A number of Sky TV consumers will find themselves reaching for their wallets should they wish to fast forward through advert breaks, which the satellite company launching a new feature in November.
Sky initially confirmed that the service charge would be coming late last year, with the update eventually landing on November 29 2022.
In simple terms, Sky users will see an additional £5 charge when their bill rolls around each month, should they whizz through commercials that appear on live channels like ITV, Sky Atlantic, Channel 4, Channel 5 and many more.
Read more: Sky launches new stream service allowing you to watch without a satellite dish
The Express reports that those who have been hit by the new charge - and are outside of their initial contract term - should consult with Sky's best deals in order to renegotiate a brand-new Sky Glass or Sky Stream deal, which do not include the additional charge.
It's clear that the new price rise will go down like a lead balloon for many, but not everybody who uses Sky will be affected by the new charge. If you have Sky Q then you can breathe a sigh of relief, with the new feature not affecting the set-top box.
Alternatively, those who have purchased a Glass TV avoid the bill hike for 18 months from purchase - as the ability to skip through ads is free for the entirety of a minimum contract term.
However, if you happen to purchase a Sky Glass TV or the new Stream box after the charge landed, you'll need to add the 'Ad Skipping Add on Pack' to be able to whizz through commercials. Those who choose not to fork out will have to watch all sponsored material as usual when using their playlists menu or on catch-up apps like ITVX.
It's worth noting that all customers, both with and without the ‘Ad Skipping’ pack, will still be able to pause a live show and fast forward during ad breaks until they reach the live stream again. Explaining more about the feature, Sky said: "With the Ad Skipping Add On, you'll be able to fast forward through adverts when using Live Pause, Restart, Playlist or Sky On Demand.
"You can also fast forward adverts from within ITVX, STV Player and All4 TV apps. The Ad Skipping Add On doesn't mean that you won't see any adverts.
"It allows the ability to fast forward through the ads using the relevant remote control buttons and on screen menu for what you're watching. The Ad Skipping Add On doesn't include other apps, like YouTube or Spotify."
It's not just Sky that's charging users to skip adverts. All4 charges £3.99 per month and ITVX now charges £5.99, so this isn't an exclusive added extra for those with Sky.
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