SKY TV Announces Video on Demand Service

SkyTV has finally given a launch date, name and pricing for its soon to launch video on demand service.

The service is to be branded “NEON” and will offer a mix of TV shows, movies and documentaries from HBO, AMC and FX. Shows initially available on Neon will include Fargo, Game of Thrones and True Blood.

Set to launch in December, Sky will offer a 30-day free trial period, charging $20 per month. According to Sky, Neon won’t involve contracts and will also be ad-free.

At its December launch, Neon will be available on PC and Macs. It'll also work on Apple and Samsung smartphones as well as Microsoft’s Xbox games console.

NEON users will also be able to register up to five devices for use with the service. They'll also be able to watch content on two at the same time. Handily, they'll also be able to “bookmark” their place in a show to resume viewing at the same spot later if interrupted.

Neon will also allow parents to lock down content not suitable for kids with a secure pin number.

The move comes at an interesting time for Sky. Having posted positive financial results, the big challenge facing Sky is how to grow beyond the 865,055 subscribers they reported for 2014.

In theory, Neon will give Sky access to potential customers put off by the need for a set-top box, satellite dish and contract.

Neon will also provide Sky with a platform to compete in the crowded online space. Services such as Spark’s Lightbox, QuickFLix and EasyFlix plus Apples iTunes are already established.

Sky also indicated that they’re working with Vodafone to offer a bundled version of Neon that would most likely see Vodafone offering phone and video on demand bundles beyond their Wellington and Christchurch cable network footprint.