Sky Cable to end broadcast February 26

Sky Cable announced today that it will cease cable television broadcasts on February 26, 2024, at 11:59 PM. This move follows the completion of the PLDT-Sky Cable acquisition deal 28, which saw PLDT acquire Sky Cable’s broadband business and related assets.

SKYcable ceases operations, Sky Fiber brand remains

In an advisory to subscribers, Sky Cable Corp. explained that the transition will see the company focus solely on providing internet services under the Sky Fiber brand. “With this deal, the final broadcast and sign-off of SKYcable will be on February 26, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.,” the advisory read.

The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) recently approved the sale of Sky Cable’s broadband business and assets to PLDT Inc. for PHP 6.75 billion.

However, the full transaction, involving the sale of 100% of Sky Cable’s issued and outstanding capital stock, is still subject to final closing conditions. ABS-CBN Corp. has stated that it will provide further updates on the transaction once these conditions are met.

Sky Cable has assured its subscribers that no cable TV subscription fees will be charged from January 27, 2024, until the final broadcast on February 26th. Meanwhile, existing Sky Fiber subscribers will continue to receive uninterrupted internet service.

While the acquisition primarily focuses on bolstering PLDT’s broadband reach, it certainly marks the end of an era for Sky Cable’s cable TV services. As PLDT and Sky previously stated, Sky Cable will cease cable and pay television operations to fully transition into a dedicated internet service provider under the Sky Fiber brand.

However, the path to this acquisition wasn’t entirely smooth. PLDT initially withdrew its bid in 2020 due to concerns about potential divestment requirements under the Bayanihan Act.

Despite that, negotiations continued, culminating in the PCC’s approval of the sale on January 19, 2024.

For context, PCC is a quasi-judicial body that enforces the Philippine Competition Act (PCA). The PCC’s main role is to safeguard fair competition in the Philippine economy, protecting consumers from anti-competitive practices and promoting a level playing field for businesses to thrive.

Sky Cable’s closure is not the only recent development impacting its operations. In June 2020, the National Telecommunications Commission ordered the termination of SkyDirect, its direct broadcast satellite service, citing the expiration of ABS-CBN’s legislative franchise.