Now TV, stylized as NOW TV, is a subsidiary of Sky. The benefit of Now TV is getting to access the main pay-TV channels without locking yourself into a long and expensive contract. Since launching in 2012, Now TV has been gaining popularity in the UK, Ireland, and Italy. It has been offering broadband services as well since 2017, but only in the UK. Another benefit of Now TV is the ability to watch it on a wide variety of devices. Even if you do not own a compatible smart TV, you can turn it into one with a Now TV Smart Stick or Smart Box. It is simple to purchase and use Now TV Passes to stream and download on demand. Read this guide for more details on how Now TV works.
How do Now TV Passes work?
Now TV makes things straightforward: you can choose from 5 different Now TV Passes. Each pass will allow you to access a certain selection of channels and content for a month. It will keep on rolling automatically with monthly payments, but you can cancel at any time. You can choose multiple passes to suit your household viewing habits. Most passes offer a 14-day free trial, so you can watch even more for less money. The Entertainment Pass costs £7.99 a month and offers 11 channels and 300 box sets. These include Sky One, Sky Atlantic, Fox, Comedy Central, and MTV. The Sky Cinema pass is £9.99 a month for access to 11 Sky Movies channels and over a thousand films.
If you have young family members or children of your own, then a Kids Pass is only £3.99 a month. It offers 6 live channels which are not available on Freeview. These are Boomerang, Cartoonito, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr, and Nicktoons. The little ones can choose from hundreds of box sets on demand. If you prefer to distract yourself with reality TV, the Hayu Pass costs £3.99 per month. It comes with thousands of episodes of US reality TV, including Keeping Up With the Kardashians and The Real Housewives. Or if there’s a sports fan in the home, then they can use Now TV to access Sky Sports. It is still a bit expensive, at £8.99 for a day, £14.99 for a week, or £33.99 for a month. There is a monthly mobile pass for £5.99, but you can only view a few channels on your mobile phone.
Once you have chosen which pass or passes you want to try, then you must either sign up for a free trial online or purchase the pass. You can even purchase Now TV passes from many retailers, including Currys PC World. To use a Now TV Pass, you will have to create an account first. You can do this online and then log in through the Now TV app on your smart TV or other devices. If your TV does not have the app, then you might have to buy a Smart Box or Smart Stick. See below for more information on these. As soon as you start a free trial or buy a pass online, it will be active immediately. If you have a voucher code to redeem, then you will have to do this in your account before you can begin viewing. You can cancel individual passes in your account at any time to prevent further payments.
How do Now TV Devices work?
Now TV offers two types of device to allow viewers who don’t have a compatible TV or device to still use Now TV passes. The black Smart Box costs £45.99 on its own directly from Now TV, and the Smart Stick costs £14.99. You can find them at places like Argos for varying prices. There are a few bundles available as well so you can choose a device and get 1-4 passes along with it for much less than they would all cost individually. The two Now TV devices have all of the same features, except the Smart Box offers 4K quality streaming. Otherwise, the Smart Stick shares features such as On Demand and catch-up viewing, plus a separate remote control with voice search capabilities.
If you opt for the Smart Stick because it is cheaper, bear in mind that you will need to be able to plug the USB stick in to connect it to your device. If you order a device directly from Now TV, you should receive it in the post within 3-5 days. Check with other retailers for their delivery times if you want to purchase from them instead. Once the device arrives, plug it in and then connect to your existing broadband. It requires a broadband internet connection in order to work. You can order multiple Now TV devices if you want one for on the go or for another room. However, there is a maximum of 4 devices registered to your Now TV account to access your passes. This includes TVs, phones, tablets, and computers. Once you reach this maximum, you can only make one change to your devices per month.
How do Now TV Free Trials work?
If you haven’t snapped up a bundle to save money, you might want to register for a free trial before you start paying for your passes. The 14-day free trial is only available for Cinema, Entertainment, Kids, and Hayu passes. Sadly for sports fans, they will have to start paying immediately if they want to access a Sky Sports Pass. You can only get a free trial by creating a new account on the Now TV website. If you are already a customer but haven’t tried a certain pass yet, then you should still be able to access a free trial through your account. Remember to cancel the free trial before it renews automatically if you do not want Now TV to charge you the monthly fee. You should wait until just before the free trial ends to apply a voucher for a pass if you have one to redeem. If you have an Apple TV, you can sign up for a free trial through iTunes. However, this trial only lasts for 7 days and does not include the Hayu Pass.
How do Now TV Gift Cards work?
If you don’t want to watch Now TV yourself but you know somebody who does, then a Now TV gift card could make for the perfect present for any occasion. They are sold at most retailers who sell gift cards, so you can pick one up pretty much anywhere. Make sure that it is activated at the till when you pay or activate it online. It is often cheaper to get gift cards than a straightforward subscription, so you could even buy gift cards for yourself! Now TV offers 2 months of Sky Cinema for £15 and 2 months of Entertainment for £10, saving about £5 and £6 respectively. There are also Sky Sports gift cards available. One week for £10 saves £4.99, while one month for £25 would save £8.99. Online purchases will be a digital gift card sent to the recipient by e-mail. Or you can find physical cards in stores.
How does Now TV Roaming work?
An extra perk of Now TV that some viewers may not know about it roaming. You can take your Smart Box or Smart Stick on the move, whether it is to student accommodation or a hotel room, within the UK or any EU country. It is only possible to view Now TV outside of the UK for up to 30 days, though. If your holiday is going to be longer than that, then you will lose access. Don’t forget to bring the remote control and any HDMI cables with you. Connect the device to the TV, then go into Network Settings on the TV home screen. You will need to set up a wireless internet connection. Once you connect to an unlocked network, you should see a message asking where you are. Select the option “I am at a hotel or using a Wifi hotspot” and instructions will appear. You will need a smartphone or laptop to follow the instructions to connect your Now TV device to the new TV. It will take you to an About page showing the connection details if it connects successfully. You should follow the same set-up rules if you are travelling in an EU country, but you must register a UK payment card on your account to confirm you are a UK resident for this to work.
How does Now TV Broadband work?
As well as Now TV, you can also get Now Broadband. No-contract broadband internet and phone calls might appeal in the same way as no-contract pay-TV. It comes with unlimited internet, calls, and a Now Broadband Hub as your new router. There are three broadband speeds to choose from. The lowest is 11mbps for £18 a month, the middle is 36mbps for £25 a month, and the fastest is 63mbps for £35 a month. There are also three options for call plans. You can choose to pay as you use, get unlimited evening and weekend calls for £4 per month, or unlimited calls at any time for £8 per month. Extra charges will be applicable for delivery and set-up. Once you are a Now Broadband customer, you can get discounts on Now TV Passes. There may also be special offers available for new customers.
