Sky Q - being phased out?

[TPick1]

Went past a Sky stand while out and about at the weekend and saw a deal that was better than we are currently getting/paying. Went in, salesman looked up our account and confirmed we could get the deal. Went through a load of guff and then after a while he said that the deal was only available with Stream (which it didn't specify on the board outside). We asked why as we do not want to get rid Sky Q and he said that Sky Q was being phased out. Is this the case? Is there a plan to phase out, or is only offering the best deals on Stream Sky's way of phasing out Q? The salesman said he could never offer the same deal on Q, but surely it doesn't matter what box you are using if there is no plan to phase out Q. Cheers.

[ThePope27]

Hi @TPick1, 

No one knows for sure when it will be phased out, all we know at present is SES have a contract with sky until 2028 so it won't be phased out before then. it may be extended after 2028.

[Daniel0210]

@TPick1 

Sky are still offering new deals for Sky Q. The life expectancy of the actual satellite is near the end of this decade. I think he was after his commission. 

[TPick1]

Thanks for the quick response and info.  So basically no reason why the same deal couldn't have been offered with our existing box then 🙂.

[ThePope27]

I've noticed Sky Q is still more expensive than stream, I guess the overheads of Q cost more as they have to pay for transponder usage on 28.2 satellite. Compared to stream as that just requires bandwidth.

[Daniel0210]

@TPick1 

There's every chance the deal you saw /heard about was for new customers. If that was the case you wouldn't be eligible. 

[TPick1]

Thanks for this.  Yes, as soon as we mentioned not wanting to lose Q he lost interest.  To be honest if it had said that on the board out front we wouldn't have gone in.  Shame as would have been a £20 a month saving.

[ThePope27]

@TPick1 

In my humble opinion, Sky Q is so much better than Sky Stream, 

[TPick1]

@Daniel0210 

He looked up our account and said we were eligible.  Now realise only eligible if changing to Stream.

[ThePope27]

@TPick1 ,

Your quite right I have got an offer on my sky account, 65" Sky glass + 3 pucks + full pack is £25 quid cheaper than what I pay for Q at the minute

[TimmyBGood]

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@TPick1 wrote:

So basically no reason why the same deal couldn't have been offered with our existing box then

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It would be quite legitimate for Sky Group to choose to promote and incentivise uptake of their new technology which has a long-term future over an eight-year-old legacy platform which almost certainly doesn't have much of one left.

Also worth remembering that Q was the final 'Sky' product, and Glass/Stream is the first under Comcast ownership.

[TPick1]

@ThePope27 

Admittedly I have only read about Stream and not used it, but think the control lost would drive me crazy.  Plus, were long time Virgin customers and moved from Sky a little while ago and only just got used to the box 🙂.

Funny, asked the salesman what happens if the broadband goes and and he said basically you are screwed 🤣

[ThePope27]

@TPick1,

I was with virgin media 360 up until last month, my mom has glass and stream pucks and now I have Sky Q, I tested glass up at my moms house and it was vile. Hated it, everything was 1 click more on glass than Q which made me decide to go to Q

The only thing I miss with virgin 360 is the 4K HDR mini boxes 

[TimmyBGood]

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@TPick1 wrote:

Funny, asked the salesman what happens if the broadband goes and and he said basically you are screwed

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Well, yes, but that will be universally true once 'broadcasting' ceases: unfortunately it's unlikely to be a powerful enough argument to convince private investors to pay for new orbiting one-way platforms (which are essentially a 1990s technology), or a future UK government not to take back the Digital Terrestrial Television spectrum to sell off.

[TPick1]

Yeah, can understand the new product push, and also the way the future is looking in terms of viewing habits.  I guess the forcing onto a new product through pricing is disappointing - or that is how it seems it is happening anyway.

Not a lot can be done about it I suppose.

Cheers.