Sky UK to Open First Retail Shops Across the Country
Broadband ISP and TV provider Sky (Sky Broadband) has today announced that they are to start opening retail shops across the United Kingdom, with the first being in Liverpool on 26th October 2020. This will be the first time all of their products have been under one roof.
The move, which is the polar opposite of Virgin Media’s recent decision to scrap their own shops (here), comes at a challenging time for the high street after it was hit hard by COVID-19. Admittedly Sky does already have plenty of pop-up shops and kiosks, but those aren’t full stores and have tended to focus more on their TV products.
A number of these shops are due to open this year (we understand that number will be around 5), starting in Liverpool, and Sky has plans to open further shops in 2021, although they haven’t said precisely how many or where these will be placed.
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Sky has also struck a deal with technology repair chain iSmash. This means that some shops will host iSmash in-store, providing customers with professional repair and support for their smart devices.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/470189933
Stephen van Rooyen, Sky’s CEO of UK & Europe, said:
“Our new Sky shops are a great way for us to showcase the amazing benefits and customer service we have to offer new and existing customers. We’re proud to see our shops opening at a challenging time for the UK high street, and alongside our partners at iSmash, we’ll bring service, innovation and convenience all in one place, under one roof, at a time when keeping people connected has never been more important.”
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Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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No, I’d only use them to complain, like how they expect me to pay £50 to upgrade my Sky Q box to received HDR, a box I don’t own and that others get for the same price as me without paying to upgrade.. hmm need to get in the phone are have a go at them for this.
They always had kiosks in my local Westfield shopping centre. They could never access anything and always tried to upsell you with “ special “ deals which are routinely available online. When I asked in the past about some specifications about hardware, they were completely clueless. Also I don’t remember now what it was but they misled me with wrong infos. I hope these new shops will train their staff better. I’m with Sky now for everything ( mobile, telly and broadband ) but it wasn’t because of their kiosks’ staff though 😉 lol
Don’t come to Telford. We don’t want Sky.
@adslmax
They could help you max with your G.fast 🙂
G.fast is pointless and a waste of time!
@adslmax
So when you said the following on Tuesday 20th October 2020 was it a lie?
‘G.fast installed this morning! Not bad 143 down and 28 up on the new line.’
@ What says
Results
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Summary of Performance Test
Timestamp
Wednesday 21 October 2020 | 21:46:39
Ping
21 Ms
Download
143.66 Mbps
Upload
28.45 Mbps
Advance Test
Download Test
Download speed achieved during the test was 143.66 Mbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 95 – 146.51 Mbps
IP Profile for your line is 146.51 Mbps
143.66 Mbps
146.51 Mbps
Upload Test
Upload speed achieved during the test was 28.45 Mbps
IP Profile for your line is 30 Mbps
28.45 Mbps
30 Mbps
What says
too slow as G.fast can’t get 330/50. Pointless!
So open a non essential shop in a part of town with a tier 3 lockdown? So non essential shops to shut?
Someone needs firing.
Good. Maybe It’ll stop the pestering robots that set up stall in shopping centres around the country. Nothing more annoying than a suited android waving a leaflet in your face to get your attention when all you want to do is go to the shops, get what you need and go home.
“with the first being in Liverpool on 26th October 2020”
NOT ALLOWED – TIER 3 – Sky bosses need fired & sacked for breaking the government rules. Will report Sky!
One moment legal eagle…
“ Under Tier 3 rules, all shops are able to remain open – even those which were classed as ‘non-essential’ earlier this year.”
https://www.thestar.co.uk/health/coronavirus/all-sheffield-businesses-must-now-close-under-tier-3-lockdown-restrictions-3010162?amp
Maybe I am confused but why is this a bad thing it is a source of employment for people. Virgin will likely start being in O2 shops like BT do with EE I expect.
Are salesmen considered… people?
All this kind of stuff is done online nowadays. It’s gonna tank, especially in this era of coronavirus. What a stupid decision.
It gets people jobs.
Wow everyone’s so salty. guys it’s a shop for people to get help with the products they’ve bought through sky and to enquire about other products. You might not all appreciate that but if you are comfortable doing everything online then the shop isn’t intended for you. I think everyone one needs to calm down, it’s just a shop