Sky Q

What is Sky Q?

Sky Q is essentially the most recent and up-to-date version of Sky’s set-top box, replacing the Sky+ box in 2016. Sky Q does everything its predecessor does and more, with a smaller, sleeker design. 

However, Sky Q is not just a television box. If you sign up to a Sky broadband bundle deal, you will get a Sky Q Hub (router) and a Sky Q app. You can also get multiple Sky Q Minis (small TV boxes) if you want TV in every room. When used together, Sky Q bundles offer a top-quality entertainment system with high-speed internet for your whole family.

What can I do with Sky Q?

With a Sky Q bundle deal, you will have access to a range of services and entertainment platforms, including:

• Sky TV: Access to over 400 channels, including Sky Sports and Sky Cinema on certain packages. To watch Sky TV with Sky Q, you will of course need to have a satellite dish installed on your home.
• On-demand TV: You can get a range of on-demand TV services with Sky Q, called Sky Ultimate On Demand. This includes a 30-day catch-up service of all Sky TV channels as well as over 300 box sets. You can also include a Netflix subscription as part of your package on certain deals.
• Multiroom TV: If you have multiple people in your household who like to watch their own shows at the same time, you can get multiroom Sky TV by installing Sky Q Minis to any additional TVs you have in the home.
• High-speed broadband: When you choose a Sky Q broadband and TV bundle, you will get access to high-speed fibre internet via a Sky Q Hub, which is one of the best broadband routers currently on the market.

What Sky Q box do I need?

As mentioned before, there is more than one Sky Q box, and they can be used in conjunction with each other. But do you need all of them? Not necessarily. These are the different Sky Q boxes you can get, and who they are for:

Sky Q 1TB

This is the set-top box you will receive with an entry-level or other basic Sky Q deal. It has 1TB of storage, enough room for up to 500 hours or recordings, while you can record up to 3 channels at any one time. If all you want to do is watch Sky TV, this is the only Sky Q box you will need.

Sky Q TB

This is an upgrade of the Sky Q 1TB box, allowing you to store up to 1,000 hours of content with its 2TB hard drive space, while you can also record up to 6 shows at the same time. This box is for customers who want to stream ultra-HD 4K content. However, you will also need a 4K-ready TV for this, and you will have to pay an upfront fee for the Sky Q 2TB box itself.

Sky Q Mini

These are smaller versions of the main Sky Q set-top boxes, but without any of the features. They are for households with multiple people who like to watch their own shows at the same time, connecting to your main box to allow for multiroom viewing under the same subscription.

Sky Q Hub

This is the router you will receive if you choose to get a Sky Q broadband and TV bundle package. It is one of the best routers around, and when hooked up to your other Sky Q boxes, they all become hotspots, allowing you extend the WiFi signal across your whole house.

What Sky Q packages can I get?

When you sign up to a Sky Q package, you will get a Sky Q set-top box and Sky TV, also known as Sky Entertainment, as standard. You can then choose to add other boxes and channels as a part of your package, including:

• Sky Sports: Gives you access to over 10 premium sports channels, including Sky Sports Premier League, Sky Sports Football, Sky Sports Cricket, Sky Sports Gold and Sky Sports F1.
• Sky Cinema: Gives you access to more than 1,000 films at any one time to watch on demand, as well as the 11 Sky Cinema HD channels.
• Sky Kids: Gives you access to 11 channels dedicated to kids, including the Disney Channel, Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon, as well as over 5,000 episodes of kids’ TV to watch on demand.
• Sky HD: Gives you access to over 20 Sky Entertainment channels to watch in full HD.
• Sky Ultimate TV: Gives you access to over 6,500 movies and TV shows on Netflix with an included basic subscription to the streaming service.

Pros of Sky Q

• More than 350 channels to watch as standard – the UK’s most extensive list.
• Watch different channels in every room of the house with Sky Q Mini boxes.
• Record up to 6 channels at any one time, while watching a seventh.
• Over 300 box sets to stream with Sky Ultimate On Demand.
• 2TB Sky Q box is 4K-compatible.
• Never lose your remote again by pressing a button on the box to make it beep.
• Sky Q Hub can turn all Sky Q boxes into hotspots giving you widespread coverage.

Cons of Sky Q

• Cheaper alternatives can be found with other providers.
• Sky Q bundle deals often come with upfront installation fees.
• You will a Sky Q TV and broadband bundle to make use of all its features.

Sky Q offers for new customers

If you’re not yet a Sky customer but are interested in Sky Q, you can sign up for an initial £26 per month (prices may change during contract), with a one-off £20 set-up fee. With this, you’ll get a Sky Q box with the Sky Signature package, giving you access to all Sky Entertainment channels and a Netflix subscription, as well as hundreds of box sets.

You then have the option to add on a variety of packages, from Sky Sports, Sky Cinema, and Sky Kids, to Sky HD and Sky Multiscreen.

See Sky Q deals for new customers.

Sky Q deals for existing customers

If you’re already Sky customer you can still find great deals when upgrading to Sky Q. Look out for flash sales which regularly offer discounts on add-ons such as Sky Sports and Sky Cinema. You can even find great prices for Sky’s rival sports broadcaster, BT Sport.

You can often find exclusive deals for existing customers, such as 2 months free of Sky HD, or a free 5 month Netflix subscription. Unlike some providers, Sky’s best offers aren’t limited to new customers.

If you think you’ve found a better offer from another provider, you can also get in contact with Sky directly to see if you can haggle a better deal with them.

See Sky Q offers for existing customers.