Your Definitive Guide to Pay-TV Only Packages
Historically, choosing a premium subscription TV service generally meant hitching yourself to a specific broadband provider, although were a few other options. Today though, the landscape has fundamentally shifted and Sky is the only provider that allows you to purchase premium television as a standalone service, separate to your home internet provider.
That said, there are several ways to get Sky TV, and of course outside of Sky (or as part of a Sky subscription) there are other players supplying TV content such as Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime Video. So in this guide we'll outline how to build a high-performance TV-only setup with Sky Stream, plus we'll also evaluate the cost of NOW TV and explain the features of the various premium streaming apps.
Benefits and features
Opting for a TV-only package offers unique feature and cost advantages over combined broadband and TV bundles. Here are a few of the obvious (and perhaps not so obvious) benefits to consider:
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You get independence – You can source your home internet from any provider, whether that's a hyper-fast independent altnet (Community Fibre or Hyperoptic, for example), mobile broadband or a conventional fixed-line service from a major player like Virgin Media. Or switch between them, it doesn't matter. You can still access the full suite of Sky TV over your Wi-Fi. And that's a really good thing because basically, nobody beats Sky for TV.
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It's customisable – Sky's infrastructure is entirely modular. You establish a base tier and selectively layer on premium sports, movies, or even hardware features, paying only for the exact content you consume.
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It's flexible – While traditional satellite setups forced long commitments, modern streaming options allow you to opt for either a standard 24 month contract or a flexible 31 day rolling term for a premium of £3 extra per month.
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And it's quick – Sky long stopped offering TV via satellite (the old Sky Q system), it's all now streamed via the internet. All you need is a Sky Stream Puck, which you simply plug it and play. Sign up in the morning and you could be enjoying the benefits of Sky TV as soon as tomorrow.
Subscription TV only providers: Sky Stream and Sky Glass
You can of course get subscription TV packages from other providers – BT Broadband or EE Broadband (both via EE TV), from Virgin Media (Virgin TV), and even TalkTalk (TalkTalk TV). But as we've pointed out, you will need to take out broadband with each of these providers to be able to do so. It's bundle or nothing. So that just leaves us with Sky, who delivers its standalone TV service completely via cloud streaming architecture, eliminating the need for satellite dish installations. However, customers do need to choose between two distinct routes:
Sky Stream – The Dedicated Puck
This is a compact, plug-and-play streaming device that connects directly to your existing television via an HDMI port (all modern TVs have them). It's basically Sky TV without the unsightly dish on the side of your home, or the bulky set-top box. It streams over 150 live channels in native high definition (HD) as standard. But because it operates via cloud-based playlists, things like the old "+1" time-delayed channels and of course the standard-definition channel variations are removed. You simply rewind live broadcasts or stream on-demand. It's that simple.
Sky Glass – The Integrated Smart TV
The exact same streaming system and user interface as Sky Stream, but built directly into an all-in-one smart television. Ideal if you're in a starting-from-scratch situation, or just fancy a new high-end TV. Available in 43", 55", and 65" sizes, Sky Glass features its own integrated Dolby Atmos soundbar, so no fuss with extra boxes and cables. The cost is typically spread across an interest-free 48 month device financing plan, which runs completely separate from your monthly TV content subscription. Perhaps not ideal if you already have a TV you're happy with though. In that case, just stick with Sky Stream.
Alternative TV Providers – NOW TV and the apps
While television services like EE TV (available via BT and EE, but oddly not Plusnet) and Virgin Media do offer competitive TV packages, they require you to hold a matching broadband subscription on their network. If you refuse to use Sky Stream hardware, your alternative standalone options are limited to those below:
NOW TV
NOW TV, Sky's other streaming service (confusing, we know) allows you to stream Sky content on third-party devices like Amazon Fire Sticks or even games consoles. In fact, some other TV services like EE TV use NOW TV to offer Sky content via their TV packages. It was originally devised as a means for people to dip quickly in and out of Sky content without having to commit to a long contract. And of course you can get it bundled with NOW Broadband. However, it operates a little differently to other services:
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Passes – Content is split into rigid brackets: Entertainment, Entertainment + HBO Max, Cinema, and Sports.
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Upgrades – Standard NOW TV streams include commercial interruptions and are quality-restricted to only 720p video. To match the base quality of Sky Stream, you must purchase Boost (for 1080p HD) or Ultra Boost (to access both 4K Ultra HD and Dolby Atmos).
TV Streaming Apps
It's perfectly possible to simply use a variety of apps to stream pretty much whatever TV, movies or even sports you might like. But doing so using individual subscriptions can prove to be a pricy route.
Obviously, there are far too many to name here, but here are some of the more popular apps that allow you to access a load of content and don't require any lengthy commitments.
Customising Sky Stream
Perhaps it's no surprise that configuring a standalone Sky Stream package isn't exactly childs play. There are just so many choices. But to begin with, you must select one of two foundational packages – only then can you really look at including any premium add-on options, which we've also listed and expanded on below.
Basic choices
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Sky TV Essentials – Includes over 100 core channels (featuring Sky Atlantic, Sky Arts, and Sky News amongst others), standard Freeview, Netflix Standard with Ads, and discovery+.
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Sky TV Ultimate – Unlocks over 30 more premium entertainment channels (Sky Max, Sky Comedy, Sky Witness, Sky Documentaries for example), the complete Sky Box Sets library and an expanded streaming bundle comprising Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and Hayu (all Standard with Ads).
Premium add-ons
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Sky Sports – Unlocks 11 live sports channels, including the comprehensive Sky Sports+ streaming network which offers Premier League, EFL, Formula 1, and international cricket.
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Sky Cinema – Grants access to over 1,000 on-demand movies, a free Paramount+ subscription, plus two free Vue cinema tickets every calendar month.
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TNT Sports – Unlocks premium European football (UEFA Champions League), Premiership Rugby, and live UFC events.
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UHD & Dolby Atmos – This is required to unlock 4K resolution and immersive spatial audio on supported programming such as live sports, movies and nature documentaries.
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Ad Skipping – Enables users to fast-forward directly through commercial breaks within on-demand content and catch-up applications. It's available as a bolt-on for both Essentials and Ultimate tiers.
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Sky Whole Home – This unlocks multiroom authorisation. While the service has it's own monthly fee, each additional physical Sky Stream Puck required for secondary televisions also incurs a one-off upfront hardware fee.
Pay TV channels
Focussing on Sky Stream (and that is the way most of us will access TV-only services), there's an amazing range of live channels and on-demand programming on offer. So wide-ranging in fact, that we've created a full guide covering each and every one.
However, just to give you a glimpse into what's available, here's a brief list of the current Sky TV channel highlights.
Sky TV channel highlights
- Sky Atlantic – Home to acclaimed dramas like House of the Dragon and The Last of Us.
- Sky One – The relaunched flagship destination for comedy and entertainment, including Ted and Saturday Night Live UK.
- Sky Witness – Crime dramas and popular US imports like Grey's Anatomy and Law & Order.
- Sky Comedy – Offers a variety of comedy series, stand-up specials, and premium US sitcoms.
- Sky Arts – The UK's only dedicated arts channel, featuring documentaries, performances, and cultural events.
- Sky Crime – Specialises in true crime documentaries and real-life investigative series.
- Sky Nature – High-budget nature documentaries and wildlife series in stunning detail.
- Sky History – Engaging documentaries and series exploring historical events and figures.
- Sky Sci-Fi – A mix of science fiction and fantasy series, movies, and cult classics.
Premium channel add-ons (Sky)
- Sky Sports – Comprehensive live sports coverage across 11 dedicated channels, including the Premier League, F1, and the live streaming-centric Sky Sports+ hub.
- Sky Cinema – Access to hundreds of films on demand and across 11 themed channels, plus two free Vue cinema tickets every month (be sure to use them!) and Paramount+ included at no extra cost.
- TNT Sports – Premium live coverage of top-tier global sports, including the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Premiership Rugby and live UFC events.
Sky Stream vs NOW TV
As you can see, we've pretty much reduced this down to a choice between Sky TV and NOW TV – with Sky TV being the favoured option by far. But just to illustrate that fully, here's a breakdown of things to consider if you find yourself comparing the two.