In a move which could literally shake the whole UK broadband sector, it has been revealed that Sky TV customers with unlimited broadband and a Sky HD TV subscription will be eligible for free video on demand which will be delivered via “Sky Anytime Plus”. In simple terms, the service will allow users to download hundreds of movies and TV shows onto their Sky HD hard disk and watch them at their convenience.
While video-on-demand has been mentioned for many years now in the UK it is the integration of broadband and video on demand which places this particular service above any currently in the pipeline. Whether this will cause regulatory issues for Sky TV remains to be seen but the company continues to roll out revolutionary new services which are catching many other UK broadband and UK media companies by surprise.
Due to limitations with older Sky TV boxes the service will only be available to HD customers in the short-term although we may likely see the introduction of new technology in the future which could widen the appeal of the service. Consumers will now be hoping that the likes of BT Broadband and other prominent ISPs in the UK will respond positively to this move.