207 replies to this topic

[killer1500]

Most states dont receive in FTA via Foxtel apart from SBS and ABC. Pretty much if youve got a dish on your roof, you cant recieve FTA normally via Foxtel.  

Pretty much every Austar customer (apart from those in QLD) will not be able to receive FTA if they switched to a Foxtel box, because there is no regional channels either.

I live in SA and would actually choose Austar over Foxtel if I had the choice for the simple fact that I can record FTA (via my arial), and all the Foxtel stuff works like Series Link for FTA. I dont want to fork out for another PVR, its nice having everything on one box, less power, less switching HDMI channels, etc.

Its the one thing Austar have done right, putting DVB-T tuners in, and letting people hook there normal antennas up to it.

[Smacca]

killer1500, on Jun 6 2011, 07:41 AM, said:

Its the one thing Austar have done right, putting DVB-T tuners in, and letting people hook there normal antennas up to it.

I have to agree there. Despite the actual boxes being crap, they're onto a winner with integrating already existing free-to-airs. Foxtel should do this with their next iQ release.

[aeon]

Was looking for more information about this, did a Google News search and found this:

Quote

Meanwhile, regional pay TV operator Austar’s largest shareholder and Liberty Global founder John Malone will reportedly abstain from voting his controlling stake as shareholders meet to vote on Austar’s $1.9 billion merger with Foxtel. The deal is subject to minority shareholder approval, however it would seem that Liberty will not need to vote on its 54 per cent stake. According to The Australian, the deal will be structured to minimise Liberty's tax bill and will essentially see it buy out the minority shareholders of Austar at $1.52 a share, before selling the whole lot to Foxtel.

http://www.businesss...f...ent&src=sph

[digitalj]

Australian pay television companies Austar United Communications Ltd. (AUN.AU) and Foxtel said Monday they had reached agreement for Foxtel to take over Austar in a deal that values Austar at A$2.5 billion.

Austar said in a statement the proposed deal, which had the backing of majority shareholder Liberty Global Inc. (LBTYA), would result in its shareholders receiving A$1.52 per share. The takeover will be conducted through a series of transactions and a scheme of arrangement.

Foxtel made its bid for Austar in May and the companies and Liberty Global have been in discussions on the terms of the takeover since that time.

The statement said Austar's independent directors recommended minority shareholders vote in favor of the scheme in the absence of a superior offer and subject to an independent expert concluding that the takeover is in the best interests of shareholders.

"We look forward to completing the transaction and believe it represents compelling value for all shareholders," Austar Chairman and Liberty Global Chief Executive Mike Fries said in a statement.

The takeover is subject to conditions including approval by shareholders, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the Foreign Investment Review Board and rulings by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

Shareholder meetings to vote on the takeover are yet to be scheduled but Austar said the transaction is expected to be concluded in either December or early 2012.

Foxtel, which is 50% owned by Telstra Corp. (TLS.AU) and 25% each by News Corp. (NWS) and Consolidated Media Holdings Ltd. (CMJ.AU), said in a statement the takeover would result in the creation of one of Australia's largest media companies with anticipated annual revenue of more than A$2.8 billion.

"A merged Foxtel and Austar would make compelling strategic sense and it would continue to invest and innovate in a superb digital service for consumers across Australia," Foxtel Chief Executive Kim Williams said.

Foxtel says it is connected to more than 1.6 million homes while Austar said in its first quarter results it had 755,641 subscribers at March 31.

Consolidated Media said in a statement it would fund its contribution of up to A$225 million for the takeover deal through a newly arranged underwritten debt facility.

Foxtel said the takeover would be funded by a combination of Foxtel bank debt and shareholder capital contributions in the form of subordinated shareholder notes. Foxtel had secured committed debt funding from Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd., Commonwealth Bank of Australia, National Australia Bank Ltd. and Westpac Banking Corp.

[aeon]

Great news... as posted above... just saw the article on news.com.au:

http://www.news.com....r-1226092799201

[boogie]

So will it be rebranded Foxtel countrywide now?  

[boogie]

Smacca, on Jun 6 2011, 03:53 PM, said:

I have to agree there. Despite the actual boxes being crap, they're onto a winner with integrating already existing free-to-airs. Foxtel should do this with their next iQ release.

Didn't know you couldn't plug your aerial into the iQ,I love the fact that all my FTA channels run through my Austar box.

[davmel]

boogie, on Jul 17 2011, 05:45 PM, said:

Didn't know you couldn't plug your aerial into the iQ,I love the fact that all my FTA channels run through my Austar box.

You'll love a box even more that doesn't reset itself randomly, doesn't go offline for 20+ minutes every morning to do stupid updates, gives you access to on demand content and just works as it should!
But trying to explain how an IQ box performs to Austar customers is like trying to explain the visual world to people that are blind. Austar has kept you in the dark for far too long.

[Smacca]

boogie, on Jul 17 2011, 03:45 PM, said:

Didn't know you couldn't plug your aerial into the iQ,I love the fact that all my FTA channels run through my Austar box.

Yup. Seven, Nine and Ten wouldn't bother with being on satellite if the iQ could do this.

[xJTx]

Don't understand why Foxtel don't already have terrestrial tuners in their iQ boxes, all the other providers do: MyStar, Fetch, Tbox, even SelecTV did when they were in business.

Foxtel needs to make the next generation boxes with HD terrestrial tuners included.

[chatham]

foxtel doesn't have to include FTA tuners in its boxes, it just has to suck it up a re-broadcast the fta stuff via satellite

[duke]

ACCC to scrutinise content control in Austar-Foxtel plan

Murdoch’s BSkyB bid fails, is Austar next?

[duke]

ACCC delays ruling on Austar deal

Foxtel: We have competition too

Edited by duke, 22 July 2011 - 05:46 PM.

[viewer]

Smacca, on Jul 17 2011, 08:14 PM, said:

Yup. Seven, Nine and Ten wouldn't bother with being on satellite if the iQ could do this.

...tis alright if they get good reception though

[Smacca]

viewer, on Jul 22 2011, 04:54 PM, said:

...tis alright if they get good reception though

True, I guess it guarantees all subscribers having access to FTA, regardless of reception status. A better idea would be an integrated FTA tuner plus integrated VAST technology.

[viewer]

Smacca, on Jul 22 2011, 07:22 PM, said:

True, I guess it guarantees all subscribers having access to FTA, regardless of reception status. A better idea would be an integrated FTA tuner plus integrated VAST technology.

I sent a submission to ACCC ( they asked for them) explaining the exact same thing. I explained it could be done the same as Foxtel does the fta by smartcard location now, and that if swallowed by Austar, then they should also get access to the VAST channels in their areas ( on the same box) or receive a substantial reduction in subscription cost, as the rural viewer was receiving a lower level of service than the metro viewer, and this should not occur if all one company.

[boogie]

davmel, on Jul 17 2011, 06:37 PM, said:

You'll love a box even more that doesn't reset itself randomly, doesn't go offline for 20+ minutes every morning to do stupid updates, gives you access to on demand content and just works as it should!
But trying to explain how an IQ box performs to Austar customers is like trying to explain the visual world to people that are blind. Austar has kept you in the dark for far too long.

My austar HD box had a few issues initially with locking up but I've think I've had to reset it twice in the last 8-10 months.

It updates the guide at 2 am each morning,if you are watching you can ignore and continue viewing.

It works fine and I am well aware of the IQ,hardly in the dark I have what is available to me.  

Cheers.

[Erina]

I recently moved house and moved 15 minutes further west of sydney - only to be told I cant take my foxtel with me I am now an austar customer.
Anyway, I can make informed and direct comparisons between IQ2 and Mystar HD - generally they each have good and bad points. Foxtel has the on demand system which is something I really miss. But Mystar has some neat programming in its box ( love the ability to extend a recoding by 5 minute increments ) and overall works fine. FTA integration is "unusual"  ( why the Blue Mountains would be in the Sth Coast region i have no idea ) but it works so no complaints. Austar customer support was really good - teh FTA channels were not programmed in on one box and they fixed that quickly with only one phone call.
Pricing and packaging seems reasonably close  - Austar a touch more expensive.

Overall if Fox eats Austar I dont expect any major changes. I dont know what the ACCC are considering as I really dont see there is true competition anyway.

My 5 cents for what its worth :-)

[pgdownload]

Erina, on Aug 22 2011, 04:02 PM, said:

Overall if Fox eats Austar I dont expect any major changes. I dont know what the ACCC are considering as I really dont see there is true competition anyway.

There's little debate that at the moment "competition" would hardly be affected if Austar and Foxtel merge. The ACCC are apparently looking 10 years down the track though when Austar will be able to easily and cheaply provide content direct to metro homes via the NBN (And for that matter Foxtel will be able to do so to a lot more regional homes).

Its this future potential competition that the ACCC is concerned about.

Disclaimer: The author of this posts has some Austar shares and would really like it if the ACCC let the deal go through...

Regards

Peter Gillespie

[davmel]

pgdownload, on Aug 22 2011, 04:19 PM, said:

The ACCC are apparently looking 10 years down the track though when Austar will be able to easily and cheaply provide content direct to metro homes via the NBN (And for that matter Foxtel will be able to do so to a lot more regional homes).

Huh? Why do you think in 10 years time there will be a removal of the private agreement between Foxtel and Austar to service different areas? That agreement is the only reason Austar exists! Without it any competition would push Austar out of the market.
They don't compete now (outside of the Gold Coast) either via sat or on the net (Foxtel XBox 360 isn't officially available in Austar areas), so 10 years won't make any difference. The NBN won't make any difference and the ACCC will again look like the daft idiots that they are if the NBN is scrapped in a few years time. It was the ACCC that stuffed up the NBN by increasing the number of POI's which will increase the cost to consumers, and they now have the audacity to claim the NBN will solve pay tv competition at some vague time in the future. Those ACCC boffins are smoking some seriously powerful drugs before gazing into their cloudy cracked crystal ball.

[pgdownload]

davmel, on Aug 22 2011, 04:40 PM, said:

Huh? Why do you think in 10 years time there will be a removal of the private agreement between Foxtel and Austar to service different areas?

I'm not sure if the details of the private agreement is public but I doubt its a hundred year lease. IMO, the ACCC would also not allow a duopoly to come to a mutual agreement to not compete without some strong caveats in the contract. Obviously the ACCC believes the 'agreement' won't prevent future deployment over the NBN. Its also not the ACCCs job to try second guess the policies of the day. ATM the NBN is being rolled out and its potential implications are quite huge (IMO the NBN will secure Australia for the next 100 years - but that's another debate ) . I'm not sure its the ACCC that's looking into a "cloudy cracked crystal ball".

Regards

Peter Gillespie

[duke]

Watchdog extends review of Foxtel's takeover bid for Austar

[DrP]

Arg.  Its all a bit pointless.  Does anyone here seriously imagine Austar (successfully) competing with Foxtel should NBN complete and both offer full services over it?  Competition policy for the sake of competition policy serves no-one bar the bureaucrats.

[aeon]

Another update:

http://www.news.com....r-1226163134093

Hopefully it's not much longer...

[pgdownload]

Reckon that's the result of my email this morning asking how much longer. Probably prompted someone to search for the relevant manilla folder on their desk, flip through it and put out a press release

Regards

Peter Gillespie