Contract-free OTT Foxtel Play
March 14, 2013
By Colin Mann
Australian pay-TV provider Foxtel has announced the upcoming launch of a contract-free OTT service – Foxtel Play – to be available across a range of computers, TVs and games consoles. Richard Freudenstein, Foxtel Chief Executive, revealed the initiative at the ASTRA conference in Sydney.
Launching in June this year, Foxtel Play customers will be able to watch TV shows and movies across multiple Internet-connected devices, including selected connected TVs and games consoles at home as well as on the move with compatible smartphones, tablets and PC and Mac computers through the Foxtel Go app.
Foxtel Play will enable customers to subscribe by the month with no lock in contracts and build their own entertainment service from a range of genre-based channel packages starting from A$25 (€20) per month.
At launch, Foxtel Play will provide over 40 channels and more than 2000 catch up video on demand titles including programming from some of the most well loved channel brands across movies and premium drama, documentaries, entertainment, kids and live sports.
Freudenstein described Foxtel Play as “the next step” in the evolution of its entertainment offering. “Our core subscription service, which remains the cornerstone of our business, has recently been augmented by a greatly enlarged On Demand offering and, of course, Foxtel Go, both included for residential subscribers,” he advised. “Foxtel Play develops our ‘off the box’ Internet TV products by expanding on the existing Foxtel on Xbox 360 and Foxtel on Internet TV services to provide one Foxtel Internet TV offering across multiple devices.”
He said Foxtel Play was a perfect new way for those people who hadnot yet experienced Foxtel to enjoy its popular content at flexible price points offering value to suit varying budgets and needs. “Foxtel Play combines the ease and portability of internet connectivity with fantastic entertainment to welcome a whole new set of customers to Foxtel,” he added.
From launch, Foxtel Play customers will be enabled to receive Foxtel Go, included with their subscription, on their compatible PCs, Macs, iOS and selected android smartphones and tablets showing their entitled channels based on the channels they subscribe to on the Foxtel Play service.
Further information including channels and pricing and packaging will be announced closer to launch.