Switching from Sky+ to Sly Stream

[UtaCat]

I am considering switching from Sky+ to Sky Stream and would like to understand:

a) How easy was it as an existing customer and did you have to phone customer services? Some of the agents I have spoken to have a poor grasp of English and it very exytremely frustrating.

b) Will I need to sign a new contract?

c) Can I add my existing Netflix and other subscritions?

d) Can you still record other programs in order to view later?

e) Do they offer to remove the existing satelitte dish and cables?

[Jones_The_Cat]

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@UtaCat wrote:

I am considering switching from Sky+ to Sky Stream and would like to understand:

a) How easy was it as an existing customer and did you have to phone customer services? Some of the agents I have spoken to have a poor grasp of English and it very exytremely frustrating. - It varies

b) Will I need to sign a new contract? - Yes. There are 18 month or 31 day contracts available

c) Can I add my existing Netflix and other subscritions? Netflix, yes, the basic ad-supported tier comes as part of the Sky Entertainment channel package but you can pay extra for ad-free and UHD Premium tiers. Disney+ can be added to your subscription. Sky control the availability of apps - there is no app store so you cannot choose what to install. 

d) Can you still record other programs in order to view later? - No. Everything is streamed on demand. You can add programmes to a playlist but these are not recordings, they are bookmarks to streams. You cannot save or delete these streams. 

e) Do they offer to remove the existing satelitte dish and cables? - No. The dish and cabling is your property. 

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[TimmyBGood]

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@UtaCat wrote:

a) did you have to phone customer services?

Typically yes, but you may be able to order through the website

b) Will I need to sign a new contract?

Yes (but Stream is available on a one-month rolling contract at increased cost)

c) Can I add my existing Netflix and other subscritions?

Yes, for the on-board apps.

d) Can you still record other programs in order to view later?

Kind of but not really.  

e) Do they offer to remove the existing satelitte dish and cables?

No

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[TimmyBGood]

@UtaCat 

Also be aware that while Sky may let you 'trial' Stream, they won't permit you to revert to Sky+ if you don't like it.

[MarkGoldsmith]

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@UtaCat wrote:

I am considering switching from Sky+ to Sky Stream and would like to understand:

a) How easy was it as an existing customer and did you have to phone customer services? Some of the agents I have spoken to have a poor grasp of English and it very exytremely frustrating.

b) Will I need to sign a new contract?

c) Can I add my existing Netflix and other subscritions?

d) Can you still record other programs in order to view later?

e) Do they offer to remove the existing satelitte dish and cables?

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I went through this exact same switch 2 couple of months ago.

The switching was easy, i rang up to discuss potential renewal deals, however the customer services agent i spoke with could only give me a price for Sky Q and Sky Glass. I specifically had to ask for a price for Sky Stream and which point i was transferred over to the UK based Sky Stream team. The customer services experience i had wasn't amazing, but was pretty good.

Yes, it requires a new contract to be signed, but thats the only way you will get a good deal with in-contract discounts. Personally i saved 30% of the TV subscription based on what i was payingon Sky + and gained more features with it as it gave access to Discovery + and of course Netflix for free.

You can use current Netflix, you can link Netflix with Sky and essentially Sky take over the billing from Netflix, which if you are on the cheapest Netflix tier ("standard with ads") would mean you pay nothing for Netflix.

There is no recording functionality. You create a playlist which is similar to "watchlist or favourities" feature that a lot of the streaming providers have. You can go to your playlist to then watch the next episode of a show on it. Obviously you can then only watch the content for as long as its available on demand and if you have access to the on-demand streaming app the show is available on. For instance plenty of shows are broadcast on E4 owned by Disney+, for which Channel 4 have limited streaming/on-demand rights for, so usually adding this show to your playlist would link you to Disney+ requiring you to have a Disney+ subscription to watch. 

[Exiled-in-HH]

Netflix isn't free it is just included in the subscription charges🤔

[MarkGoldsmith]

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@Exiled-in-HH wrote:

Netflix isn't free it is just included in the subscription charges🤔

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Well its free as it's provided as part of the Sky package and you can't remove it. If you could remove it and your price lowered then yes its not "free", but you get it at no additional cost which therefore makes it free for anyone that would otherwise subscribe to Sky.

[Exiled-in-HH]

That just shows that Sky TV on a Puck could cost less if you didn't want Netflix included in the Sky payment charges, i.e. those that need to pay Netflix direct🤔

[MarkGoldsmith]

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@Exiled-in-HH wrote:

That just shows that Sky TV on a Puck could cost less if you didn't want Netflix included in the Sky payment charges, i.e. those that need to pay Netflix direct🤔

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Wouldn't have thought so as Sky would likely be getting the per customer cost at a lower rate than the tier costs direct through Netflix, therefore even if you had the ability to remove it in all likelihood the Sky package cost would decrease less than it costs to sign up yourself to Netflix. 🤑🤑🤑

[Exiled-in-HH]

Still means Sky TV on a Puck could cost less without Neflix.... unless Sky pay nothing for Netflix🤔

There are reasons and advantages to paying Netflix direct😉

[MarkGoldsmith]

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@Exiled-in-HH wrote:

Still means Sky TV on a Puck could cost less without Neflix.

Not when Sky don't offer that and is point most customers would care about a £1 or £2 a month price difference, which is likely what it would be if such a package existed which it doesn't so this is really a kind of pointless conversation I guess 😀

[Exiled-in-HH]

Perhaps they do care about using their Netflix Credit or Netflix Extra Member🤣😂🤣

There are those that prefer to pay Netflix direct and would prefer not to pay Sky🤔

Especially those that would have to pay the extra charge to remove ads or want to switch Netflix on/off😉