Foxtel slashes prices and puts more premium content in basic package in bid to tackle threat of streaming rivals

And the say competition doesn’t work…

The reason no one who’s serious about an online TV proposition takes Foxtel seriously is because they still have no HD offering for Foxtel Go/Anytime or whatever they want to call it now.

The simple fact is that other suppliers are going to impact Foxtel’s market share (and, frankly, have been for years, for those savvy enough to have a USA based VPN) because Foxtel has completely ignored the simplest of demands from potential subscribers. I had a Foxtel subscription for 14 years and finally cancelled it when I was tired of not getting what I wanted.

They complain about the high piracy rates of things like GoT — personally I would happily pay for HD streaming of it. But $50 a month for lower quality than you can get for free from piracy sites? I don’t advocate it, but it’s really not that hard to put 2 and 2 together.

The article says “the previously premium Shocase offering, which includes the first run of all HBO dramas like Game of Thrones and Boardwalk Empire, will be free to basic package subscribers”, but the graphic suggests Showcase is part of the Drama package.

Clarification?

According to that guide, Showcase is not included in the basic package and is still $20 extra.

You still can’t pick and choose what channels you want. This is why Foxtel is dead in the water within 5-10 years.

Listen up Foxtel. I’d be willing to pay $25 a month for a package that let me select 10 channels out of your whole selection.

All i want is FOX8, ESPN, ESPN2, Comedy, SyFy, E! (For the wife), TVHits, Universal, Arena and Showcase.

It’s not that hard! until then I’ll be using “other” means to watch the content i want.

Yaaaargh me hearteys!

@but. It would take all day to watch a any IP delivered TV show in high def. That’s why it’s reserved for either cable, satellite or the occasional broadcast TV show. You’ll be waiting a long time for your HD streaming!

Where has Fuel TV gone? I can’t see it on the diagram …

There is a new drama tier, so find it very unlikely Showcase would be excluded from that given FX and Soho have moved from Basic into same tier………

Looks like they are replacing Fuel and Speed with Fox Sports 4 and 5 as well?

Does this impact current subcribers – or is it just for new customers. under this structure my monthly charge would drop $19.

And it’s only for new customers – which means existing customers will not be rewarded for their loyalty.

I would say the Essentials pack is significantly weakened by the subtraction of FX, SoHo and Lifestyle You. A lot of popular stuff is in there. The additions are largely worthless. You get what you pay for – they should be upfront about that.

“and giving all Essentials customers, who don’t currently have it, access to Foxtel’s award winning premium drama channel – showcase, the Home of HBO.”

Sounds like they will give Showcase to current customers paying $50 a month for ‘free’ while new customers have it as a $20 option.

If it’s included in the $25 basic plan, I’d sign up, but not if it’s an extra $20/mth.

Slashing prices and more premium content my arse!

On the new package break up I lose FX, SOHO, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon & Disney (premium content) but gain Disney Jnr & Nick Jr and a few music channels and a Thoroughbred Racing channel for a total saving of $19 a month.

So to get the channels back we actually watch we have to pay an extra $30 a month and amazingly Foxtel is $11 ahead.

Looks like the normalannual Foxtel gouge to me.

While you’re talking to Foxtel, Alex, can you please ask them if they have any plans to reduce (or preferably eliminate) those interminable house ads that pop up every ten minutes?

Are exisiting cuxtomers going to get a reduction in monthly premiums?

If not, do we need to unsubscribe & they join up again?

While I welcome the price drop it suggests they were price gouging us all along. They also have a long way to go before being in the same ballpark as HBO

if they dont pass on the new prices to existing subscribers i am leaving. foxtel never rewards loyalty or current customers.

The pricing applies to current customers, but you have to call and ask them for it – they won’t migrate you automatically.
I cancelled my $134 full package last month, but kept the IQ box ($10 a month), and use it for recording and playback of free-to-air. Add Apple TV, and a Netflix and Hulu subscription ($8 each a month), and I’m saving a fortune and hardly miss Foxtel. And, if you know someone with a subscription, you can get their login details and watch it online still 🙂

To clarify the showcase channel. Existing customers who don’t subscribe to movies will now get access to showcase at no additional cost, instead of having to pay $20+ for the movie package just to watch GoT

No more Fuel or Speed and still no rugby channel. But the AFL mob still get their sport 24 hours a day including Boxing Day when all the media is obsessed with cricket and a yacht race. Also still no way of selecting specific channels and only paying for them rather than having to pay for a whole sea of channels you don’t want and will never watch. If Foxtel don’t cut a deal with Seven and the IOC for eight channels of coverage of the next summer Olympics I won’t be bothering with them for at least the next six years.

o k reduce our fee to $25 and we stay. Don’t even think of ripping us off..the present programs are repeats and fucking old. DO IT!!!

Dead company walking.

I dont have to ‘subscribe’ to watch a movie at the cinema, nor freeview TV, nor to download movies from a variety of sources.

Dear Foxtel, I do not do contracts.

The problem with pricing adjustments at this scale is that they expose the fact you’ve been price gouging. Foxtel will only survive by keeping sports exclusively, maybe…

@AJ Also Australia’s most profitable. Doesn’t say much for the rest.

Foxtel needs to get scale or it will be killed. It was compromised by packer and murdoch at the start. Telstra needs to take the lead now.

@lover of TV and film. Then you would love either Foxtel Play or Presto.

Hi All,

What pisses me off is prior to the take over of Austar by Foxtel you could delete or add to your package online, however after the takeover I discovered that whilst I could add extra channels online, if I wanted to delete a package, e.g say “Sports”, which I was only using during the NRL season, I had to call Foxtel to request the deletion. Also with the Austar satellite service, the TY Guide was taking at least 10 secs to come up after pressing the button, whereas on my sons Foxtel satellite service, as soon as you press the button, the TV Guide comes up, however following the takeover by Foxtel, it is still taking 10 secs or more for the TV Guide to come up, therefore they must still be using the old Austar platform.

I cancelled last week after 16 years. I was watching a doco the other weekend, but had to switch off because of the constant ad breaks full of repetitive promos. I just find there are too many other tempting offers, and new technology around the corner, to keep on forking out for channels I don’t watch, and ad break after ad break – even though I’m already paying a subscription fee! Thanks for the memories Foxtel.

True Geoff. I will only watch non-live sports shows on IQ so I can forward thru the ads

if it wasnt for live sport foxtel would be dead already i think. wonder what % of subsribers add sport to their package? i am thinnking 80%

Foxtel wake up and give people the choice of which channels they want to view not which packages you want to force onto consumers ! And also keep this choice that people want cheap; the less the cost the more people you get on board ! I haven’t ever taken on a foxtel subscription and I never will until you do the right thing by customers !