Reaching for the Sky

Right now what we're really focused on is talking about the user experience, we're not really going into any of the commercial terms, so I don't want to speculate or put anything out there that would insinuate a certain commercial model.

I believe that both of us, when we bring these products together, there's a broadly-appealing set of content that's going to bring new users to the Xbox platform. At the same time we're going to be introducing interactivity and bringing a very passionate group that's into competition, into sports, into the console, that before might not actually have been a Sky customer.

So I think that there's a strong overlap, and also a strong reach that we get from both of our products.

I think if you look at TGI data, the crossover between Xbox ownership and Sky subscription is extremely high, so there's already a strong affinity between the two brands. But I think that also gives us really good hope that we have the opportunity to allow Xbox owners who aren't Sky subscribers to reappraise the service.

No, we can't give any numbers on that, but broadly-speaking the deal with Xbox allows us to give great additional utility to give existing Sky customers and Xbox owners. It's fantastic that you've more flexibility in terms of how and where, and the manner in which you watch your content.

Yes, if there are opportunities for us to increase our subscription base, even better.

It is about reach, but it's also about engagement - not just for new consumers but also existing consumers. For myself I have Sky HD at home in a set-top box, and I can tell you that when the service launches, if you've got an Xbox in the bedroom, it's another way to enjoy that Sky content.

I think it definitely has an aspect of reach, but definitely an aspect of engagement by existing customers.

The SkyPlayer that's online at the moment - in order to have access to the channels you have to have access to multi-room to qualify.