New Foxtel pricing structure on the way
A quarter of Foxtel subscribers are to receive a price increase of $36 a year as part of a raft of changes to be introduced by the subscription TV company.
But the broadcaster claims it will not gain any increase to the bottom line as some prices are going up, and others down.
Foxtel claims that the price changes will also see 25 per cent of customers pay up to $10 a month less; and 25 per cent will have no change, 25 per cent a rise between 5c and $2.05 a month; and 25 per cent a $3.05 rise per month.
“Naturally, as we are aligning different and quite complex pricing structures, there will be some customers who will pay a little more and some who will pay the same or less than they currently do. This will be true for both regional and metropolitan customers,” spokesman Bruce Meagher said.
A new PVR – the upgraded iQ3 – will also be rolled out later in the year.
The move follows the merger of Foxtel and Austar and comes weeks after a consumer backlash over reductions in the susbcription TV broadcaster’s film offering.
Detailed pricing information can be found at http://www.foxtel.com.au under My Account
Wouldn’t it be good if we could pick and pay for only the channels we wanted with a minimum fee to protect Foxtel’s margins? I have a package which includes all the channels I want, but dozens of others I don’t want and would gladly ditch for a comensurate reduction in fees.
“Naturally, as we are aligning different and quite complex pricing structures, there will be some customers who will pay a little more and some who will pay the same or less than they currently do.”
Naturally.
@Dan – good for who? For you, yes. For them? Not so much.
This is a sensible and unsurprising move – they’ve upped the sports package costs (for content which is good and getting better) and reduced the movie package. Movie fans don’t wait for them or watch them on a timetable on Foxtel anymore, they’re likely to download them or watch on demand (legally or illegally).
Absolute disgrace.
How can they justify a $9 price hike on the sports package?
Step into your time machine, remember when Foxtel were lauding the fact the AFL channel would come a NO EXTRA COST to sports subscribers. Well, that was a lie.
Oh, and the “no increase to bottom line” is rather like saying “Hey guys, we’re giving you all a pay freeze, but it’s cool, we’re not saving money as we’re going to be spending that money on a new office for the people who currently work in the crap one! Cool, huh? Oh, those already in the new offices, well, unlucky.”
Great news, as long as I get my iQ2 to iQ3 upgrade for free “as the money is being invested into providing all new customers next generation PVRs.”
Conversely, if they charge for the iQ3 … then it’s a rip-off.
To be fair to Foxtel, they are a business which needs to make money.
We can always stop buying.
I like my Foxtel and enjoy lots of documentaries etc. it’s not cheap, but i think it is value for me.
As you probably guessed, I don’t have any sports channels and never had the time to watch the movies, so dropped them.
The last program I did watch on Foxtel was Megafactories; LearJet which was very interesting.
Jimbob, no one will pay $9 more for their Foxtel. While the price of Sport will go up, other prices in your package will go down and balance it out in whole or part. For example if you have an iQ or MyStar box you will no longer be charged separately for it (a reduction of $10 and $14.95 respectively). If you have a standard box special arrangements will be made and, again, you will not have to pay an additional $9. As I commented above the vast majority of those who have a price increases will pay $3.05 extra or less. Many customers will receive substantial discounts.
Please wait until you get your letter or email and you will see how you are affected. If you are unhappy, feel free to call 131 999 to see if there is a package more suited to your needs.
B Meagher – Foxtel Corporate Affairs
@Jimbob – commenting before thinking – absolute disgrace.
Hey Bruce why don’t you just give Dave the gay art director more documentaries on Lear Jets, they will be much appreciated…
Pete, I’ll get on to it…
Foxtel is becoming unaffordable, its there already
I’m currently on Platinum HD and to be honest have been considering cancelling because of the below-average movie channel setup now.
Having done my maths I currently pay $132 per month against $151 of value if you total all the package costs.
Under the new pricing and selecting all packages the total is $132. Amazing.
I wonder what the new ‘Premium HD’ package cost will be … my guess is no change at all.
Pathetic and even more of a reason to stop my subscription
Just checked Foxtel’s Facebook page and the link to the new pricing :
http://www.foxtel.com.au/cms/g.....101769.pdf
Guess what Platinum HD now costs the same as all packages added together – $132 per month.
So instead of a 19% discount on the total cost of purchasing all packages under the ‘Premium’ there is now no discount.
Dare I say “RIP OFF’????
Surprised? If Foxtel ever want to market to me with any kind of success, let me pick and choose precisely the channels I want.
I bundled and get Platinum HD for $110 a month. No news yet on pricing changes.
Assuming they don’t change what’s available in the various entertainment option packages I’ll be seeing no change to my bill at all.
Still no incentive to add HD which is a point of difference with FTA. Seven/Prime & Nine/WIN waste their HD channels on old programmes that are in SD and 4:3 aspect. I can imagine them botching the transition from analogue to digital by maintaining the status quo once Sydney and Melbourne have their analogue channels cut.
BTW, somehow Nine manages to deliver rugby league in worse clarity than its usual SD programming and ignores the option of simulcasting despite having paid a fortune for the rights.
I agree paying for what channel you want is the way to go,of cause there has to to be a minimum you have to buy say about 20 maybe $1per channel per month a bit complicated but I’m sure with technology it can be done.
Foxtel seriously needs to add TV1 to HD as soon as possible… to have such shows as NCIS, NCIS LA, the L&O franchise and Seinfeld et al in SD only is just disgraceful.
Ever heard of volume discounts? My bet is that most channels would want, on an a la carte basis, a minimum of $2.95 per month but more likely $4.95 a month. As a price-point that would compare favourably to app and iTune downloads. Plus there would be a Foxtel ‘carriage fee’ for the basic service (cable and box) – no idea what that would be.
So after around 20 channels you’d end up paying more! I’m sticking with my bundle.
I dumped the Platinum package a few months ago. Too expensive for content you can only view in your lounge-room. Why cant I watch Sky news on my phone and on the web at work Haven’t I paid for the content? ( Yes I know there is an iPad only app now ) Back to just the basic package @ $55 p/m. It is not worth any more than that and I haven’t missed Platinum or the cost. at all.
Rip off same old repeats month after month and paying for heaps of channels we never watch. Maybe it’s time to abandon ship,
Check out the current and new start packages.
Something like 11 channels simply gone !
off topic, but if Bruce is paying attention….imma gonna vent. My Foxtel has been MIA since a big power outage in my ‘hood over the weekend. as a long term customer, I now it takes ’em a while to get their act together & fix these things…so I register the problem on Monday. I’m met with a voice recorded message that assumes I’m a dickhead, tells me that it’s gonna re-set my system then hangs up on me. I call back. I’m basically told that I’m still a dickhead & I should re-set my system. duh. two days later they send a technician who confirms yes, no signal in the ‘hood, I’m not a dickhead & I should call them again. I do. they TRANSFER ME TO TELSTRA so I have to report their faults myself. I still have no Foxtel & can’t understand why I’m doing the work of their (outsourced) tech dept. it’s taken me 5 days and several phone calls.
oh, of course I had to constantly re-identify myself, my DOB, often in the same phone call. weirdly enough, Telstra was helpful lol
the Foxtel attitude of “f*ck the customer, what choice do they have?” is wearing thin.
I better get heaps of free movies & a massive credit to my account.
thankyou Mum(brella) – that was better then the shrinks couch….