Good news for people living in flats—Sky now offers two new ways to get its TV service without the need for a satellite dish: Sky Glass and Sky Stream. Sky Glass is Sky's branded smart TV with a built-in Sky TV interface, and Sky Stream is a streaming device that connects to almost any TV to offer the same service as Sky Glass.
Both services stream Sky content over the internet, so there's no need for a satellite dish to be installed, making it easier than ever to get Sky in a block of flats.
And while it is still possible to get Sky TV with a satellite dish if you live in a block of flats, these two options will be a lot easier (and likely a bit cheaper) to install and set up.
You can compare a range of Sky TV deals on our dedicated Sky TV page, including satellite and internet-connected services.
Our best Sky TV deals
Want a bigger and better TV package? Check out the latest Sky TV deals on Uswitch.
How to get Sky TV without a dish
In the last few years, Sky finally unveiled two ways you can access its premium content without needing to get a satellite installed. This isn't to say installing a Sky satellite is impossible for those living in flats, but its internet-connected solution makes it far easier.
Sky Glass
The first Sky TV device that connects to your Wi-Fi is its own smart TV, Sky Glass. This is a 4K UHD, internet-connected television powered by Samsung's extremely bright and colourful QLED screen.
If you're in the market for a new TV and you want to consolidate your costs, a Sky Glass TV with Sky TV could be a very attractive option.
Sky Stream
If you want Sky TV but don't want a whole new TV to access it, Sky Stream could be for you. It's a small box that works like a streaming stick, connecting to your Wi-Fi and letting you watch all the Sky TV you want, just like you would with Apple TV or an Amazon Fire stick.
It's also quite a lot cheaper than Sky Glass, so it's the perfect choice if you don't want to install a satellite or TV in order to get Sky.
Getting Sky satellite TV in a block of flats
There are a few factors that determine whether you can get a Sky satellite at your property.
First, Sky has to be offered in your area. You can use our TV postcode checker to see whether Sky satellite TV is available in your area.
If you can get it in your area, your next steps will depend on the size of your block of flats.
Blocks of four flats or fewer
If you live in a block of four flats or fewer, getting Sky's satellite TV service is reasonably simple.
You can start your order online and go through a similar process for a regular order, but Sky might need more information from you, such as what floor you live on.
Getting Sky is still possible but a bit trickier for flats higher than the third floor. You’ll need to call Sky and arrange an installation with the dedicated flats install team.
Blocks with more than four flats
Getting Sky is trickier if you live in a larger block of flats. However, it may still be possible to arrange a Sky Communal TV system or install an individual dish.
A Sky Communal TV system works for the entire building and allows anyone in any flat to get Sky TV. To see if your block of flats already has a communal system, call Sky or your building’s property management to find out. A quick way to know for sure is to see if you have any Sky TV outlets somewhere in your flat. If you do, then getting Sky TV installed is easy and quick.
If not, you can arrange to have a communal TV system by getting the building's managing agent in touch with Sky to set one up.
Tip: If you’re set on getting Sky TV for your building, it may help to find out if other residents also want Sky TV to get more weight behind your request.
Although Sky says that any costs for the bespoke requirements would be paid by whoever is managing the property, this fee usually ends up split between residents as a service charge.
In some cases, you might not need a communal system if your flat can get an individual dish installed. To get an individual dish, your flat must meet the following criteria:
- The property manager allows external dishes
- You can receive a signal from within your flat
- It’s safe to install an external dish
The Sky Flats Install Team will determine whether this is an appropriate solution for you and your flat. If so, you can sign up for Sky over the phone.
I can’t get Sky in my flat
If you can’t get a Sky dish for your flat, you still have options to access great Sky content. You could use one of its new Wi-Fi-connected products listed above, or you can access specific Sky channels through the following means.
How to get Sky Sports
Even without any TV provider, you can still get Sky Sports through a NOW Sports membership, which is available on a daily or monthly basis. You can then stream live and on-demand content to a compatible streaming device.
TalkTalk and Virgin Media also offer add-ons for Sky Sports channels, and if you’re a BT subscriber, you can watch it all on BT’s Big Sport bundle.
How to get Sky Cinema
Again, Sky offers a Cinema membership through its streaming service, NOW, which you can sign up for even if you don’t have a TV provider. The NOW Cinema membership gives you access to all 11 Sky Cinema channels and on-demand content, and it’s available on a monthly basis.
How to get Sky Atlantic
When most people think of Sky TV, they’re probably thinking of Sky Atlantic, which airs all the biggest hits from the States, including HBO series like Game of Thrones and Westworld, plus Showtime series such as Twin Peaks and The Affair.
Because Sky knows that people really want to watch Sky Atlantic, they limit this channel to Sky packages and NOW TV memberships only. So if you’re not able to subscribe to Sky, the only way to watch these programmes is to buy the NOW Entertainment membership. You’ll get access to Sky Atlantic through it, as well as 18 other pay TV channels.
Although other providers, including TalkTalk, offer many of these series for purchase within their TV stores, these episodes are typically only available after a series has ended, so if you want to keep up to date or watch programmes live, you’ll need to get a NOW TV membership.
Our best Sky TV deals
Want a bigger and better TV package? Check out the latest Sky TV deals on Uswitch.
