End of an Era: A Look Back at Sky Cable's 33 Years

After securing approval from the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) for its acquisition by PLDT, Sky Cable has announced to its subscribers that it will cease broadcasting its cable TV service effective February 27, 2024.

In an advisory posted on its website, Sky said following the acquisition terms, it will begin its transition into a dedicated internet service provider.

Starting January 26, 2024, the cable provider will cease billing for services and add-ons, including a la carte channels, pay-per-view, and streaming services like HBO Go. The final billing will be issued by March 1, 2024, and subscribers are not required to return their SKY Digibox or any other cable equipment, advisory said. 

Sky Fiber subscribers will continue to enjoy their internet service for the same monthly fees, while Sky Bundle subscribers will be converted to a standalone Sky Fiber plan as bundled subscriptions will no longer be available.

History of Sky Cable

Sky Cable Corporation, the brainchild of ABS-CBN chairman Eugenio Lopez III and ABS-CBN president Freddie M. Garcia, was officially launched as Central CATV Inc. on June 6, 1990. Soon after, Sky Vision Corporation was formed, swiftly expanding its offerings, broadcasting major events like the Super Bowl and the 1992 Summer Olympics in collaboration with ABS-CBN.

By 1993, Sky Cable had a robust channel lineup, including heavyweights like ESPN, NBC, CNN, and Star Channel, further enriched with the introduction of HBO, Star TV, and Star Sports. The service diversified with a variety of original local channels, including the Karaoke Channel, Aquarium Channel, Airport Channel, Community Channel, SKY Mall, SKY News, and the Sarimanok News Network (which later became ANC).

The company grew through the 1990s and 2000s with new products and services, including the Philippines' first prepaid cable TV service. Sky Cable acquired Destiny Cable and other companies in 2012, expanding its digital and HD services. Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2015, Sky Cable surpassed 100,000 broadband subscribers. 

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However, the company faced challenges in the 2020s, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the shutdown of ABS-CBN's broadcast operations after its franchise renewal was denied. 

The competitive landscape intensified as Sky lost cable TV subscribers, partly because of discontinued channels and competition from Cignal, which offered channels that were previously exclusive to Sky. The rise of streaming services also contributed to cable TV's decline.

PLDT, which also owns Cignal TV, had been considering the acquisition since September 2020. Despite initial denials from ABS-CBN and a temporary withdrawal of PLDT's offer due to overlapping services with Cignal, PLDT ultimately disclosed in March 2023 that it will acquire Sky Cable for P6.8 billion, with the acquisition pending approval from the PCC.

Finally, on January 22, 2024, the PCC granted approval for the sale of Sky Cable.

Nostalgia on Social Media

Social media platform X (formerly Twitter) was awash with nostalgia following the acquisition announcement and as Sky Cable approaches its final sign-off. People have been sharing their personal experiences, highlighting how Sky Cable was a significant part of their entertainment life, especially before the widespread use of the internet.

In a bittersweet post, Lynda Jumilla-Abalos, former executive editor of ABS-CBN News Digital, recounted her recent decision to pull the plug on their family's almost three-decades' Sky Cable subscription after learning that Sky was being sold off.

"I first subscribed to Sky Cable in the mid-90s, when I was still single and living with my siblings in an apartment in Quezon City. Back then, there was no set-top or digibox, and we simply bought a splitter in Raon to connect the upstairs bedroom TV to the main cable line," the former news exec recalled. "In a world that was pre-social media, pre-OTT and livestreaming, and pre-IPTV, watching cable television was the ultimate family home entertainment."

Sky Cable ultimately changed their family's TV habits. "[It] was our window to global content - back when TV programs were not called content but newscasts, talk shows, sports coverage, documentaries," she added.

Jumilla-Abalos, a news junkie, remembered the thrill of tuning into ANC, the first 24/7 English-language news channel in the country, which was carried exclusively by Sky. "I remember thinking that it was quite an achievement to have a Filipino all-news channel alongside the CNNs and BBCs of this world, and never did I imagine that I would be a part of it down the road," she looked back. 

Another netizen also shared that before the advent of the internet, television served as his primary source of entertainment. "I did not have a PC and broadband internet until 2008; didn't have Wi-Fi until 2012. I had great memories using @SKYserves; I was able to watch international TV shows early. It's the end of an era," the post read.

A loyal Sky user recalled his eagerness to return home from school each day to catch episodes of Dexter’s Laboratory, Johnny Bravo, and Cow & Chicken on Cartoon Network channel 34. "I would literally hurry up and do my homework so I could watch it."

Another user reminisced on her love-hate relationship with the cable TV service particularly during times of signal outage. "But we survived it all. Thank you for the service Sky Cable! Lalo na nung pandemic when we have no internet connection yet, you surely did step up!"

Concerns were also raised for people such as senior citizens, who may be more affected by the loss of this service. "Kawawa naman yung mga subscriber namin especially senior citizen na ang libangan ay panonood lang ng TV."