Reports have come to light that Sky UK, most famously known for its television service requiring a satellite dish, is planning to discontinue dish installations starting in 2023. This information was revealed through a recent communication from Sky to its trade suppliers.
Originally founded in 1989, Sky morphed into BSkyB as we know it today in 1990 when it merged with British Satellite Broadcasting, and has been one of the main rights holders to broadcast the Premier League in the UK.
Its set-top boxes have historically required a connection to a satellite dish to operate, and have been bundled with a monthly fee giving access to a wide selection of channels. However with the arrival of Sky Glass, the dish is not required as the service is provided through a broadband connection.
Sky Glass itself has been shipping alongside Sky Stream set-top boxes, which can enable the same service to be used on existing TVs. Sky is seeking to start supplying these boxes separately, and phasing out the boxes that rely on satellite connectivity.
There has been no confirmation as to how much the Sky Stream boxes will cost when they become available, but it does enable the same feature set (4K, HDR, Dolby Atmos) as the Sky Glass TV.
Source: ISPReview
Update: Sky UK has reached out to Neowin to clarify that it does not plan to end satellite installs by the end of of 2023.
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