European partnership deal for Sky and Netflix

Sky and Netflix have announced a new partnership to bundle the full Netflix service into a brand new Sky TV subscription pack.

“Sky Q’s mission statement to ‘re-imagine TV’ has taken another step forward today with customers now being able to access Netflix directly through the platform. This announcement sees Sky playing catch-up as it brings its flagship set-top box in line with other major providers, who already offer the streaming service as an app through their TV boxes. Launching on Sky Q in the UK and Ireland in the coming year, new and existing customers will be able to access original Netflix programming alongside their Sky favourites – such as Westworld and Big Little Lies – so they’ll be able to watch hits like The Crown and Stranger Things without having to get up from their couches and fiddle with plugging anything into their TVs.” – Dani Warner TV expert at uSwitch.com

The partnership, the first of its kind, will give millions of Sky customers seamless access to Netflix through the Sky Q platform. Sky will make available the extensive Netflix service to new and existing customers by creating a brand-new and attractively priced entertainment TV pack, combining Sky and Netflix content side-by-side for the first time. Netflix’s service includes over a thousand hours of Ultra HD content, complementing Sky Q’s extensive UHD programming.

With the Netflix app integrated into Sky Q, and Netflix programmes promoted alongside Sky content, customers can enjoy shows such as Britannia, Billions and Big Little Lies alongside The Crown, Stranger Things and Black Mirror, as well as free-to-air TV, all on the Sky platform. At the same time, customers will enjoy the simplicity of one monthly bill and easy to use, integrated user interface.

As part of the new partnership, Sky customers will be able to seamlessly access Netflix content in the Sky Q menu, plus quickly find their favourite Netflix programmes including the use of Sky Q’s search and voice search functionality. Existing Netflix customers will be able to easily migrate their account to the new Sky TV bundle, or sign into the Netflix app using their existing account details, to enjoy Netflix with even greater convenience.

This agreement will give customers an even broader and better range of content, therefore adding more value into a Sky subscription. It builds on the raft of new innovations coming to Sky Q which were announced earlier this week.

“While this one-stop shop for programming – as well as the allure of a single bill – will appeal to a range of customers, we’re still a little hazy on how this will hit the price point or what this integration will look like for viewers as it doesn’t seem to be the app itself, but, rather, a ‘first of its kind’ partnership. It seems customers who haven’t yet upgraded to the Sky Q box will not be able to access this content, either through their Sky+ HD box or the Sky Go app, but those who have the NOW TV hardware – either the streaming stick or one of their set-top boxes – will be able to take advantage of this new partnership as the company has announced this will extend to their contract-free products. The addition of Netflix is in line with other recent upgrades for the Sky Q box, including the incorporation of Spotify and increased focus on personalisation, as well as improvements to the design of the software itself, plus their recent launch of the NOW TV streaming stick.” – – Dani Warner TV expert at uSwitch.com