

DaveDrizen — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:12:24 GMT

@daveNOS wrote:
@DaveDrizen wrote:
I notice that Sky are gradually continuing to remove the SD channels from the SkyQ line up today the TNT sports SD channels were removed.

@DaveDrizen Sky can't remove any non Sky owned channel unless they have ended their carriage agreement, if TNT sports SD have been removed then that is down to the channel owner.

I quite agree I don't think Sky have removed the channels but owner of the channels have removed SD service from the Sky platform like TNT sports have. The on,y exception to the that move is Boomerang have gone the other way and removed there HD service from the Sky platform and kept the SD service which it a bit stange as they have kept the HD service on the other platforms the use.

Re: Should Sky now consider making the extra HD charge consolidate in the basic subscription.

SKY1992bf — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:23:42 GMT

@DaveDrizen wrote:
@daveNOS wrote:
@DaveDrizen wrote:
I notice that Sky are gradually continuing to remove the SD channels from the SkyQ line up today the TNT sports SD channels were removed.

@DaveDrizen Sky can't remove any non Sky owned channel unless they have ended their carriage agreement, if TNT sports SD have been removed then that is down to the channel owner.
I quite agree I don't think Sky have removed the channels but owner of the channels have removed SD service from the Sky platform like TNT sports have. The on,y exception to the that move is Boomerang have gone the other way and removed there HD service from the Sky platform and kept the SD service which it a bit stange as they have kept the HD service on the other platforms the use.

Probably a cost related thing

Re: Should Sky now consider making the extra HD charge consolidate in the basic subscription.

DaveDrizen — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 17:08:35 GMT

@Angel_Aka wrote:
@DaveDrizen wrote:
I have had more thought of what what you get for the HD subscription. In reality you are on,y paying for HD in the basic entertainment package (signature and news channels), Sky Moves and kids if you have those subscriptions any thing else the standard HD charge dose not cover. If you have Sky sports there is mandatory Sky sports HD charge, which I don't know why they don't just combine it in to the Sky sports subscription any way as it's only Sky sports mix and Sky sports news that have SD channels any way and they are part of the basic Sky entertainment package, you can get them without a Sky sports subscription. The rest of Sky sports channels are only avalable in HD , So it impossible to have Sky sports subscription with out the Sky sports HD compulsory add on any way. And if you have TNT sports you now have to have a HD subscription from to day now as the those SD channels have been switch off. How ever for TNT sports there has always been a sprate HD subscription though believe if you have though Sky it's been included in your TNT sports subscription but if look on your bill like I did there is a sprate entry " TNT sports HD" with cost of £0.00 as it appears on my bill which presume is the same for most TNT sports Subscription though Sky. So you actual HD subscription dose not apply to any of them, just you basic package and movies and kids if you have those. One final point about TNT sports subscription though the closure of SD channels probably won't effect subscribers though Sky as the HD is already in your TNT sports Subscription, if you subscribe to TNT sports though likes of BT receiving the service though there Sky box they made a extra charge for having service inHD now the closure of the SD channels probably won't they are going to be forced to pay the extra HD subscription to carry on viewing though there Sky box.
Didn't understand a word of that.

Having read the post back to my self though, there is couple of spelling errors due to my iPad changing words, apart from that I think it make perfect sence.
But to paraphrase it in a couple of sentences Your Sky HD subscription dose not actually pay for for very much of your Sky package if it includes the likes of Sky sports and TNT sports

Re: Should Sky now consider making the extra HD charge consolidate in the basic subscription.

TimmyBGood — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 17:16:20 GMT

@DaveDrizen wrote:

I believe BBC, ITV, and 5 channels are now in HD though I believe you get those in HD without a HD subscription anyway

Those channels are free to air so the HD supplement was never applicable.

Re: Should Sky now consider making the extra HD charge consolidate in the basic subscription.

Me134 — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 18:12:40 GMT

@Angel_Aka wrote:
@DaveDrizen wrote:
I have had more thought of what what you get for the HD subscription. In reality you are on,y paying for HD in the basic entertainment package (signature and news channels), Sky Moves and kids if you have those subscriptions any thing else the standard HD charge dose not cover. If you have Sky sports there is mandatory Sky sports HD charge, which I don't know why they don't just combine it in to the Sky sports subscription any way as it's only Sky sports mix and Sky sports news that have SD channels any way and they are part of the basic Sky entertainment package, you can get them without a Sky sports subscription. The rest of Sky sports channels are only avalable in HD , So it impossible to have Sky sports subscription with out the Sky sports HD compulsory add on any way. And if you have TNT sports you now have to have a HD subscription from to day now as the those SD channels have been switch off. How ever for TNT sports there has always been a sprate HD subscription though believe if you have though Sky it's been included in your TNT sports subscription but if look on your bill like I did there is a sprate entry " TNT sports HD" with cost of £0.00 as it appears on my bill which presume is the same for most TNT sports Subscription though Sky. So you actual HD subscription dose not apply to any of them, just you basic package and movies and kids if you have those. One final point about TNT sports subscription though the closure of SD channels probably won't effect subscribers though Sky as the HD is already in your TNT sports Subscription, if you subscribe to TNT sports though likes of BT receiving the service though there Sky box they made a extra charge for having service inHD now the closure of the SD channels probably won't they are going to be forced to pay the extra HD subscription to carry on viewing though there Sky box.
Didn't understand a word of that.

Lol, I was thinking the same thing before I read your post. The occasional paragraph break wouldn't come amiss Dave 😉

Re: Should Sky now consider making the extra HD charge consolidate in the basic subscription.

DaveDrizen — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 18:29:35 GMT

@SKY1992bf wrote:
In my particular case I've been paying bt directly for bt/tnt sports sd only on sky since 2017

got an email the other day from bt saying that from yesterday my access was being upgraded to hd at no extra cost , so one happy bunny here has i simply refuse to pay for hd when it should be standard but can also also see that it's a revenue source for sky on the entertainment side of things

Glad to hear that bt subscribers won't be penalised by the change as with TNT sports HD is now standard.

Re: Should Sky now consider making the extra HD charge consolidate in the basic subscription.

mr.tickle — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 21:06:08 GMT

@DaveDrizen wrote:
The on,y exception to the that move is Boomerang have gone the other way and removed there HD service from the Sky platform and kept the SD service which it a bit stange as they have kept the HD service on the other platforms the use.

The other one that springs to mind is the now-removed TCM Movies channels.

They removed the HD channel and kept going in an SD-only guise for 4 more years.

I was really shocked and dismayed as to me knowledge it was the first move technically backwards in TV offerings I had come across. Previously in my life, changes have always been improvements. Addition of colour, black and white customer don't lose anything. Addition of NICAM stero, mono customers don't lose anything. Addition of widescreen. Digital. HD. No, stop! let's go backwards and withdraw our HD channel and turn the clock back 40 years to SD.