Today Sky finally launched its MVNO service in the UK, known as ‘Sky Mobile’. One which the company hopes will allow it to take a share of the UK market, as Sky Mobile now effectively sees Sky competing on most, if not all, levels.
Regarding what the network has to offer, Sky Mobile has been created around four key features. The first is the ability for customers to roll over any of their unused data each month, something that rival carriers don’t really offer in the UK. As well as this, customers can keep this excess of data for up to three years and even share it among a family of up to five members. This allowance is based on research the company did, which showed that, on average, customers spend in excess of £50 a year on unused data, something that is sure to catch consumer attention. As part of the second feature, Sky is also enabling customers to create personalized plans, which they can then change every month if they wish. The third and fourth features are reserved for Sky TV customers, due to the fact that they will be offering free calls and texts to any UK numbers to customers who sign up to the mobile network, while customers will also get the extra incentive of being able to sync their Sky+ TV box to their smartphone, allowing them to access their favorite shows anywhere. As one final incentive, Sky+ customers who choose to sign up to the mobile network will also get access to Sky Go Extra for free, which means a £60 saving per year.
For those wanting to get their hands on a Sky Mobile SIM card, sales for SIM-only contracts start mid-December for existing Sky customers as well as those who pre-register on Sky’s website. For other consumers, sales will begin early in the new year and later on in 2017 the company will start offering smartphones with contracts. So far both Samsung and Apple smartphones have been confirmed for the eventual launch. Lastly, regarding pricing and contract length, Sky Mobile will be offering the option of either 1GB, 3GB or 5GB plans for £10, £15 and £20 per month respectively – based on a one-year contract. While non-Sky TV customers can opt to pay an extra £10 for unlimited calls and texts or they can pay for what they use up by paying on a pay-as-you-use basis.