SKY customers have been warned there may be an unwelcome change to their Netflix subscription from today.
And the shake-up is completely out of the broadcaster’s control.
Sky provides Netflix Basic as standard with every TV subscription product.
But Netflix discontinued the Basic plan earlier this year.
Existing Sky customers have been able to continue using Netflix Basic, but that is about to change.
As from this month, viewers will see their inclusive subscription to the service switched to Netflix’s ad-based plan.
Netflix Standard with ads has essentially replaced Netflix Basic as the cheapest option available.
So affected customers will notice their Netflix account switch at some point this month.
Some have already complained on social media about the move.
“Why are you removing the Netflix basic plan?” one viewer wrote on X.
“I’ve been on that plan since 2016 + recently combined my Sky account with Netflix + now you’re telling me I’m getting ads come Sep and will still pay the same price despite the ads plan being £4.99.”
Another wrote: “not happy with the recent changes to the Netflix subscription.
“Never had ads on it and now I have ads. Why am I being penalised?”
The only way to avoid ads is to upgrade to the Netflix Standard plan.
Of course, those who already have Netflix Standard or Netflix Premium through Sky are unaffected by the changes.
Despite the ads, there are some benefits to the ad-based plan compared to the old Basic plan.
Video quality is upgraded from 720p to Full HD 1080p, for starters.
And you also get to watch and download Netflix from two devices simultaneously instead of only one.
Analysis by Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun
Netflix Basic’s future has been hanging in the balance for a while now.
And it might not be the only change – bosses previously suggested they are exploring other tier options with ads in mind.
The push towards ads is hardly surprising, everyone is at it now, including Disney+ and Amazon Prime.
Netflix’s advertising chief revealed in January that the ad-based tier now has more than 23million global active users per month.
Of course, users who have enjoyed having no interruptions during their shows all these years aren’t too happy about the shift, saying streamers are essentially morphing into traditional satellite or cable TV services.
With prices pretty much increasing annually, companies have tried to offset the impact by telling users they can keep (or lower) their current subscription cost with ads – but if you want an ad-free experience you’ll have to pay more for the privilege.
So expect to see more ad-backed subscription models in the future.
