What is Sky Stream? | Sky Stream costs, packages & information

Tuesday 31 January 2023 by James Pickard  Guides

What is Sky Stream?

Sky Stream, the platform that runs all things Sky inside the Sky Glass television, is now available to both new and existing Sky customers, having launched on the 18th October.

Similar to an Amazon Fire Stick or Roku Stick, Sky Stream is essentially a small box that plugs straight into any TV, providing you access to all the Sky content you are subscribed to. Some of the best television entertainment around can be streamed straight to your home with no satellite dish required; all you need is a WiFi connection. 

Wondering how we're affiliated with Sky? We work with Sky to bring customers the latest packages and deals. In the interests of transparency, we have given you our call centre contact details for any requests to either join Sky as a new customer or upgrade if you're already a part of Sky's customer base. 

What are the benefits of Sky Stream?

If you’ve ever wanted to become a Sky customer but have been put off by either the satellite installation or replacing your TV with Sky Glass, Sky Stream might be just the product for you. Let’s take a look at its main selling points:

• Stream your Sky content straight to any TV over WiFi.
• Complete flexibility with a 31-day rolling contract plan that can be cancelled at any time.
• The small Sky Stream box makes it easier to hide than any previous Sky box. 
• Experience the smart Sky Glass UI on your own TV. 
• Voice remote just like Sky Glass. 
• Updated regularly to ensure a smooth service. 

How much is Sky Stream?

The Sky Ultimate TV & Netflix basic package that Sky offers its customers will stay at just £26 a month when Sky Stream releases, but if you don’t fancy signing up to the 18-month contract, users can pay £29 a month for the same package on a rolling monthly basis. However, keep your eyes peeled for special deals and limited-time offers. 

The same fees will apply for all the additional extras that customers can add to the Sky Ultimate TV & Netflix product to create their own package, by choosing from Sky Cinema, Sky Sports, BT Sport and UHD & Dolby Atmos. 

The package prices vary depending on whether you opt for the 18-month contract or rolling contract. See the prices below.

Sky Stream add-on prices:

• Sky Cinema: £13 a month (rolling) or £11 a month (18-month contract)
• Sky Sports: £27 a month (rolling) or £25 a month (18-month contract) 
• BT Sport: £30 a month (both)
• UHD and Dolby Atmos: £5 a month (both)

To watch your Sky content on other TVs around your home, an extra Sky puck with the Whole Home Package will cost an extra £12 a month, with five additional pucks available per Sky subscription! For the UHD and Dolby Atmos add-on you will need to have the compatible hardware to make the most of it, and the content you’re watching will need to be optimised for UHD. 

There is an upfront cost of £39.95 with Sky Stream, or just £20 if you choose to take out the 18-month contract. Next-day delivery comes as standard and it can be set up without the help of an engineer, so you can be up and running seriously quickly. 

What resolution can I watch with Sky Stream?

Your standard Sky Stream package comes ready for you to watch in HD, with UHD available as an add-on at an additional cost. 

Unlike Sky Q, Sky Stream Entertainment comes with HD included as standard, which means you don't have to pay an extra subscription each month to watch the Sky Entertainment channels (such as Sky Atlantic) in HD. Sky Cinema and Sky Sports both have HD rolled into them now too, which means if you are looking to bolt them onto a Sky Stream package, all your content will be watchable in HD.

How do I set up Sky Stream?

Setting up Sky Stream couldn’t be easier. Just plug the Sky Stream box into a power socket and then into an HDMI output on your television. All you need to do next is connect Sky Stream to your WiFi network and you’re good to go. Sky does say that a minimum of 10Mbps is required for Sky Stream to function. 

Sky Stream’s UI (user interface) 

Using the same UI as Sky Glass, with Sky Stream you will have all of your favourite apps all together. Whether the TV show you want to watch is on Disney+, Netflix or Amazon Prime, they’ll all be in one place to get you watching your favourite content as quickly as possible. 

Can you record on Sky Stream?

Sky Stream uses the same streaming alternative to recording as Sky Glass - the Playlist option. Any show you want to catch up on will require you to stream in from the appropriate On Demand or catch-up service - there is no hard drive for customers to record programmes or movies and store them. The Sky Q satellite service remains the choice for Sky customers who want to keep the ability to be able to record. 

You can add the shows and movies you want to watch at a later date to your Playlist by simply pressing the '+' button on your remote. Any content from any app can be added to your Playlist, not just programmes on live channels, but also content from any app such as Disney+, Amazon Prime and Netflix. All your Playlist content is stored in the cloud so there's no risk of storage problems or programmes clashing due to being aired at the same time.

Adding a programme to your Playlist brings together every episode, even if they are separated across different apps. New episodes will automatically be added as they become available, so you don't have to worry about recording next week's episode. Even if you're late to watch a live episode, you'll be given the option to 'Watch from start' - you'll never have to hurry to sit down in front of the TV ever again...

You'll be able to fast forward adverts for the first year with Sky Stream, as you can with Sky Glass, but after 18 months you will have to pay a small fee for the privilege. 

What is the Sky Stream puck? 

The Sky Stream puck is the product that powers Sky Stream. It allows users to take the UI from Sky Glass and plug it straight into their own TVs, enabling access to all the Sky content they are subscribed to. Think of it like a Fire Stick. 

Once plugged into the mains with the power lead and to your TV with an HDMI lead, all you need to do is connect the Sky puck to your WiFi and you’ll be able to start watching. 

Want to know how small the Sky puck is? Take a look at the puck tech specs below:

• Size: 10.8 (height) x 10.8 cm (width) x 1.8cm (depth)
• Colours: Anthracite black
• Connectivity:
• 1x HDMI 2.1 port
• 230V AC power cable port
• Ethernet port

The Sky Stream puck is yours to keep after you pay your upfront fee, and they come with a one year warranty. 

Will the Sky Stream puck replace my Sky Q box? 

The essence of Sky Stream is the Sky puck, which is able to seamlessly plug into your existing television and provide you with the latest experience you'd also find on a Sky Glass television. 

Your old Sky Q box, which a satellite is needed to power, will be made redundant, and instead you'll be able to replace it with the much smaller Sky puck, which only needs WiFi to access all the Sky content you subscribe to. 

If you're someone who enjoys minimising clutter around your TV in your living room, the Sky puck is very inoffensive to the eye, and small enough to hide completely out of site. 

Can I switch from Sky Q or Sky+ to Sky Stream?

If you’re currently a Sky customer and pay for either a Sky Q or Sky+ subscription, moving away from a satellite dish might make Sky Stream quite appealing to you. But the question is, can you switch to Sky Stream? The answer is yes you can. 

Get in touch to switch and the Sky Stream puck will be sent out to you - your current Sky service won’t be switched off until you have activated the Sky Stream puck. 

Any old equipment will need to be sent back, of course, including your Sky box, remote and any mini boxes you’d have had from a Multi-Screen subscription (this is replaced by the Whole Home add-on which uses extra pucks). Keep hold of the equipment and Sky will be in contact with details telling you how to send it back. 

If you do choose to switch to Sky Stream, your contract will start anew. 

Can I take my Sky Stream puck to another house? 

Despite only needing a WiFi connection to watch your Sky content on your Sky puck, you aren’t allowed to take your Sky Puck outside of your home to watch it elsewhere. 

While it would be possible as you don’t need a satellite dish for Sky Stream, your Sky account is linked to an address, so Sky will be able to see whether or not you are using your puck at another address.

Using your Sky Stream puck at another address will put you in breach of your contract, and you could be charged an Additional Location Charge or have certain subscription services suspended. 

Sky uses the data received from your devices and network connections used to ensure you are only using your TV services at your given address. 

Do I need a TV licence for Sky Stream?

You need a TV licence to watch any live channel, including Sky's channels. The only time you don't need a TV licence is if you don't watch live TV or any content on BBC iPlayer.