Sky TV customers can watch hundreds of channels without subscription...

Operator has announced a price rise for TV packages and broadband this year - but many customers don't actually need to pay for the service



Sky has just revealed an upcoming price rise for its TV and broadband services in 2025, leading to a surge of customers hunting for cheaper alternatives to manage their television bills. It's becoming common knowledge that hundreds of channels, including several that are part of Sky's offering, can be accessed for free without any subscription.

This is simply done by hooking up a satellite cable to the back of your TV. A vast number of UK homes already have a satellite dish adorning their house or roof, left by previous occupants who had subscribed to Sky TV but didn't remove the dish upon leaving. Per Sky's own website, the most affordable package for Sky TV and broadband starts at £37 monthly (£444 yearly).

However, switching to Freesat using the existing dish could be a real money-saver. Many modern TVs already boast a built-in Freesat tuner alongside Freeview, making an additional box unnecessary for accessing Freesat channels. All it takes is connecting a satellite cable from your Sky socket straight into your TV’s SAT port – known for its hexagonal bolt shape with a pinhole.

To tap into a wide array of channels, some of which are usually restricted to Sky and not found on Freeview, simply go to your TV's menu and search for satellite broadcasts. As noted by the Freesat website, "To use Freesat you need a satellite dish, but it doesn't need to be new! ".

"Even if it's a Sky satellite dish or an older model, all you need to do is plug the satellite cables into the back of your Freesat 4K TV Box [or some smart TVs] and you're good to go. If you're thinking about moving from Sky TV to Freesat you can use the same satellite dish! The dish you have will affect how many channels you can record at once on your 4K TV Box."

With over 100 channels currently accessible on Freesat, including those not found on Freeview like ITV2 HD, ITV3 HD, and ITV Be HD among others, this revelation has sparked conversations on social media platforms such as Reddit. Some users are only now realising the potential of existing dishes, even Sky Q dishes, with the right box purchase.

One user commented: "A fair chunk of TVs include a satellite tuner, known as DVB-S2, just like they have a free view tuner (DVB-T). So you can probably get the open freesat channels without buying anything if you are already on Sky and getting away from it."

Another shared their experience: "The new Sky Q setup works 100% fine with the 4K freesat box available on the market now. It's literally what I ran for the past 12 months after I dumped sky. I've just switched back to sky, and we just plugged the Q box into the cables and it was fine."

The advice emerges as Sky reveals a price hike for its TV and broadband services, effective from April 1.

Tip: The Manhattan T4 box (£69.99) works with both old and new style Sky dishes whereas cheaper brands like mine (<£25) only work with older dishes. The Manhattan also has a full official Freesat menu which cheaper brands don't. A recordable version (T4-R) is available for £169.99