66 replies to this topic

[asdsa]

Hello,

The Optus media release:
http://www.optus.com...sion agreements

You can register your interest here:
http://personal.optu...l...ersonal<br>

Lets restart this previously dying thread  
DDDDDDDDD!

[GregA]

From a practical viewpoint, I presume this means Optus users will be able to upgrade to IQ1 and IQ2 now - so HD is an option.

The features I find useful on Foxtel (from my parents) which are missing from Optus (my in-laws) are
1) remote scheduling from the web EPG or iPhone app
2) the on-demand content, Foxtel on PC

Hope we see some movement on these!

[mgaleano]

GregA, on Dec 23 2010, 07:55 AM, said:

From a practical viewpoint, I presume this means Optus users will be able to upgrade to IQ1 and IQ2 now - so HD is an option.

The features I find useful on Foxtel (from my parents) which are missing from Optus (my in-laws) are
1) remote scheduling from the web EPG or iPhone app
2) the on-demand content, Foxtel on PC

Hope we see some movement on these!

Can the HD box work on SD TV? Like a HD set top box can?

[matthewa]

Have to say I am not too impressed after waiting and getting every indication optus were going to kill off their foxtel offering I switched over to satellite to get HD, which has ben great, but is missing the FTA HD channels which is a pain as i use the iq for all recording. The only thing that would interest me moving back to Optus is if they broadcast all the FTA channels over the cable, but after being stuffed around would be happy to stay at foxtel if they start broadcasting the FTA HD over satellite

[Andrew Cowley]

I still have the Optus Digital service.  Have an IQ 1 box that is amazingly still working after many years.  I was going to switch to Foxtel soon but might wait now and see what Optus offers.  A couple of questions -

Anyone know when Optus will announce their new plans?

One of the things I always hated about the Optus offering was that there was often a delay between Foxtel offering a new channel or feature and Optus offering it.  In the case of some of the newer Foxtel features, like remote record, Optus never offered it.  Do you think that under this new arrangement Optus would do a better job in this regard?  If there is no certainty around this then I'd probably switch anyway in spite of whatever Optus may have on offer.

Edited by Andrew Cowley, 31 December 2010 - 10:12 AM.

[Smacca]

Andrew Cowley, on Dec 31 2010, 08:10 AM, said:

One of the things I always hated about the Optus offering was that there was often a delay between Foxtel offering a new channel or feature and Optus offering it.  In the case of some of the newer Foxtel features, like remote record, Optus never offered it.  Do you think that under this new arrangement Optus would do a better job in this regard?  If there is no certainty around this then I'd probably switch anyway in spite of whatever Optus may have on offer.

The previous Optus TV arrangement seemed similar to Austar. Optus TV was an independant pay TV provider, on their own for a while until they had no choice but to "buy" content from Foxtel. New additions took a while to bring in because they were still independantly run. Now, they're letting Foxtel do everything, like the Foxtel on Telstra offer. So it should be smooth sailing when it comes to new channels or features.

[Andrew Cowley]

Smacca, on Jan 4 2011, 03:57 PM, said:

The previous Optus TV arrangement seemed similar to Austar. Optus TV was an independant pay TV provider, on their own for a while until they had no choice but to "buy" content from Foxtel. New additions took a while to bring in because they were still independantly run. Now, they're letting Foxtel do everything, like the Foxtel on Telstra offer. So it should be smooth sailing when it comes to new channels or features.

That sounds good.  Do you know when Optus will launch their packages?  Wonder too if there will be deals for existing (& long time suffering) Optus Digital TV customers?

[asdsa]

Just spoke to an Optus rep, she said the information on packages/pricing etc will be revealed mid January

ddddddddd!

[Zelig96]

ddddddddd!, on Jan 4 2011, 07:20 PM, said:

Just spoke to an Optus rep, she said the information on packages/pricing etc will be revealed mid January

ddddddddd!

Just registered my interest.


I was a long time Optus Cable TV customer until 2 years ago when I made the switch to Foxtel to get IQ2 and the HD Channels.

My Foxtel contracts ends at the end of January so the timing is good.


We are on Foxtel Satellite, which means we don't get all the FTA channels (in particular, OneHD) and often lose signal whenever there is a storm, so it would be good to go back to Cable for Pay TV.


I still have Optus phone and cable internet.


It will be interesting to see their offerings, but even if the pricing is the same, Optus Cable is probably going to be preferable to Foxtel Satellite, just for the extra channels not available on Foxtel Satellite.

Edited by Zelig96, 06 January 2011 - 10:48 PM.

[lonewolf]

matthewa, on Dec 23 2010, 05:08 PM, said:

Have to say I am not too impressed after waiting and getting every indication optus were going to kill off their foxtel offering I switched over to satellite to get HD, which has ben great, but is missing the FTA HD channels which is a pain as i use the iq for all recording. The only thing that would interest me moving back to Optus is if they broadcast all the FTA channels over the cable, but after being stuffed around would be happy to stay at foxtel if they start broadcasting the FTA HD over satellite

you and me both! I called up optus many times about when they will get HD etc and they kept telling me it wont happen and after a while started telling me that they are going to shut down the TV aspect entirely. In the end i gave up and switched over to Foxtel Satellite, I cant believe they are now going to offer it and if it is just like how Telstra currently offers it (completely everything foxtel offers) then thats awesome since with Optus i will be able to use their cable network and hence better signals during storms and also more of the FTA HD channels. Such a shame it took this long, Of course i probably have to wait till my contract runs out.

[Juffa]

Saw this last week and registered my interest.  I'm a long time (10+ years) Optus phone/cable and TV customer.  Have been tempted over recent years to switch to Foxtel in order to get access to IQ and/or HD. Will be very interested to see what the new offering is and take it from there.

[Zelig96]

What would be great, and would really differentiate the OPTUS offering from what Foxtel and Telstra have to offer, is if they offer different spec'd IQ units to the ones offered by Foxtel.


eg they could offer more storage, more inbuilt tuners, different (improved) PVR software / functionality.


I don't understand why the Live Pause buffer has to be cleared everytime you change channels.    Why not just record the last two hours (which could include many channel changes) and if I want to pause and re-wind, I can see whatever was actually recorded during those 2 hours, channel changes and all.


If Optus can do their own improved STU, rather than just selling the same Foxtel IQ/IQ2/IQHD units, then they could give themselves an edge other than just price (and/or phone/internet bundling) when trying to get customers to switch to them instead of sticking with Foxtel direct.

Edited by Zelig96, 15 January 2011 - 10:28 PM.

[matturn]

From the media release, it's not clear if Optus can now sell Foxtel in the Austar area or not. Does anyone here know?

[Ragdollinterp]

I too have been a long term all Optus customer. I did switch to Foxtel in the lead up to them going digital. Only satellite service in my area. The service from them was dreadful & at the time they did not have any free to air channels on the satellite service. The customer service was so bad from Foxtel, that I was able to break the 2 year agreement after only 6 months & return to Optus after only 6 months of misery.

My previous experience with Foxtel has left me reluctant to go back to them, unless they cabled my area. Every time the Foxtel salesmen would come through, I would ask the question. They would say they have no plans to cable here. I would then say I was not interested in changing over. In the leadup to Christmas thy came through again.  This time they had a new sales pitch. Thry told me that Optus was about to close down their TV service. I was told this by the salesman as well as his supervisor who turned up to try to offer a 'deal' to get me to change. I finally told hem that if Optus did lose down their service, and if Foxtel still continued to refuse to cable the area, as much as I woukd be sad and would miss it I guess I wouldn't be watching pay TV anymore. The local Foxtel kiosk ddn't know about the new agreement. They had been told that Optus was closing the TV service. This is despite the fact the news release is on Foxtel's own website!

I must have been inspired to refuse to change over. Now those of us who kept the faith are about to be rewarded. We will be able o get IQ or th IQ2 HD. I am hoping the pricing will be good, especiallt or the existing cutomers who want to upgrade. I may phone them tomorrow to try to ind out pricing. i currently have a platinum package.

Ragdollinterp
Sydney

Toppy 2400.

[Ragdollinterp]

I spoke with Optus last night. They will release the new pricing packages om Monday 31 January.

[Zelig96]

Any news on the new Optus TV pricing ?

[Voyager]

Zelig96, on Feb 1 2011, 09:58 PM, said:

Any news on the new Optus TV pricing ?

Upgrading or getting the IQ HD box is now possible: $99 installation + $10/month. Got Optus today to get mine upgraded. Couldn't tell me when the HD channels would be available.

[ozboy]

Voyager, on Feb 2 2011, 12:05 AM, said:

Upgrading or getting the IQ HD box is now possible: $99 installation

Do you save anything compared to Foxtel HD to offset the installation cost?

[Voyager]

ozboy, on Feb 2 2011, 12:34 PM, said:

Do you save anything compared to Foxtel HD to offset the installation cost?

I believe, and please anyone correct me if I'm wrong, the standard Foxtel installation cost for the HD IQ is $199.

[bomba111982]

Can't get it in Adelaide yet

[ozboy]

Voyager, on Feb 2 2011, 01:50 PM, said:

I believe, and please anyone correct me if I'm wrong, the standard Foxtel installation cost for the HD IQ is $199.

I meant that I already have Foxtel HD. Is it costing me more or less to change to Optus HD over a 12 month contract?
I wonder if Optus will waive the HD installation fee.

[kiwimeat]

Looks like they are getting ready to sign up HD customers. I got the following email today: -

Quote

You recently registered your details on optus.com.au and asked us to notify you when IQHD and High Definition channels were coming to Optus TV featuring FOXTEL Digital. Well, we've got some exciting news - IQHD set top boxes are now available!

What is IQHD?

With a new IQHD set top box you can do all sorts of amazing things:

You can pause and rewind live TV

With the included 320GB hard drive; you can record up to 90 hours of standard definition programming and 30 hours of high definition programming.

You can record 2 programs at once while watching a third.

And coming soon - only with IQHD, you'll be able to watch High Definition channels.

What's Next

Within the next 10 business days, we'll give you a call on the phone number you provided to discuss our new IQHD offers.*

When are High Definition channels available?

High definition channels will be available in the coming months. We'll be in touch to let you know when these new channels are available to you.

Thanks for being part of the Optus TV Family.


Kind Regards,

The Optus Team

Nothing earth shattering in the email. The decision for me will be based on price.

[191]

kiwimeat, on Feb 4 2011, 06:20 PM, said:

Looks like they are getting ready to sign up HD customers. I got the following email today: -



Nothing earth shattering in the email. The decision for me will be based on price.

Please keep us updated Kiwi

[Juffa]

Yay Optus....I received the same email last night.  

Juffa.

[ozboy]

kiwimeat, on Feb 4 2011, 06:20 PM, said:

Nothing earth shattering in the email. The decision for me will be based on price.

After the huge amount of rain last night, the fact that the line will never drop out on cable will also be a factor for me...