Sky issued a UK safety recall covering roughly forty thousand external power adapters sold with Sky Glass sets after burn-in tests showed the bricks can overheat when left on thick carpet under enclosed TV stands. Customers who registered devices through the Sky app began receiving courier collection slots on Monday, with replacement adapters promised within five working days.
Scope of the recall
The action targets adapters manufactured between March and August with batch codes printed on the brick’s underside. Sky said Glass panels and remotes are unaffected, and streaming services continue to work if users temporarily power sets through an approved third-party USB-C PD charger above 65 watts.
Electrical Safety First urged owners not to wrap cables or cover bricks with blankets, a habit common in rental flats where TVs sit on low boards. Sky’s helpline added evening hours after call volumes spiked at lunchtime.
Retail and regulatory backdrop
Sky Glass competes with Virgin Media Stream and Amazon Fire TV integrated sets for subscribers who want fewer boxes. A hardware recall is awkward ahead of Christmas upgrade campaigns, but analysts said Sky moved faster than regulators required once thermal imaging in lab tests showed hot spots above internal thresholds.
Ofcom does not approve power supplies directly, yet the incident will feed into its periodic review of broadcast equipment safety notices. Trading standards teams in Manchester and Glasgow said they had not seen fire reports linked to the batch but supported voluntary recall messaging on social channels.
What customers should do
Owners should unplug affected adapters, photograph batch codes, and book collection through Sky’s recall portal. Until replacements arrive, Sky recommends wall-mounting bricks off carpet using supplied spacers in the replacement kit.
For households with pet hair clogging vents, the recall FAQ suggests a weekly wipe-down—mundane advice that matters when high-wattage bricks run under load during 4K HDR sessions.
Next steps for Sky
Comcast-owned Sky will absorb recall costs in its UK capital budget rather than through insurance, according to a person familiar with planning. Investors watch whether churn ticks up among recent Glass adopters; early app telemetry showed most users requested adapters rather than cancelling entertainment bundles.
Installation partners
Sky’s approved install network received new torque settings for mounting brackets so adapters hang ventilated off walls. Engineers carrying replacement bricks started routes in Birmingham and Belfast on Monday, prioritising households with children under five per Sky’s safety FAQ.
Retailers including Currys said they received talking points for customers who bought Glass bundles in the spring sales, though stock on shelves is unaffected because adapters ship separately from warehouses.
Competitive angle
Virgin Media issued a routine reminder about its power specs but no recall, keen to contrast reliability during Sky’s repair push. Amazon avoided comment, yet support forums already compare brick temperatures anecdotally—a reminder that social proof moves as fast as regulator notices.
Subscriber retention
Sky bundles broadband, mobile, and content discounts for Glass buyers; retention teams received scripts emphasising safety while offering temporary bill credits only where adapters are delayed beyond the five-day promise.
Regulators in Ireland and Italy are monitoring whether the same adapter batch shipped cross-border; Sky said UK-only serial ranges are affected but continues audits overseas.
Consumer groups Which? said Sky’s recall notice was clearer than many electronics firms managed in 2024, though it urged mandatory registration at point of sale so future safety mailings reach second-hand buyers.