German pay-TV operator Sky Deutschland will continue the SD switch-off of TV channels in favour of HD-only distribution on March 22, 2023.
The switchover, which will take place automatically and at no extra cost to subscribers, will affect 27 channels from the Sky Cinema, Sky Sport and Sky Fußball Bundesliga brands:
Sky Cinema: Sky Cinema Premieren SD, Sky Cinema Premieren +24 SD, Sky Cinema Best Of SD, Sky Cinema Action SD and Sky Cinema Family SD.
Sky Sport: Sky Sport 1 SD, Sky Sport 2 SD, Sky Sport 3 SD, Sky Sport 4 SD, Sky Sport 5 SD, Sky Sport 6 SD, Sky Sport 7 SD, Sky Sport 8 SD, Sky Sport 9 SD, Sky Sport Tennis SD and Sky Sport Top Event SD
Sky Fußball Bundesliga: Sky Sport Bundesliga 1 SD, Sky Sport Bundesliga 2 SD, Sky Sport Bundesliga 3 SD, Sky Sport Bundesliga 4 SD, Sky Sport Bundesliga 5 SD, Sky Sport Bundesliga 6 SD, Sky Sport Bundesliga 7 SD, Sky Sport Bundesliga 8 SD, Sky Sport Bundesliga 9 SD, Sky Sport Bundesliga SD and Sky Sport Top Event SD.
Commenting on the background of the move, a Sky spokesman told Broadband TV News: “The parallel distribution of Sky content via linear channels in SD and HD is associated with high costs. Therefore, most Sky channels will be broadcast exclusively in HD from now on. We want to invest the saved costs in our content and in the technical infrastructure to further improve the Sky experience.”
The switchover to HD concerns DTH satellite, cable and IPTV distribution, said the spokesman. The affected customers have been informed by email or letter over the past two weeks that they will be able to receive several channels in HD from March 22 at no additional cost, he added.
However, Sky does not intend to use the capacity freed up by the SD switch-off to expand its TV offering: “New channels are not currently planned,” said the spokesperson.
Sky is informing its customers about the upcoming switchover on a special website. In November 2018, the pay-TV operator began switching off the first SD channels.
