I’ve been on the 2 week trial. I’d be keen to continue it but need a device to watch it on. Currently trialling it on PC/Mac and did test with a friend’s Chromecast briefly.
Should I buy a Telstra TV or wait it out until the Foxtel “Puck” gets released?
Why not go the cheaper option of the Chromecast? Depends how long you’re willing to wait though, they’ve been telling us all about the Puck for months now, and still no solid release date in sight.
##foxtel Now arrives on PlayStation®4
New look Foxtel Now app comes to PlayStation®4 just in time for Game of Thrones season seven
Foxtel today announced that its newly launched Foxtel Now service has landed on PlayStation®4 just in time for the epic premiere of Game of Thrones season seven. The news comes just days before the latest instalment of HBO’s hotly anticipated fantasy drama is due to arrive, exclusively, for Foxtel subscribers, on Monday 17 July at 11am AEST, same time as the US.
From today, PlayStation 4 owners can download the new Foxtel Now app from PlayStation®Store to their PS4™ or PS4™Pro and subscribe to Foxtel Now at www.foxtelnow.com.au. The Foxtel Now app will bring subscribers all of the drama and intrigue spanning the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, as well as the best in entertainment, sports, comedy, kids programming and drama, in beautiful HD^.
Foxtel Now is Foxtel’s newly revamped, internet delivered subscription TV service, offering low cost way to sign up and stream Foxtel, instantly. Foxtel Now features low-priced and flexible bundles that ensure subscribers have greater freedom and access to sign up to Foxtel’s incredible content with no set up costs and the ability to cancel at any time.
Foxtel Now’s Drama and Pop packs both feature the showcase channel, which airs the award-winning Game of Thrones, meaning fans of the series can enjoy the upcoming Game of Thrones season 7, along with every episode from seasons 1-6, plus other hit programming such as Big Little Lies, Wentworth, Veep, Silicon Valley, Westworld and more, for only $15 per month.
Deanne Weir, Foxtel’s Managing Director of Content Aggregation and Wholesale, said, “We’re thrilled to add PlayStation 4 to our list of Foxtel Now supported devices so soon after launch. When we announced the arrival of Foxtel Now just a few weeks back, we promised a series of quick updates and today’s news couldn’t come at a better time for fans of Game of Thrones who are eager to follow the schemes and scandals of next week’s season opener.”
“We’re delighted to announce Foxtel Now as a new addition to the strong portfolio of video and TV services available on PlayStation 4,” said Patrick Lagana, Director of Marketing, Sony Interactive Entertainment Australia. “The quality of content and convenience of Foxtel Now, paired with our brand new video interface, means there’s never been a better time to be entertained on PlayStation.”
Foxtel Now features a brand new user interface, the addition of HD streaming on select devices^ and the ability to stream via Telstra TV, Google Chromecast, iOS and Android mobiles and tablets, PC/Mac via the Google Chrome browser and from today on PlayStation 4.
Additional devices will continue to be updated in the coming months, until then, other devices, including PlayStation 3, Xbox One and select Smart TVs are able to stream Foxtel content in SD via the Foxtel Play app.
Foxtel Now has five entry level packs to match viewers’ interests including Drama and Pop packs priced at $15 per month each or $25 for both. Lifestyle, Docos and Kids packs are available at $10 per month each.
Foxtel Now’s Movies pack is available for $20 per month in addition to an entry level pack and the Sports pack is available for an extra $29* per month, meaning Sports lovers can now get access to Foxtel’s incredible sports programming for a little as $39 per month.
Foxtel Now subscribers have access to all linear services in the tier along with all of the on-demand, catch up and library content available to that tier plus mobile and tablet access via the Foxtel Now app.
I ended up buying a used Telstra TV for this purpose; it’s the closest thing to the mystical Foxtel puck and easier to use for people who don’t like streaming via PC or a chromecast device
How does that work with activation and use with another ISP? Will it just work because someone else has already activated it and what about device updates and app updates if you didn’t activate it?
I had an old Telstra ID/account/whatever from an old prepaid MBB SIM so I just used that. Otherwise, I don’t have any other Telstra services, including home broadband, which I have with TPG. Even Telstra’s website has a process to activate the Telstra TV when not using it with a Telstra connection
You can just hard reset the device as per Telstra’s instructions to re-activate. The Telstra TV won’t work until its activated, but once it is, it all runs fine - Get help with your streaming, gaming & sports apps - Telstra
does any one no why foxtel have been saying that there was meant to be a new channel coming today (trt world english) the channel still hasn’t launched and the post has since been taken down (for the second time) it really sounds like a big stuff up
Foxtel having massive problems tonight, with people unable to log into their Foxtel Now accounts. But it’s alright, because it’s not like it’s a big night for them or anything. 
“We are devastated that due to unprecedented demand, we are experiencing problems with our online services this evening,”
Advertise how Game of Thrones is your biggest show then be surprised when a large amount of people watch it. These guys.
I agree it isn’t a good look for them but, to be fair, HBO streaming sites also buckled under the weight of demand for the GoT premiere. I expected it would happen and don’t doubt it will happen again.
Latest apology from Foxtel
The number of Australians subscribing to Foxtel’s streaming service, foxtel now leapt by 40% in the 48 hours prior to last night’s screening of Episode 1. We expect a record audience of 1.5 million Australians to watch this episode via an iQ box, Foxtel Now or the Foxtel App.
The combination of new foxtel now customers signing up and existing customers upgrading to get the Drama Pack so they could watch the show, put unprecedented pressure on our technical operations. Foxtel’s Identity Management System (IDM), which verifies customers’ entitlement to view content, which usually handles around 5,000 processes a day was hit with 70,000 transactions in just a few hours.
Unfortunately, due to this massive surge in demand, a significant number of customers experienced difficulty logging in to foxtel now and the Foxtel App. The system was unable to verify some customers’ entitlements. We are unable to say exactly how many customers were affected because the system is unable to separately identify customers who have a problem logging in but later successfully manage to do so.
We had anticipated heavy usage for last night’s premiere; however, the traffic that eventuated far exceeded expectations. Foxtel’s engineers are examining what steps can be taken to mitigate any recurrence.
Given that the problems were driven by the volumes of people who sought to sign up on the day of broadcast Foxtel advises others who wish to sign up before next week’s episode to do so a few days in advance.
We note that problems were experienced in the USA, India and Latin America, also driven by the extraordinary surge in demand for the program.
The system is now working and customers are able to watch the episode either on demand or at an encore screening. Encores are scheduled for today Tuesday, at Midday, and 9.15pm, on Wednesday at 1.20pm, Thursday at 10.10pm, Friday at 11.25am and Saturday at 8.30pm. Foxtel will also add multiple repeat screenings of the episode on the showcase channel.
Foxtel unreservedly apologises to customers who were affected by this issue.
Foxtel has taken a leaf out of Ticketet’s operating manual.
Question: What do you do when demand for the product is high?
Answer: Go into meltdown.
I had no problems last night but I was using Foxtel Go.
Stupid rationale by Foxtel. “Oh there were too many people!”… No… you’re supposed to offer a service. If something is looking like it will be popular, you make sure to overprepare.
Sounds like the issue was more that their Identity Management System wasn’t robust. If people weren’t signing up for 2 week free trials all of a sudden there wouldn’t have been an issue.
I would think they prepared and had enough streaming capacity as it would be distributed over what ever CDN (Content Delivery Network) they use and be able to respond dynamically to demand at different POPs (Point of Presence) around Australia. It’s just that they couldn’t authenticate users to even start streaming.
I was using Foxtel Go between 7:30pm-8:30pm last night. Had the Smooth channel on while I was doing other things and it was buffering intermittently. Don’t usually watch GoT on the service because of the sub standard picture quality but had planned to watch GoT- The Story So Far before getting into the new episode. The service logged me out about half way through and wouldn’t accept my credentials when I attempted to log in again.
Also: today I learnt that…
3AW reports that Foxtel is planning to close all of its kiosks at shopping centres across Australia. Foxtel has more than 50 shopping centre kiosks and the source said approximately six staff worked at each kiosk, so the closure will leave hundreds of staff out of work.
Because they’re usually empty?
Also the iQ3 has received an update which includes the new branding.
One of my high school friends works at Foxtel HQ, and I remember them posting something on Facebook about changing the playlist on the default guide music channel and feeling like a god.
Have the orange accents been replaced with new and improved Foxtel pink?