Youcompare Pay TV : Free-to-Air TV

IPTV - TV over Broadband in Australia

admin — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 04:31:00 GMT

Australia is often touted as a couple of years behind global trends in various industries and commerce and although sometime away yet, the emphatic rise of Internet Protocol Television (IPTV or TV over Broadband), which can be currently witnessed in European countries, is an example of things to come in our own backyard or should I say lounge room.

In a recent European report that forecasts IPTV growth in the respective region, it was stated that the pay TV alternative will rocket in popularity over the next 5 years. It's believed that IPTV subscriptions will jump from 12.4 million to over 30 million subscriptions in this period despite the current economic downturn. This figure equates to around 16 percent of Europe's total pay TV market. In 2008, Cable TV providers dominated the market with a 56 percent share while satellite TV services held a little more than 30 percent. The report is suggesting that Cable providers will be the looser in the next 5 years with a reduction of 13 percent forecast and in addition, not only will TV over Broadband services grow, it's also predicted that satellite TV subscriptions will rise an extra 7 percent.

So what's this mean for Australian IPTV services?
For a start the likes of FOXTEL, FOXTEL from Telstra and AUSTAR, who dominate the pay TV market here in Australia, will be forced to re-strategise and strengthen their products and relationships within this Industry. You see, subscription based technology aside, there's still the issue of 'Content' to consider - What is everyone going to watch on IPTV? For example, FOXTEL hold many lucrative and exclusive relationships with Content Providers such as a Channel (e.g. The Lifestyle Channel) or sports rights (50 percent AFL - Australian Rules Football or 100 percent A-League) and essentially have a stranglehold on subscription TV. So regardless of IPTV provider networks, there's still going to be the underlying factor of media rich content to broadcast through an IPTV network.

The other major factor that IPTV faces is distribution technology, namely through Broadband. Up until now and media content aside, Australia's subscription pay TV options were limited to Cable and Satellite TV services offered by the likes of Telstra and Optus, both of which relayed FOXTEL broadcasts. The problem here surrounds Broadband speed as ADSL2+ is the only other option thats barely capable of of transmitting IPTV broadcasts. While this form of Broadband technology certainly has the speed at the top end in which to broadcast such services, the problem primarily lays with accompanying latency and connectivity issues. ADSL2+ isn't reliable and top end speeds are generally theory based so more often than not subscribers to ADSL2+ would experience servicing interferences that just wouldn't cut it for IPTV broadcasting.

Bring on the new National Broadband Network and Anti-siphoning, then we may have game on for IPTV! In case you're unfamiliar with Anti-siphoning, it's a government regulation that protects many major sporting codes and events from being gobbled up by exclusive pay TV rights. It basically means that sports such as Horse Racing and the Melbourne Cup, AFL Grandfinals, State of Origins and world sporting events like the Olympics and Soccer World Cups are to be made available to the general public via Free-to-Air television.

Considering the NBN is commencing deployment later this year (to be completed over an 8 year period) and will be the foundation to drive home IPTV and Video on Demand type services, together with the projected growth figures in Europe expected over the next 5 years, it appears that IPTV's emergence in Australia will follow Europe's lead and become a popular subscription TV service. In the interim, ADSL2+ might not be be able to deliver high definition IPTV Australia wide, however, until the NBN comes into play, it could make a viable substitute for IPTV services, especially for those residing in major metropolitan areas and those close enough to DSLAM exchanges that will be able to take advantage of the faster ADSL2+ speeds.

Your Choice: TiVO BlockBuster Sony PS3 VOD IPTV

admin — Tue, 26 May 2009 02:00:00 GMT

These are just a few of the more recent media options to have emerged that are gradually threatening the livelihood of Free-to-Air TV and some subscription based pay TV services. With a new Australian high speed broadband network now imminent, the drawing is on the board for an era of new media delivery technologies that will use Broadband to catapult their content to subscribers in all regions of Australia. We're certainly up for some interesting times ahead.

Media steaming services such as TiVO, Video On Demand (aka Movies on Demand), IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) and VidZone via the PlayStation 3 Console, use high speed Broadband Internet technology to deliver media content straight to you. At present, these slowly emerging FTA alternatives offer a magnitude of variety that include music videos, sports programs, television shows and movies, however once the NBN is fully operational, expect to be inundated with many new associated services. We're already witnessing the Australian Broadcasting Commission moving forward with I-View:- A free Internet streaming service which replays ABC TV programming at your demand. The ABC is perhaps a good example to use as a glimpse of whats possible, not to mention what is inevitable.

If the likes of Australian Commercial TV Networks, leading Internet Service Providers and current Pay TV Providers react slowly to this media paradigm shift, it's only a matter of time until their audiences (or should I say their revenue) subsides. Perhaps the biggest issue facing the commercial sector is not the transition, but how they'll integrate their lucrative advertising segment which has been their main source of income for so long.

The other issue facing Internet based (IPTV) media providers is media rich content. Up until now, popular content has been stitched up by long term deals done with the content creator/rights holder and leading FTA and Pay TV Networks. You see, Sport, Movies and Lifestyle orientated programs are the bread and butter of popular viewing and it's unlikely that these lucrative business relationships between the respective parties will depreciate anytime soon. Although the quality of content (and price for such) is a major factor for IPTV providers to contend with, it still won't stop these type of networks springing up down the track with alternative program viewing. In many cases, much of what you'll see on FTA/Pay TV networks will also be available on the IPTV based services, as it all comes down to how much a company can afford or what they're prepared to sacrifice.

If the proposed National Broadband Network, which has been earmarked to deliver 100Mbps high speed broadband access to 90 percent of the population, takes the previously stated 8 years to be deployed, you can bet you're bottom dollar that we'll witness many new IPTV associated services appearing parallel to this schedule. Stay Tuned!

Sony PS3 to deliver Movies and HDTV Shows

admin — Thu, 07 May 2009 04:55:00 GMT

Free-to-Air TV in Australia has been dealt another blow by pay TV competition, this time its Sony who is planning to sell movies and TV shows via it's popular PlayStation 3 console. In a recent comments made by Australian Sony Computer Entertainment chief 'Michael Ephraim', it was confirmed that Sony may offer the new TV show and movie download service by as early as the end of this year.

When you consider the potential that Pay TV, VOD, IPTV and other forms of Subscripting based TV have, well we may be in for a media explosion which could follow the upcoming implementation of the new 100Mbps high speed National Broadband Network. Include the likes of entities such as Seven with TiVo, Sony with the PS3 and Blockbuster who will be delivering Video on Demand, the FTA TV Industry appears to be in real trouble! You've heard the saying - Move with the times or get left behind.

Sony has already started delivering high definition movies and TV shows through the PS3 in the United States since June 2008, and expect the same will be achieved here over the next 12-18 months. Australians will witness the introduction of the new Sony download services when it launches 'Vidzone' - A download service that will allow PS3 users to watch music videos.

The next several years will be very interesting times indeed, especially when witnessing a huge shift in the way we receive and watch media. Expect many more media services to commence and become available at home and on handheld or mobile devices, in particularly, once the NBN rolls out!

Australian Socceroos Soar on Pay Television

admin — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 01:13:00 GMT

We all know that soccer is taking off in Australia ever since John Aloisi kicked that winning goal in the penalty shootout against Uruguay back in 2005 to qualify the Australian Socceroos for the 2006 World Cup. What some of you may not know however, is the popularity that the Socceroos are still creating on Pay TV.

When Australia played Uzbekistan in a 2010 World Cup Qualifier earlier this year in 2009, a massive 431,000 viewers tuned in to watch Australia go within a whisker of World Cup qualification for South Africa right there and then. Not in the entire 13 year history of Australian subsciption based television has there ever been an audience of this proportion watching a Pay TV sports program, let alone a non-sports progam!

Sure, Free-to-Air television audiences easily surpass Pay TV viewers, but hey, that's totally understandable because it's FTA is 'free' based and Foxtel has only just registered their 1,000,000 subscriber. You've only got to take a look at Channel 9's 'Underbelly' series which attracted in excess of 2 million viewers and the Australian Open Tennis final which has seen more than twice this amount in the past.

Five Most Watched Pay TV Programs
1. Soccer: 2009 South AFrica World Cup Qualifier - Australia V Uzbekistan: 431,000
2. Soccer: Asian Football Confederation 'Asian Cup' Japan v Australia 2007: 419,000
3. Cricket: Chappell-Hadlee trophy 2007: 415,000
4. Cricket: South Africa V Australia Test, day 2 2009: 358,000
5. Rugby Union: 2008 Bledisloe Cup: 350,000

Five Most Watched Non- Sporting Events on Pay TV
1. Parkinson - The Shane Warne interview 2007: 332,000
2. High School Musical 2 premiere 2007: 314,000
3. Australia's Next Top Model final 2008: 259,000
4. Die Hard 4 premiere 2008: 244,000;
5. Rock Star Supernova 2006: 235,000.

So why did the Socceroos break this record? Is it because soccer is finally starting to establish itself as a domaint sport here in Australia after the success of making the last World Cup? Or are we just a sport's mad nation who bands together when our little old country (as a sporting underdog) terriers' its way up the ranks toward a crack at the pinnacle of all sporting events? Maybe its a mixture of both. I think Australians absolutely love their sports, soccer's popularity (or should I say football) is snowballing and yes, we all love a big event!

The Australian Football League (AFL) and National Rugby League (NRL) are obviously worried with the success of Soccer here in Australia, although they don't admit to such. This can be witnessed with the AFL's somewhat hastiness in their plans to penetrate and establish a new team in the heart of NSW's Rugby League stronghold 'West Sydney'. The AFL have already announced a new team for the Gold Coast to commence in 2011 which is also home to the newest Rugby League side to enter the competition ' Gold Coast Titans'.

The Titans inaugural season commenced back on March 18 2007 as the newest member of the current 16 team National Rugby League competition. Realistically, these two football codes have only had each other to contend with, except for the poaching of players that the Australian Rugby League and International Rugby clubs do from time to time. Both the AFL and NRL reaped the benefits of Pay TV exposure, but this is changing, and changing in a big way now that the Socceroos have hit the big time after John Aloisi making history.... and you know what..... Johnny Warren told you so!

Get all the best Live, National & International Football Matches featuring the Australian Socceroos, AFL 2009, A-League 2009/10 and NRL 2009 action when you get a Sports Pay TV Package right here at Youcompare Pay TV

AFL Footy TV: Australian Rules Football League 2009 on FOXTEL

admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 01:44:00 GMT

The AFL is one of Australia's largest sporting leagues which attracts a huge audience. In 2009 FOXTEL will once again take the lead in AFL broadcasts by providing more coverage and more live footy than anyone else.

Unlike Free-to-Air network channels, FOXTEL will provide customers with a minimum of four live and uninterrupted AFL matches every round, including a Sunday night twilight match.

As an added bonus, if your favourite AFL football team doesn't appear live in that round, you'll get a chance to catch the game when FOXTEL replays every game of every round uninterrupted on FOX SPORTS during the following week.

Other Broadcast partners for the AFL 2009 season are Channel 7, Network 10, BigPond, News Limited, Triple M, Sport 1116 SEN, 3AW, ABC, FIVEaa, 6PR, K-Rock and NIRS.

Check out FOXTEL pay TV packages and FOX SPORTS channels right here at Youcompare Pay TV. http://youcompare.com.au/paytv/foxtel

Seven partner Internode for Broadband TiVo Movies deal

admin — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 23:19:00 GMT

The Seven Media Group is believed to have joined into a partnership with Broadband Internet Service Provider 'Internode' in a bid to provide broadband services that will use TiVo to offer unmetered downloads of movies.

Internode, who also deals with the likes of Telstra and Optus to deliver ADSL2+ and Naked DSL broadband Internet services, is posied to facilitate the bandwidth segment of the deal by 'unmetering' data usage which will make it more affordable to download high definition movies. Therefore users will not pay 'twice' for a movie.

A partnership such as this is exactly what TiVo has needed to take on the pay TV Industry and respective pay TV providers such as FOXTEL, AUSTAR and SelecTV. Uptil now, releasing a TiVo service has stalled due to the high operating costs involved with such a service, however with Internode on board costs will be significantly reduced compared to that of a basic FOXTEL pay TV package.

Pricing likely to be involved for a joint Internode and TiVo service have been speculated to be hovering around the $79 - $99 price mark. This will consist of a TiVo set top box and Internode broadband plan on a two year contract less the price of any movies ordered, although it's believed that some movies will be offered free of charge.

In competition to a pay TV service such as FOXTEL that charges a minimum of $40 just to receive a basic entry level pay TV package (not including FOXTEL iQ or iQ2 set-top-box), the TiVo/Internode model appears to be adequately priced. It's also a move that can be seen as a tactic to stave off peer-to-peer (p2p) pirate downloading that threatens the whole free-to-air (FTA) television network industry.

Switch to Digital Television to ignite TV Wars

admin — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 23:40:00 GMT

The extremely large process of transferring Australian commercial free-to-air (FTA) television transmissions from anolog to digital technology has also signaled a call to arms as pay TV operators and public broadcasters prepare to go head to head in a bid to buy your attention.

With Internet media content becoming ever so more accessible, together with the affect of the global financial meltdown and declining advertising revenue, the Australian TV Industry is set for some very interesting times ahead. Recent regulatory changes that allow commercial FTA networks to add an additional standard definition channel may still be not enough to save the exodus of mass TV audiences to competing pay TV and Internet TV networks.

Internet Protocol Television (IPTV or Broadband TV) might be in it's infancy, but it's sure to rapidly escalate in the not so distant future due to the availability of cheaper content which can be purchased overseas. Moreover, the introduction of a new national broadband network offering very fast broadband speeds, is set to harness IPTV's potential and as a result, lead to the introduction of many new IPTV/pay TV Providers and IPTV broadcasts. You can bet your bottom dollar that the likes of FOXTEL, Telstra, AUSTAR and other respective providers will jump on board and step up the challenge by releasing more competitive and extensive services.

The emergence on another indirect competitor, namely the ABC, has also paved the way, and given pay TV operators something to think about. The ABC doesn't rely on advertising revenue, nor do they charge for their services, so what else makes the ABC so competitive? For a start they provide two television channels, six radio stations, and have an extensive range of content choices. Furthermore, the ABC additionally has a free IPTV website titled iView that allows users to 'freely' download unmetered content.

Expect many changes within the Australian FTA & pay TV Industries over the coming months/years, which I believe will greatly benefit viewers by offering more choices, more diversity, more quantity, and perhaps above all, better value for money.

Review of PayTV & Free-to-Air Sports Laws

admin — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 05:29:00 GMT

Anti-siphoning laws (laws protecting free-to-air sport events from pay television uptake) are set to come under scrutiny next year as ASTRA, the pay TV representative group, call on the Government to change the laws which have blocked out AFL fans in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth from viewing live matches during the 2008 AFL Finals.

In a response to ASTRA's claims, a Seven spokesperson stated that Pay TV Providers want people to pay for sports coverage which is unfair because 7 out of 10 Australians didn't have pay TV.

Communications Minister 'Stephen Conroy', who recently returned from a trip to Britain and the US has strongly hinted that Australia will follow the respective countries by closing down analogue television networks, switching to digital television and review the current Anti-siphoning laws.

"The Government's main lever in the content debate is obviously the anti-siphoning list," Senator Conroy said. "That is subject to a review next year."

"This Government has a policy going in a different direction, which is why the review of anti-siphoning is so important."

"We went to the US and Britain to look at how they are implementing their transitions," he said.

Source: The Australian