Sky Direct

Sky Direct
TypeDirect-broadcast satellite television
Country
HeadquartersELJ Communications Center, Eugenio Lopez Drive, Diliman, Quezon City
OwnerSky Cable Corporation
Launch date
March 18, 2016; 8 years ago (2016-03-18)
DissolvedJune 30, 2020; 4 years ago (2020-06-30) (lapsed legislative franchise)
Picture format
DVB-S2 MPEG-4
Official website
www.mysky.com.ph/skydirect

Sky Direct (stylized as SKYdirect) was a direct-broadcast satellite subscription television service in the Philippines owned and operated by Sky, a subsidiary of ABS-CBN Corporation. Sky Cable had been eyeing for a DBS service and considered on acquiring Dream Satellite TV from Antonio O. Cojuangco, Jr. The acquisition of Dream was reported to have reached an advanced stage but for some undisclosed reasons, the deal was not sealed. Sky's entry to the DBS market was hindered by various oppositions from the industry, citing legal issues and the slow growth of the pay TV market in the country. On December 23, 2015, Sky was granted by the NTC a provisional authority to operate and maintain a DBS service in 251 cities and municipalities in the country for a period of 18 months. Sky Direct offered both prepaid and postpaid packages with exclusive channels from ABS-CBN and Creative Programs such as ABS-CBN HD, ABS-CBN News Channel, ABS-CBN Sports+Action HD, Cinema One, Jeepney TV, Metro Channel, Liga, and Myx. As of March 2019, Sky Direct had over 1 million subscribers.[1]

On June 30, 2020, Sky Direct stopped operations due to the alias cease-and-desist order (ACDO) issued by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and Solicitor General Jose Calida regarding the expiration of ABS-CBN's legislative franchise.[2]

  1. ^ Darwin G. Amojelar (March 11, 2018). "ABS-CBN posts 10% income drop". Manilastandard.net.
  2. ^ Esguerra, Darryl John (June 30, 2020). "NTC orders ABS-CBN to halt Sky Direct operations". Inquirer. Retrieved June 30, 2020.