Got Windows 7? Want satellite TV service? Don’t want to hang a dish on your house? Well, if you live in the United Kingdom and your version of Windows 7 includes Media Center, you’re all set. You can subscribe to the Sky satellite service and get all your programming content sent to you over the Internet. The service will provide all the broadcast channels as well as on-demand programming.

Sky has stolen a march on the U.S. cable and satellite providers. The U.S. providers hope that their “TV Everywhere” initiatives will give their subscribers access to content over the Internet when they are away from the settop box. The key difference here is that Sky does not require that you be an existing subscriber; you can sign up for the service without using the satellite broadcasts at all. This could well be the bellwether for subscription TV services in this country, too. I believe that people would prefer an “all you can eat” monthly subscription over a “pay as you go” where you have to buy or rent individual episodes and movies, and it looks as though Sky may be the first to deliver this.

It is worth noting that Sky is making a name for itself as an innovator. Recently, it also announced that it will be providing a 3DTV channel next year.

Posted by Alfred Poor, October 26, 2009 6:00 AM