[Kojak]

There are roumours Comcast only bought Sky Italy and Germany because they had to to get Sky UK.

I don't think they were rumours - I think it's pretty widely acknowledged that by the time Comcast bought Sky, it was essentially one entity across Europe. It's only been very recently that Comcast have started to sort-of 'decouple' the continental arms.

In Germany especially Pay TV had always had it harder than in the UK. While in the early 90s in the UK you had to get Sky (or cable) to get really anything more than the 4 terrestrial channels, in Germany you already could get quite few channels FTA on satellite or via cable (wich often is included in the rent). So the only real pull Premiere/Sky had was sport, specifically football (Bundesliga, Champions League etc.).

There is talk of Canal+ expanding into Germany (they already operate in Austria, where they now hold the Champions League rights) and bidding for the Bundesliga rights. They were reported to be interested in buying Sky Deutschland but that doesn't seem to have led anywhere.

[Kojak]

hollywoodreporter.com 

Will Comcast Sell Off Sky Germany or Italy? – The Hollywood Reporter
U.S. media giant Comcast paid nearly $40 billion for the Sky group but has strug…
  Source: www.hollywoodreporter.com

Some interesting tidbits:

Some synergies across Sky’s European operations may never emerge though. While Sky U.K., Deutschland and Italia share a brand, and a best-in-class technology platform, and, since 2019, an umbrella production and commissioning operation in Sky Studios, the group’s three divisions remain largely focused on their own markets and regionally siloed. Sky divisions often produce with U.S. partners ... but rarely with each other.

...

Sky’s Germany unit, which does not have a strong telecom or broadband component, looks more vulnerable.

“Germany is different because there Sky does not have the scale it has in Italy, where it is head-to-head with [public broadcaster] Rai as the biggest media in the country,” Godard tells The Hollywood Reporter. “In Germany there is no prospects of entering the telecoms market. So if Comcast wants to play macho and sell a piece of Sky, Germany is clearly the one bit to think about. But, doing so, Comcast renounces any possible pan-European ambition, necessary if one day they want to join the global league of streamers.”

[Stuart]

I appreciate that Sky Glass/Stream have different options, but I'm on FSfS using a DRX890 Sky+HD STB and they can't seem to decide what to call the ITV download service, or even stop squeezing the logo.

[IanJRedman]

It's barely relevant to this thread, but it probably bears mentioning for curiosity if nothing else... Sky have made an unexpected foray into home insurance, of all things!

www.sky.com/protect 

[SpacewardAsh]

It's barely relevant to this thread, but it probably bears mentioning for curiosity if nothing else... Sky have made an unexpected foray into home insurance, of all things!

www.sky.com/protect 

They've been doing device insurance for years underwritten by Domestic & General but this Smart Home Insurance underwritten by Zurich is certainly new!

[CATV]

Launched on the 2nd May.

www.zurich.co.uk 

Untitled

  Source: www.zurich.co.uk

[cable]

To all those saying IP won't be replacing satellite, here is the beginning... www.ft.com 

Subscribe to read | Financial Times
News, analysis and comment from the Financial Times, the worldʼs leading global …
  Source: www.ft.com

Sky to cut hundreds of jobs in shift from satellite TV
Sky said: “In recent years we have revolutionised our TV offering — aggregating all the best apps, giving customers easy access to all the shows they love in one place; then launching our new TV platforms, Sky Glass and Sky Stream, as we shift to IP. These changes are transforming what we offer our customers.”

[CCFG]

To all those saying IP won't be replacing satellite, here is the beginning... www.ft.com 

Sky to cut hundreds of jobs in shift from satellite TV
Sky said: “In recent years we have revolutionised our TV offering — aggregating all the best apps, giving customers easy access to all the shows they love in one place; then launching our new TV platforms, Sky Glass and Sky Stream, as we shift to IP. These changes are transforming what we offer our customers.”

Yet just 4 weeks ago Sky said that Sky Glass sales had been 'underwhelming'. 

rxtvinfo.com 

Sky Glass sales "underwhelming", according to report > RXTV info
Mobile and broadband services propping up pay TV giant, with report that sales o…
  Source: rxtvinfo.com

[cable]

To all those saying IP won't be replacing satellite, here is the beginning... www.ft.com 

Sky to cut hundreds of jobs in shift from satellite TV
Sky said: “In recent years we have revolutionised our TV offering — aggregating all the best apps, giving customers easy access to all the shows they love in one place; then launching our new TV platforms, Sky Glass and Sky Stream, as we shift to IP. These changes are transforming what we offer our customers.”

Yet just 4 weeks ago Sky said that Sky Glass sales had been 'underwhelming'. 

rxtvinfo.com 

Yes, which is why I said IP... Sky Stream could be very popular. I certainly have no issues with it. One of my prediction this year was that Sky might discontinue the glass TV and I still stand by it.

[London Lite]

Stream is what consumers really wanted. The ability to have Sky via a home internet connection without the need for drilling a hole in your house to get the dish up while using an existing television and self-install which cuts costs considerably for Sky.