Sky’s New Deadline: Upgrade Or Lose Your TV Subscription

Sky’s final countdown has begun: UK viewers clinging to their old SD boxes must now take action, as the company sets a firm October deadline that could leave some screens going dark.

This week, the TV provider declared that subscribers who haven’t upgraded their old SD boxes by October will face automatic cancellation of their Sky TV service.

This announcement comes as the culmination of Sky’s prolonged transition from SD to HD broadcasting, a process that has seen the gradual shutdown of numerous SD channels over the past few months.

According to Sky, subscribers need to contact the company to arrange an upgrade (which is available for free – see more on that below), before the subscriber’s payment due date in October.

The Road To HD

The shift from SD to HD broadcasting in the UK has been a gradual process, with the major broadcasters leading the charge (a few years too late, some would say).

The BBC and ITV were at the forefront of this transition, setting the stage for other providers to follow suit.

In 2022, the BBC took a significant step by finally making all its channels available in HD, including regional news on BBC One.

This move eliminated the long-standing issue of ‘red screen’ warnings during regional news broadcasts on HD channels.

Building on this progress, in January 2024, the BBC accelerated its SD switch-off on Freesat and Sky platforms, citing low demand for SD channels as the primary reason.

ITV followed a similar path, phasing out its SD channels on satellite platforms (although they’re still available on Freeview).

Sky’s transition began in earnest earlier this year, with the company unveiling a detailed timeline for discontinuing support for older SD-only boxes.

The process was designed to occur in three stages, beginning with the removal of all BBC SD channels from Sky’s satellite platform on 26 March 2024.

The second phase, implemented in May 2024, saw the closure of several key Sky channels in SD, including multiple Sky Sports and Sky Cinema channels.

However, in a last-minute decision, Sky opted to retain the SD versions of Sky Sports News and Sky Sports Mix, acknowledging that these channels were part of the Sky Signature bundle, which requires a paid HD upgrade for access to HD versions (even on newer boxes).

Sky’s Final SD Push

As we enter the final quarter of 2024, Sky is implementing the last stage of its SD to HD transition.

At this stage, older SD-only boxes only have a handful of channels available to them – and yet, it appears some customers are still clinging to those boxes.

Therefore, Sky has now set a firm October deadline for all remaining customers using SD-only boxes. Subscribers who haven’t upgraded their equipment by their October payment due date will face automatic cancellation of their Sky TV service.

It’s important to note that this change does not mean that Sky will entirely cease SD broadcasting.

Some SD channels will still be available on more modern devices like Sky Q, catering to viewers who prefer or require SD viewing for various reasons, such as maximizing recording capacity (or if they don’t wish to pay extra for an HD upgrade, which is still available on a few Sky Q bundles).

However, the way Sky delivers SD channels has changed – therefore, the older SD-only boxes won’t be supported at all anymore.

Is Your Sky Box Affected?

With the October deadline looming, Sky has provided several methods for customers to check if their box is affected.

The simplest way is to tune in to Channel 105 using your Sky remote. If you see Channel 5 HD, your box is not affected. However, if you see Channel 5 in SD, your box is likely one of those that will need to be upgraded before the October deadline.

Alternatively, customers can check their box version number by pressing the ‘Services’ button on their Sky remote, followed by ‘4’, then ‘5’.

Then, check your box’s version number, as seen here:

The affected boxes are:

Digibox:

• 4F01 to 4F08 (Amstrad)
• 4E01 to 4E05 (Grundig)
• 9F01 to 9F08 and 9F0A (Pace)
• 0F01 to 0F05 (Panasonic)
• 4E06 to 4E08 (Thomson)

Sky+:

• 4F2001 to 4F2006 (Amstrad)
• 4F2101 to 4F2118 and 9F2101 to 9F2137 (Amstrad or Pace)
• 9F2001 to 9F2024, PVR2, 9F2201 to 9F2235, 9F2301 to 9F2339 (Pace)
• 4E2101 to 4E2141 (Thomson)

These changes will not affect Sky customers with newer Sky boxes, such as Sky Q and Sky+ HD, or the streaming-based devices, Sky Glass and Sky Stream, where Sky’s channels are already HD by default.

How Can I Upgrade My Sky SD Box?

For customers with affected SD-only boxes, Sky is offering a straightforward path to upgrade.

The company has emphasised that this upgrade to Sky Q comes at no extra cost, and importantly, there will be no change to the customer’s existing Sky TV package or pricing (as Sky continues to offer some SD-only channels on the newer boxes, and some HD channels are available on Sky Q at no extra cost).

To initiate the upgrade process, affected customers can either visit Sky’s website or call 0333 759 5121.

Given the impending deadline, Sky is advising customers to act sooner rather than later to avoid potential delays due to high demand.

Once the upgrade is requested, Sky will arrange for one of their engineers to install the new Sky Q box at a time convenient for the customer.

For those who already have a Sky+ HD box but are unsure about their status, Sky has provided a separate contact number (0333 759 5218) to update their account information and ensure uninterrupted service.

While Sky Q is the primary upgrade option being offered, the company has acknowledged that this might not be suitable for all customers.

In such cases, Sky is encouraging customers to speak directly with their agents to explore alternative solutions (such as upgrading to Sky Glass or Sky Stream, for example).

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