At SKY TV we believe all our SKY Business subscriber's deserve a level playing field and for this reason we are committed to ensuring all premises have a current commercial subscription agreement. I'm sure you've all heard of SKY decoders being brought from home or the flat upstairs feeding their domestic connection downstairs and wondering what SKY does to combat this?

"We receive information on potential pirates from many sources, including SKY staff, current subscribers, bar staff, trade sources and from our own investigations" say's Kevin Newcombe - SKY Business's Licensed Sector Account Manager. Kevin goes on to say "once we are aware of a potential pirate we use a number of tools available to us, from investigators visiting premises during live sporting events, site visits from SKY staff, legal remedies and in extreme circumstances successful prosecutions".

With much of this good work going on in the background, it's not completely surprising that some in the Hospitality industry have the perception that we don't follow up on piracy leads when given to us. For this reason we've decide to launch "Piracy Promise" which simply is an assurance that we'll follow up and investigate, as we always have done, any misuse of the SKY service. 

"Fundamentally were not changing anything in regards to the rigorous process's we have to police and investigate Pirates, it is more about the perception and providing comfort to our commercial subscribers that we investigate every report of piracy" says Newcombe.

"We believe we owe it to the majority of honest pub and club operators that we are working to protect the investment they've made in their commercial SKY subscription".

2011 will be one of the Hospitality industries largest years of Live Sport ever; with the expanded Super Rugby Competition, the NRL, Netball World Cup, to name but a few .There is also the big one of course - the Rugby World Cup, where SKY TV is the only place you can watch all 48 games LIVE. With such riches of sport the odd rogue operator will be thinking they can show SKY without a commercial license, but with the support of our legitimate SKY pubs and clubs be assured that we'll be keeping our Piracy Promise!

For the bush lawyers out there, yes - it's illegal to use the SKY Service in a venue without a commercial agreement under both the 1961 Crimes Act and the 1994 Copyright Act.

So, if you are suspicious of a venue what can you do?

Simple really, all we need is the name and location of the pub or club so we can start an investigation. It should be noted your name will always remain anonymous throughout.

Contact SKY Business on 0800 759 333 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .