All they need to do is sell a streaming box with a locked Telstra sim in it - then they can deliver over 4G when there’s no wired internet, with a small extra fee for that. They could then do network optimisation to better deliver those streaming channels in more efficient ways - the same as Fetch ISPs can do.
1 Like
Maybe even 5G in certain areas? 
Oh wait, the idiots will think Foxtel gives everyone COVID-19. 
2 Likes
they have the foxtel now box which is a round cylander type thing
The Foxtel Now box is garbage, and the remote control is useless. I bought a Now box but it is gathering dust. It’s much easier to use Foxtel Go on my mobile phone and cast it to my television.
1 Like
From memory, when I had FiOS, it wasn’t true IPTV. Unless they’ve changed it recently, it came to the house via fibre, but then at the house, it’s converted into RF/QAM so that it could be distributed through the house using coax cabling. This also allows you to plug your TV in directly to watch FiOS without a set-top box (though you would need a CableCARD).
1 Like
The market has changed and in some respects, the legacy providers haven’t changed with it (although some are doing better than others in terms of change) - that’s not to say that changing is easy, these companies have significant investments in their operating models, their existing delivery technologies, etc. Turning a large ship around isnt an easy or straight-forward process
Focusing on the areas where the traditional services can better perform streaming is a good place to start -for instance, delivery of sport (especially in UHD) is better suited to satellite/cable delivery, Sky (and Foxtel) have been investing in high-quality content (either individually or with others) - the days of the multi-channel option of hundreds of channels are probably also numbered
The model that the streaming services run under is so wildly different, its not really practical for legacy companies to shift - it would require seismic changes that aren’t really possible.
The streaming marketplace is also becoming increasingly crowded and there will be a level of consolidation in the future - content owners entering the market will thin out those companies who are basically a curator of a broad range of content
My understanding is that FiOS is a model that is closer to the traditional delivery rather than a pure IPTV delivery like Fetch - if we went NBN FTTP, a similar model could be adopted here
4 Likes
Great insight and post!
1 Like
Yep, if we had gone for NBN FTTP where multiple signals can go through the cable, it could have had Foxtel activated on an additional port on the NTD - e.g. Port 1 for an internet service, Port 2 for Foxtel and Port 3 for an additional internet or whatever. There were a lot more options available if Australia had continued down the FTTP route.
3 Likes
If BBC Worldwide won’t show it here on one of its channels for fear of offending Rupert Murdoch, then the ABC or SBS should buy it.
9 Likes
I’ve started episode 1 a few days ago and I don’t feel a compelling need to finish it unless I know it gets better
1 Like
I can’t see anyone buying it, lest they piss off that old 
Rupert and his equally as y family.
2 Likes
Netflix? I doubt they would care.
Amazon Prime?
2 Likes
it just goes to show how far foxtel is up murdochs backside .im glad i cut my ties with them . lol no wonder the customer service officer didnt like what i said when they said what could they do to make me stay when i said i would rejoin only if newscorp didnt own foxtel any more
Ok to be fair, heavy focus hard hitting docos don’t really make sense on any of BBC’s aussie channels - do they
- BBC First – premium drama
- UKTV – entertainment
- BBC Earth – natural history, science and adventure travel
- CBeebies – pre-school
3 Likes
oh and another thing i was thinking. in the new covid normal foxtel should distance its self from newscorp and telstra and have a whole new model . the new model should be that all the suscribers then should be the shareholders. they amount of money foxtel charge you would think they should be able to survive on being their own identity
I’d hardly consider “Australians are being censored” from seeing this BBC doco when it contains no new earth shattering information. The first episode covers nothing that isn’t on the public record and relies heavily on excerpts from ABC Australia’s 2001 Dynasties: The Murdochs doco. The insights from people who have worked under Murdoch, some of whom sought his permission to appear, are interesting but don’t reveal anything about how Murdoch operates or how he uses his empire to influence politicians that isn’t common knowledge.
4 Likes
2 Likes
In response to questions from the SEC in February, News Corp’s global chief financial officer, Susan Panuccio, said residential subscribers tumbled by 196,000 in 2019, from about 2.2 million at the end of 2018 to a little over 2 million by 31 December, the documents show.
Paid subscriptions to the streaming service Foxtel Now also dropped, from 354,000 to 343,000 over the same period.
The number of paid subscriptions to the new sports streaming product Kayo exploded from 42,000 to 350,000, but dropped dramatically when the pandemic hit earlier this year and there was no live sport on television.
1 Like
The first two episodes are on Vivendi’s Dailymotion. So it’s available to watch in much of the world, including Australia.
1 Like