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Freesat from Sky - Pay Once, Watch Forever

Sky is the largest provider of pay-TV in the UK, but they also offer a subscription-free service. We look at this in more depth

 

Freesat from Sky

Sky DigiboxOver 240 channels with no subscription, installed for a one-off fee

Sky launched this service in 2004. For a one-off fee, Sky will install a satellite dish and a basic Sky digibox, and you'll be able to watch around 240 channels without paying a subscription.

Channels available include the BBC and ITV channels, Channel 4, Five, E4, Sky 3, BBC News, Sky News, Film 4, Film 24, Euronews, Men and Motors, Zone Reality, Life, and Wedding TV. For a list of the free channels that can be viewed on a Sky dish and decoder without subscription, see Sky's Free TV channel list.

A number of channels that are available on Freeview are not available on Sky Freesat, including: Virgin 1, Yesterday, Dave and Sky Sports News.

Freesat from Sky costs £147 to new customers, including box and installation. To get Freesat from Sky, call 08442 410 595.

Answers to your Sky Freesat questions:

  • The dish and box are yours to keep
  • If you have an old Sky box and a satellite dish, you can get Freesat by buying a Freesat card from Sky. These cost £20. Call Sky on 08448 244 400, or go to Sky's site.
  • Existing Sky Digital users can switch to Sky Freesat over the phone for no charge.
  • HD is not available on a Sky Freesat box. If you want HD, consider Sky+ HD
  • If you decide to sign up to a subscription pack from Sky, you'll have all the kit you need, and a phone call will get you subscribed

Can't get ITV1, Five, Five USA , Fiver or Sky 3?

Sky Viewing CardThese channels are encrypted and need a Sky Viewing Card. These are free to subscribers, otherwise they cost £20. You can get a Sky Freesat viewing card by calling Sky on 08448 244 400, or go to Sky's site.

Already have a card? Sky renewed their cards in mid 2009. If your Sky card stopped working in October 2009, contact Sky for a new card.

 

Sky Pay Once Watch Forever BoxSky Pay Once, Watch Forever

No longer offered by Sky

Pay Once, Watch Forever was launched by Sky in July 2007. It allowed you to get over 200 free-to-air TV channels without a subscription.

There was a one-off cost of £75 for the service, which included box and installation, and you got a few free months of viewing on Sky's pay-service. Pay Once, Watch Forever was a cheap way to buy a Sky box and to get a dish without a subscription.

Pay Once-Watch Forever was available from Dixons and Tescos online, but the last stocks disappeared from Tesco's online store towards the end of July 2009.

As far as we know, the Pay Once, Watch Forever offering is no longer available. (Contact us if you know differently)

Alternatives: Sky's Freesat service, discussed above, or the BBC/ITV service, also called Freesat.

 

Listen to the FrequencyCast UK online radio show
FrequencyCast PodcastPODCAST FEATURE: We looked at Free satellite services in show 27.
Listen to the show online, or download it to your MP3 player.
Listen to Show 27 | What is FrequencyCast? | Add us to iTunes

 

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