Sky opens film rentals to non-subscribers

Sky has announced that its film rental service will now be available to everyone in the UK and the Republic of Ireland – including non-subscribers.

As part of a wider drive by the pay-TV broadcaster to broaden distribution of its content and give people new ways to access content, any home with a broadband connection now has the option to stream film titles offered by Sky to their TV or laptop – whether that’s via Sky’s website, the NOW TV Box, Roku or YouView.

The launch of the new skystore.com today follows on the back of growing demand for the rental service amongst Sky TV’s own customers; film rentals through the original subscription-only Sky Store have more than doubled year on year, with 2.1 million rentals in the three months ending 30 September, according to Sky.

The move is likely to be seen as a response to the changing view on-demand market, where hugely popular platforms such as Netflix are making strong in-roads. Less than two years since its launch, Netflix now accounts for over 20% of downstream traffic on certain fixed networks in the British Isles and offers a quick, cheap and flexible subscription deal.

“We’re delighted that millions more homes can access hundreds of box office smashes alongside best-loved movie classics,” said Nicola Bamford, director of Sky Store. “All you need is an internet connection and away you go.

“With Sky Store there are no late fees and no waiting for the post. Customers simply sign up and stream the film they want to watch, when they want to watch, wherever they want – these days it couldn’t be easier to enjoy the perfect movie to suit your mood.”

Sky Store currently charges £3.49 for a new release and up to £1.99 for a classic.