Do you need a satellite dish for Sky TV?

For many people, the biggest barrier to signing up for a Sky subscription is the difficulty of getting a satellite dish installed.

The good news is you can now get Sky TV without the need for a satellite dish.

In October 2021, Sky announced the launch of its Sky Glass TV product. This is a Sky-branded smart TV that allows Sky customers to access all of its fantastic TV content directly, without the need for either a satellite dish or a separate streaming device.

And more recently it launched its Sky Stream puck, allowing customers to access the full Sky TV interface directly via their internet connection.

Sky without a satellite

Sky Glass was launched to UK customers in October 2021, with plans already in place to add additional features in 2022, such as a 4K smart camera to make your Sky Glass TV interactive.

Sky Stream then launched in October 2022, providing the same interface that customers can access via the Sky Stream puck which connects to your TV.

Sky Glass TV subscriptions

Sky is making its Sky Glass TV available bundled in with some of its most popular TV packages.

In the same way mobile phone networks bundle together call and data plans with the cost of a new handset, Sky customers can get a new smart TV and a subscription to Sky's award-winning TV content for one monthly payment.

• 43-inch Sky Glass with Sky Ultimate = £38 a month

• 55-inch Sky Glass with Sky Ultimate = £43 a month

• 65-inch Sky Glass with Sky Ultimate = £48 a month

Sky Stream TV subscriptions

The easiest way to get Sky TV has to be with the new Sky Stream product. You can choose to sign up for a flexible 31-day rolling contract or save a little each month by going for an 18-month contract.

Sky Stream prices

• Sky Ultimate TV and Netflix Basic (18-month contract) = £26 a month

• Sky Ultimate TV and Netflix Basic (31-day contract) = £29 a month

• Add-on Sky Sports (18-month contract) = £25

• Add-on Sky Sports (31-day contract) = £27

• Add-on Sky Cinema (18-month contract) = £10

• Add-on Sky Cinema (31-day contract) = £13

• Add-on Sky Kids (31-day contract) = £6

• Add-on TNT Sports (31-day contract) = £30

• Add-on UHD & Dolby Atmos = £6

You'll also need to pay a £39.95 set-up fee for 31-day contracts or a £20 fee for 18-month contracts. And if you'd like Sky TV in multiple rooms you can get Whole Home for £12 a month, allowing you to have up to five additional Sky Stream devices.

Other ways to watch Sky content without a satellite

If you're not keen to invest in a new smart TV, there are a few other ways to watch Sky content without a satellite dish.

Watch Sky Sports

Sky makes it easy for you to get access to Sky Sports regardless of who your provider is or whether have a TV provider or not.

NOW is Sky’s streaming service and it has a wide variety of Sky content on its TV membership subscriptions. You can get a daily or monthly Sky Sports TV membership through NOW, which allows you to watch live and on-demand content on compatible devices like smartphones, tablets and streaming devices.

If you already have a TV package through another provider, chances are very high you’ll be able to get a Sky Sports add-on. Virgin Media offers TV bundles that include Sky Sports channels so you won’t miss anything from Sky Sports. If you’re a BT subscriber, you can also get all the Sky Sports channels through the BT Big Sport TV package which includes a NOW Sky Sports pass.

Watch Sky Cinema

Sky also makes it very easy to get Sky Cinema channels without a Sky subscription.

All 12 Sky Cinema channels, plus their on-demand movies, are available with the NOW Cinema TV membership, which you can get on a monthly basis.

If you already have a TV subscription, you’ll likely be able to add a Sky Cinema bundle to your subscription for a monthly fee. TalkTalk, BT and Virgin Media all offer Sky Cinema add-ons. Both BT and Virgin Media offer combined Sky passes that bundle Sky Cinema and Sky Sports for a discounted monthly fee.

Watch Sky Atlantic

Sky knows its Sky Atlantic content is top-notch and highly sought after, which is why it doesn’t let other providers broadcast exclusive Sky Atlantic content.

The only way to watch Sky Atlantic outside of a Sky subscription is through a NOW Entertainment TV membership. The Entertainment membership gives you access to Sky Atlantic and 15 other pay TV channels live or on-demand on a rolling monthly basis so you can keep up to date with all the latest series.

Sky in a block of flats

Finally, if you live in a block of flats you could still get full access to Sky TV without the need to install a new satellite dish. If you live in a block of four or more flats, you may not need an individual satellite dish to watch Sky as your building may already have a communal TV system.

Communal TV systems let residents in flats subscribe to Sky without the need to get an individual satellite dish. Sky has three different types of communal TV systems: a shared dish, an integrated reception system and a single cable solution. Regardless of the system your block of flats has, you won’t need a satellite dish for Sky.

You can learn more about getting Sky in a block of flats in our guide.