Foxtel Play

From Foxtel to Foxtel Now

Peter G Foxtel, Foxtel Now, internet, Petesmusic's Blog, Sport, technology, video streaming , , ,

I have decided with not getting the National Broadband Network in Australia was not to subscribe to the Foxtel cable service by Foxtel & instead get Foxtel Now (formerly Foxtel Play) which uses an online connection to get a set of Foxtel channels. The main difference between Foxtel and Foxtel Now is the prices you pay & the number of channels you receive. The packages you get on Foxtel and Foxtel Now are completely different. With Foxtel, you need a set top box. I am currently using Foxtel Now through the Samsung smart Blu- Ray Player. No need for a professional installation. Can use Foxtel Now as well on the personal computer & get the Smart phone app if I want to. Foxtel Now for people who live in the United Kingdom & Ireland is Australia’s version of Now TV.
With Foxtel Now, there a few base packs to choose from:

  • Pop pack
  • Lifestyle pack
  • Drama pack
  • Docos pack
  • Kids pack

You can use every pack on a one month trial before choosing to pay for any of the packs. You can either choose from one base pack or choose every base pack after the one month trial. For financial reasons, I have chosen the Pop pack because I like the programs more with this pack compared with the other starter packs. The Pop pack & Drama pack by themselves cost $A15 per month while the Kids pack, Docos pack & the Lifestyle pack costs $A10 per month. Not to forget the Pop pack & the Drama pack combined costs $A25 per month.
With the Pop pack, the channels you receive are:

In addition of the base pack(s), you can choose the next tier:

  • Sports pack ($A29 per month)
  • Movies pack ($A20 per month)

You can either choose wither the Sports pack or the Movies pack or both packs but must get the base pack(s) first. Included if you pick one of the packs as the minimum are the channels you receive in addition:

The main positive with Foxtel Now is the opportunity to watch channels like Showcase & The Comedy Channel through a pack worth $A15 per month. With Foxtel, to get those very channels would cost a lot more money in a month. The main drawback is I feel is the cutting the number of channels that were available from Foxtel Now earlier this year. For more information, go to the Foxtel Now website.

NOTE: This information is only related to the Australian market. This is an independent review & I have no relationship with Foxtel as an employee or contractor. This post has all the information updated as at May 28 in 2018 from the original post from December 20 in 2017.

foxtelnow

Not NBN Ready Yet

Peter G Australia, digital TV, Foxtel, laptop, NBN , , , , , , ,

foxteliqhdThe Australian NBN is coming to my neighbourhood. The NBN is short for the National Broadband Network which is an Australian Government Business Enterprise. I have looked the at the NBN website & the rollout in my neighbourhood is in May to June 2017. It could be in time or it might be delayed. This NBN is about the having the latest technology related to the landline telephone, broadband internet & pay TV. There are a number of technologies involved depending where you live in Australia. I currently have a landline telephone, broadband internet & pay TV. I use the older cable technology in the meantime. I am happy using it. I live in the inner western suburbs of Sydney in Australia.

I have got good news with Optus TV featuring Foxtel. The sports pack stayed at $25. It did not go up in price at all. Good on you Optus. This deal however will only last to the NBN switchover. If I really want Foxtel in the future. Have to contact Foxtel. With their cable service, the base entertainment, sports & high definition version of these channels. I am proven right of hitting well over the 60 Australian dollar mark for a month. Not including a set top box tax & installation fee. Only a $50 discount. Dreadfully overpriced I afraid. Not worth the trouble & not worth the money. Getting Foxtel Play is a better bet if really want Foxtel in the future with live & catch up TV application for online viewing. The prices are more reasonable as well. Can view this application via a number of devices. Can put the application on the laptop & connect a cable to the TV set.

I am an Optus customer. With the NBN ready offer, they don’t offer Foxtel. They have joined forces with budget pay TV outfit Fetch like number of other Australian telecommunication businesses. Their brand name is “Yes TV by Fetch”. Their NBN ready offer is a new modem for NBN broadband, a phone with choice of pay for phone use or a phone pack & of course, their Fetch TV pack. No point buying a Fetch box at JB Hi-Fi when Optus will give it away for me if I really want it. For the time with TV, enjoying watching Foxtel provided by Optus with this old relic of set top box which will be an antique piece very soon. This photo above will be handy for any memories down the track of the way I used to watch TV.