Television viewers are voting with their mouse when it comes to choosing alternatives to free-to-air and pay TV.

No longer at the mercy of station programmers, viewers are flocking to their computers, smartphones and internet-enabled televisions to watch movies and shows when it suits them.

In the process, some are ditching pay TV subscriptions in favour of combining several entertainment options in one device. This includes opting for non-contract Foxtel on the Xbox, using broadband for streaming TV and considering an internet-enabled TV set.

Sydney resident Christine Kaard switched when her mobile broadband ran its contractual course three months ago. She and her 15-year-old son had been paying almost $100 for Foxtel each month, plus internet and landline access.

Advertisement: Story continues below ”We decided we weren’t getting much value because we don’t watch sport. And because we also wanted to change our broadband plan, we thought we could do with the T-Box,” Ms Kaard says.

Being able to access the internet throughout the house via the bundled Wi-Fi modem helped sway her decision. ”Now we’re paying about $90 for broadband and the T-Box with BigPond Movies.”

Telstra director, IPTV and pay TV, Ben Kinealy says consumers want choice.

”We took the decision to be everywhere – on Foxtel, online, T-Box and smart TVs. That is so powerful for the customer,” he says. BigPond TV on tablets will be next.

Foxtel announced this week that subscribers who watch Foxtel via Xbox 360 on a BigPond broadband connection will be exempt from data-download charges, making all content unmetered.

Other internet service providers are also increasing their internet-protocol TV (IPTV) offerings, with Optus, Westnet and Internode recently joining iiNet in offering FetchTV. The service that originally required iiNet’s Naked DSL broadband connection now works on ADSL too. It plans to be smartphone and tablet-ready this year.

What’s Out There

FetchTV
Rating: 3.5/5

FetchTV has come a long way since it was launched by iiNet late last year. We liked the picture quality, as well as the 30 free movies on-demand every month on the standard package. Set-up was fiddly but technical support was helpful. On-screen apps include Facebook, Twitter, weather and Mathletics, with YouTube to come. Fox Sports, BBC World News, National Geographic, digital free-to-air channels and on-demand movies are included. Bloomberg, European sports and foreign-language channels cost extra. The set-top box is also a personal video recorder. Prices start from $29.95 a month from iiNet for FetchTV2 subscription and box rental, plus $59 monthly broadband subscription, plus $69 for BoB modem purchase. Includes VoIP phone line. Coming: smartphone as remote control and a phone app to record shows remotely.

fetchtv.com.au

Telstra T-Box
Rating: 4/5

We were pleasantly surprised by the sleek and intuitive user interface and the EPG, which features images and text. It claims more video-on-demand titles than Foxtel but has no Showtime or Movie Network channels. We liked the ”related” movies menu, where you can find other movies with the same actors or related genres. It includes all digital free-to-air stations, plus BigPond TV channels and BigPond News, produced by SkyNews. Set-up is via a simple wizard but sign-up is done on an internet-connected computer. We were promised that, in future, it will all happen on the TV screen. The box is also a personal video recorder. Bundles start at $89 a month plus $35 up front and include set-top box, broadband plan, modem and landline. Coming: smartphone as remote control, phone app to record shows remotely, T-Box on iPad, Foxtel on T-Box.

telstra.com.au

Samsung Smart TV
Rating: 4.5/5

There are three ranges of Samsung Smart LED TVs (series 6, 7 and in various sizes. All connect to the internet for streaming TV and web browsing. All are HD, 3D, offer 2D to 3D conversion, have HDMI, USB and Wi-Fi connections and claim better picture and sound quality. The Smart Hub is the gateway to internet entertainment. We found the user interface busy but liked the options. Browsing the internet on the TV screen feels awkward at first but we liked browsing while watching TV at the same time. The hub includes apps for BigPond TV and BigPond Movies (subscription required), YouTube, Twitter, Skype, Picasa, games, sports and more than you’ll ever have time for. The TVs are DLNA (digital living network alliance) friendly, which means they are just another device on your home network capable of sharing content. Priced from $3199 for Series 7 46-inch.

samsung.com.au/tv

Read more – Brisbane News

GoConnect (GCN) is pleased to announce it has joined forces with Netbay Internet, an Australian based Broadband Service provider, to launch a number of Asian language IPTV channels on GoConnect’s IPTV network of properties.

Netbay Internet is a Melbourne based broadband ISP that provides IPTV service through its subsidiary company MyiTV.

MyiTV is currently providing Triple-Play Services – ADSL2+ Broadband, VOIP and IPTV subscription service of Cantonese and Mandarin Speaking television channels through its multi-casting IPTV network under its agreement with Television Broadcasting Australia (“TVBA”).   TVBA is the Australian subsidiary of TVB, the dominant free to air TV network in Hong Kong.

Services are multi cast to the exchange and then delivered out to customers Televisions and IPTV Set Top boxes via ADSL2+.

MyiTV’s initial concentration has been on the Asian populations living in High Rise Apartment buildings in the inner cities of Melbourne and Sydney. The inner city market consists of large concentrations of Asian students who are keen to subscribe to Asian language TV services and watch their favourite channels from back home.

The partnership with Netbay internet will be operated under an equally owned company with GoConnect responsible for distribution of the programs via its IPTV properties and Netbay responsible for hosting and distributing the programs within its broadband network. A number of Asian language channels will be introduced over time including Korean, Indian, Chinese and Vietnamese.

Richard Li, Executive Chairman of GoConnect says, “We are excited to be involved with Netbay Internet to launch our Asian language IPTV service.

Australia is a nation of migrants and many Asian migrant households are already subscribers to satellite TV services provided by various TV networks from their countries of origin. The increasing maturity of broadband Internet penetration will underpin the rapid development of IPTV globally.

GoConnect was a pioneer in the delivery of IPTV. With the experience and expertise we have gained in IPTV over 11 years, GoConnect is well placed to take advantage of the continuing growth in consumer demand for IPTV by expanding the program mix. Together with Netbay Internet, our jointly owned company, Asia IPTV, will be working closely with various major Asian TV networks to provide on demand IPTV services to their subscribers. These services are expected to be introduced in the second half of 2011.”

Keith Lam, Sales Director of Netbay Internet says, “TV consumers will be able to access their favourite TV programs from their home countries without even the need for a set-top box. Accessing our Asian language channels will be made easy with the latest Smart TVs that are coming onto the market. They simply have to ‘point and click’ the Asia Channel icon on their Smart TV screen with their remote control to play the programs. We look forward to providing our service to many Australian households as a first step, before expanding outside of Australia.”

Adam Shand interviews Richard Li, Executive Chairman of GoConnect Limited on the company’s performance, vision and strategy including his views on IPTV in Australia.

Watch the interview on The Business Show

In 2010, GoConnect merged with Undercover, one of the world’s most respected music news sites and independent music label, PLW Entertainment. This merger created uctv.fm, GoConnect’s premium IPTV music channel which is distributed online and on mobile, as well as on the Sony BRAVIA IPTV platform and LG Netcast IPTV platform.

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