Foxtel is cutting the cable and switching to satellite
With NBN Co taking control of the cable network, Foxtel is placing its bets on satellite instead.
Foxtel has had a rough time of it over the last few years. With streaming services like Netflix and Stan stealing the limelight by offering hit movies and TV shows on demand for a fraction of the cost of a Foxtel subscription, the formerly dominant pay TV provider has had to shift gears in order to stay relevant.
Now it seems Foxtel is gearing up for another shift in its operations, with a report from EFTM revealing that the company is abandoning the cable network it has relied upon for over two decades in favour of going wireless.
According to the report, Foxtel is in the process of migrating all its customers from the hybrid-fibre coaxial (HFC) cable network to its satellite network instead. The motivation for this move stems from the rollout of the NBN, as the cable network Foxtel uses (currently owned by Foxtel parent company Telstra) is being handed off to NBN Co.
While this wouldn't actually prevent Foxtel from continuing to use the network for supplying its customers with pay TV, it appears that sticking with the cable network has proven a significant expense for the company.
"Moving customers from HFC to satellite is a commercial decision for Foxtel’s management," a Telstra representative told EFTM. "Telstra received $35 million of revenue from Foxtel for their use of the HFC network in the first half of FY18."
Money isn't the only motivator either, it seems.
"Satellite is the best option for high quality video images watched on the large screens in homes and other venues," a Foxtel spokesperson told finder.com.au. "Satellite is less prone to outages than the HFC cable and delivers great quality HD signals.”
While the switch from cable to satellite won't cost Foxtel customers any of their pay TV channels, it could prove frustrating for Aussies who like to watch free-to-air TV through Foxtel. On its cable service, Foxtel re-transmits free-to-air channels so that you can browse both pay TV and free-to-air with a single remote, no input switching required. However, on satellite some free-to-air channels aren't re-transmitted, meaning you'll need to keep a separate TV tuner plugged into your TV to watch them.
Details on the changeover and what it will mean for Foxtel's cable customers have yet to be fully revealed, but we'll let you know as soon as we learn more.
With the switch to satellite is there a conflict between voice synchronisation. After a recent switch to Foxtel we have noticed a slight mismatch between the voice and the words being spoken.
I am aware there is a difference between speed of light and sound.
Hi Neil,
Thank you for getting in touch with Finder.
Because satellite is more susceptible to interference than a cable connection, it is possible that the video stream from Foxtel may lose sync if the satellite connection isn’t stable. Restarting the stream (by changing channel) can sometimes help resolve the issue, at least temporarily.
I hope this helps.
Thank you and have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Jeni
At the moment we pay $ 139 +25 = $164 per month for an IQ2 box and an IQ3 box for platinum HD service on both boxes. With NBN getting closer and Foxtel telling us their intent is to shift everyone to satellite, my question is: Is satellite Foxtel currently available and how much does it cost for the same services as mentioned above?
Hi John,
Thank you for reaching out to finder.
Currently, Foxtel Satellite is not yet available and is still in the planning stages according to Foxtel. Foxtel is currently reaching out to each of their customers on the move and will update you once you are in queue. There is nothing shown currently on the price range for the plans that Foxtel has in store for their satellite programming at this stage in the move. You may want to reach out to Foxtel customer service for further inquiry into this matter. Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Reggie
Do you need to put up a TV antenna to watch free to air TV if you switch from cable to satellite?
Hi Darren,
Thanks for reaching out to finder.
Yes, you will need a TV antenna once you or Foxtel swaps your connection from cable to satellite. Foxtel iQ3/iQ4 set top box has a built in free-to-air tuner, so you can simply connect your existing free to air TV aerial to the box and enjoy the full range of programming alongside your Foxtel channels.
Please note that Free To Air channels will vary base on location, and not all channels are available in all areas.
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Charisse