Oh, how the year flies - or, if you're a Sky Ireland television customer, oh how the last two years have flown.
Having put a two-year price freeze to the forefront of a marketing push in 2011, Sky is now in the process of writing to subscribers regretfully informing them that the freeze will thaw next year.
The letter, signed off by Sky Ireland managing director JD Buckley, directs customers to Sky.ie/pricechange, where an FAQ-type section includes the questions "I thought there was a price freeze?" (answer: there was) and "when do you plan to have a further price increase?" (no current plans, but "we reserve the right to review our subscriptions should our costs or level of investment change").
With its various channel packages costing €1 or €2 more from February 1st, the price rise is modest - and, in any case, Sky has a number of justifications to hand.
Citing the "exclusive content" on Sky Atlantic such as Mad Men, Boardwalk Empire and Game of Thrones seems like a moot point given such imports were or would have been broadcast on free-to-air channels if Sky hadn't got into bed with HBO.
But the company's now hefty investment in original programming - it expects to invest a staggering €700 million in UK and Irish programmes by 2014 - is impressive: expect Sky Ireland to play this Moone Boy card quite a bit in 2013.
