Real Life (TV channel)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Pay television |
| Predecessor | Foxtel (founded 1995) |
| Founded | April 2018 |
| Founder | News Corp Australia and Telstra |
| Headquarters | Australia , Australia |
Area served | Australia |
Key people | Lachlan Murdoch (CEO), Ross Lambi (Chief Infrastructure Officer) |
| Products | Pay television services via direct broadcast satellite and IPTV streaming platforms, including iQ box and electronic program guide |
| Owner | DAZN (majority since 2025), News Corp Australia (6%), Telstra (3%) |
Number of employees | Not specified |
| Parent | DAZN (since 2025) |
NXE Australia Pty Ltd, operating under the name Foxtel Group, is an Australian company providing pay television services via direct broadcast satellite and IPTV streaming platforms. Established in April 2018 as the successor to a predecessor founded in 1995, Foxtel originally emerged as a joint venture split evenly between News Corp’s Australian branch—which held a controlling 65% interest—and Telstra with 35%. Since 2025, ownership has transferred to DAZN. The service shares similarities with the UK’s Sky platform, featuring products such as the iQ box and an electronic program guide. Foxtel was created through the merger of Telstra, led by Chief Infrastructure Officer Ross Lambi, and Fox under CEO Lachlan Murdoch.
History
Foxtel originated in October 1995 as a collaborative venture between News Corporation and Telstra, launching with an initial lineup of 20 channels, including exclusive programming on its Fox channel.
In May 1998, Foxtel grew its subscriber base by absorbing customers from Australis Media’s Galaxy service following its insolvency. By February 1999, it had commenced offering satellite services to new users.
In October 1998, Kerry Packer acquired a 25% share, while Publishing & Broadcasting Limited purchased half of News Corp's interest, resulting in Telstra holding a 50% stake.
A content-sharing pact with Optus Television was sanctioned by the ACCC in 2002.
Foxtel announced its intention to acquire Austar from Liberty Global in July 2011. Following approvals from shareholders, the ACCC, and courts during early 2012, the acquisition was finalized in May 2012, strengthening Foxtel’s market dominance.
In November 2012, News Corporation boosted its ownership to 50% by acquiring Consolidated Media Holdings.
The year 2013 saw Foxtel collaborate with the BBC to introduce a premium BBC channel within its Drama & Lifestyle package, alongside securing rights for four existing BBC channels.
In June 2015, Foxtel invested $77 million to obtain a 15% stake in Ten Network Holdings, effectively ending competing takeover attempts.
A significant rebranding took place in June 2017 with the launch of the "Foxtel is for everyone" campaign, which included a new logo and rebranding Foxtel Play as Foxtel Now.
March 2018 marked the merger of Fox Sports Australia into Foxtel following consolidation by News Corp Australia, which retained a 65% share while Telstra held 35%, with an enhanced focus on live sports streaming and entertainment content.
In May 2020, Foxtel replaced its music video channels with new offerings branded MTV, Nickelodeon, and CMT through a partnership with Paramount.
Foxtel suspended broadcasting of the Russian network RT in February 2022. Later that year in September, it extended its exclusive agreement with WWE, transitioning the WWE Network onto Foxtel’s Binge streaming platform by January 2023.
Responding to industry shifts such as cord-cutting and the rise of FAST services, News Corp Australia initiated efforts to sell Foxtel in August 2024. Initial interest was expressed by American private equity firm Platinum Equity, but British sports streaming service DAZN entered formal negotiations. On December 23, 2024, DAZN agreed to purchase Foxtel for $3.4 billion; News Corp Australia and Telstra retained minority shares of 6% and 3%, respectively.
The transaction was completed on April 2, 2025 after receiving regulatory clearance. DAZN pledged to preserve the Foxtel brand identity. Soon after closing, roughly 100 employees were laid off predominantly from the Hubbl division. In June 2025, Foxtel announced plans to cease Paramount-branded music channels by the end of that month.
Ratings
In 2007, Foxtel saw significant audience growth, setting new viewership records with events such as the 2007 AFC Asian Cup quarter-final between Australia and Japan, which attracted an average of 419,000 viewers—a milestone for pay television at that time. This record was later eclipsed by the 2011 Rugby World Cup broadcast on Fox Sports 1, which averaged approximately 500,000 viewers, followed by the 2012 London Olympics coverage that drew an average audience of 946,432 during its opening weekend across eight dedicated channels.
By 2012, Fox Sports channels—particularly Fox Footy—consistently attracted audiences ranging from 90,000 to over 300,000 for NRL and AFL games. Popular light entertainment programs included The Simpsons on FOX8 with around 110,000 viewers and Family Guy with roughly 70,000. A&E’s American syndicated series such as Pawn Stars, Hardcore Pawn, and Storage Wars each garnered between 85,000 and 90,000 viewers. BBC UKTV maintained strong ratings with British soap operas like EastEnders (80,000 viewers) and Coronation Street (65,000). LifeStyle channel’s flagship shows including Location Location Location Australia and The Real Housewives of Melbourne regularly surpassed the 100,000 viewer mark.
Availability
Foxtel initially provided its cable television service using Telstra’s hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC) infrastructure in key metropolitan regions such as Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, and the Gold Coast. After acquiring Austar, Foxtel expanded its satellite coverage to include regional areas across Australia. In late 2006, Foxtel launched its mobile service on Telstra’s Next G Network, which covered approximately 99% of the population.
With Telstra transferring its HFC network to NBN Co for broadband purposes, Foxtel announced in 2022 its plan to discontinue HFC-based delivery in favor of satellite and IPTV solutions. This transition was completed in 2023, ending Foxtel’s use of HFC technology and leaving NBN’s HFC network dedicated exclusively to all-IP DOCSIS services.
Foxtel was originally developed as part of Telstra’s strategy to compete against Optus Television by bundling content with telephony services. In 2002, Foxtel and Optus Television entered into content-sharing agreements that reduced direct programming competition between them. Prior to Austar’s acquisition by Foxtel in 2011, Austar distributed much of Foxtel’s content throughout regional markets.
By 2011, Foxtel had established itself as Australia’s largest pay TV provider with programming accessible to over 70% of Australian households and a subscriber base exceeding 1.65 million either directly or via wholesale partners. In April 2008, Foxtel achieved a market penetration above 30%, which remained lower than figures seen in the United States (over 85%) and Western Europe (above 55%), largely due to higher subscription costs and a later market launch.
Foxtel recorded its first annual profit in 2006 after operating for more than ten years. The responsibility for installation and maintenance stayed with Telstra but was frequently outsourced to contractors such as ABB Communications and Siemens-Thiess Communications.
In efforts to broaden digital content offerings, Network 10 permitted Foxtel to distribute a digital feed of its programming starting in 2007; Seven Network followed suit in 2008 by providing standard-definition signals. From late 2009 onward, channels including 7two and GO! were added to both satellite and cable platforms; ABC3 was introduced soon after.
In May 2010, Foxtel partnered with Microsoft to deliver content through Xbox LIVE. The service launched in November offering more than thirty channels plus video-on-demand options available on a pay-per-view basis for non-subscribers. Additional linear channels were incorporated in April 2011 via Telstra BigPond.
Foxtel launched an over-the-top IPTV service in June 2011 on Telstra’s T-Box set-top box that mirrored the Xbox LIVE offering. By mid-2011, subscriber numbers had surpassed 1.65 million.
In November 2014, Foxtel expanded its channel portfolio by introducing two new standard-definition channels alongside nine new high-definition channels while rebranding two sports channels for both satellite and cable customers.
Channels
Foxtel arranges its channels according to content categories using a specified virtual channel sequence.
Channels dedicated to general entertainment are numbered between 100 and 151. These include localized advertising from free-to-air broadcasters such as Channel Nine, ABC TV, SBS TV, Channel Seven, and Channel 10. This segment comprises channels like Crime, Arena, LifeStyle, Fox8, BBC UKTV, Showcase, Foxtel One, Comedy, British, Comcast’s Universal TV, Real Life, LifeStyle Food, LifeStyle Home, Famous, Discovery, DocPlay, alongside other specialized lifestyle and factual programming.
Free-to-air channels are positioned from 152 to 172 and include options such as ABC Kids/ABC Family, 7two, 7mate, 7flix, 7Bravo, 9Go!, 9Life, 9Gem, 10 Drama, 10 Comedy, as well as niche channels like Nickelodeon and NITV.
Channels focusing on special interests, numbered 173 through 179, provide community and shopping content, featuring networks like Aurora and TVSN.
Religious broadcasts are grouped within the 180 to 189 range, including stations such as GOOD., Daystar Television Network, and SBN.
High-definition and Ultra High Definition channels occupy the 200 to 299 range. This includes HD versions of major broadcasters (ABC HD, 7HD, 9HD, SBS HD) along with timeshifted general entertainment channels that offer two-hour delayed viewing for key channels like Fox8, Crime, Comedy, Arena, LifeStyle, BBC UKTV, Showcase, British, Real Life, Discovery, and Discovery Turbo. National networks including Fox8 and Discovery are accessible in both native HD and standard definition upscaled formats.
Movie channels are assigned numbers from 400 to 499. This category features Foxtel Movies Hits with themed programming blocks and pop-up events, Ultra HD selections, as well as genres like Premiere, Action, Comedy, Romance, Family, Drama, Greats, Life, British Cinema, Aussie Classics, and SBS World Movies.
Sports channels span from 500 to 599. Offerings include Fox Sports News (500), Fox Cricket (501), Fox League (502), multiple Fox Sports feeds (503-507), Disney’s ESPN Australia and ESPN2, pay-per-view Main Event, Sky Racing networks, Racing.com, along with UHD and HD sports channels planned for rollout by 2025.
News channels cover the range of 600 to 699. This group includes Sky News Australia with its specialized feeds such as Weather Channel and Election Channel; Sky News UK; US-based Fox News; Warner Bros. Discovery’s CNN International; NBCUniversal’s MSNBC and CNBC Asia; Bloomberg Television; ABC News Australia; SBS WorldWatch; Al Jazeera English; CGTN networks; NHK World-Japan; and GB News.
Pre-teen entertainment is located between channels 700 and 799 with offerings like the DreamWorks Channel.
Music video programming occupies channels numbered from 800 to 829. This selection includes Paramount’s MTV Hits, NickMusic, Club MTV, MTV 80s; CMT; alongside Vevo’s VEVO Pop, VEVO 2K, VEVO 90s, and VEVO Retro Rock.
Audio-only content is found within the range of 830 to 899. This includes Foxtel Music (previously Air Active), SBS AM/FM radio stations, and SBS Chill.
Foreign language programming is allocated from 900 to 989. This block features Greek radio (Ant1 Radio) and television (ANT1 Pacific), Italian radio (Rai Radio 1) and television (Rai Italia).
Interactive services offered include Foxtel Music and Modem Connection Test. Users with iQ3 through iQ5 set-top boxes can access apps for streaming platforms such as ABC iview, SBS On Demand, 7plus, 9Now, 10, Netflix, Disney+, Paramount+, HBO Max, F1 TV, Optus Sport, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, BritBox, Stan, and DocPlay.
Discontinued channels
A number of channels have undergone rebranding, such as 13th Street, which is now known as Fox Sleuth, and Syfy, currently Fox Sci-Fi. The former 111 Funny was divided into Fox Hits and Fox Funny. W transitioned to SoHo, while BBC HD was succeeded by BBC UKTV HD. Fox Kids Australia shared airtime with Fox Classics before ceasing operations. Weather 21 gave way to The Weather Channel, which itself was later replaced by Sky News Weather. Encore was rebranded as Showtime Greats before being substituted by Showtime Action, Comedy, and Drama, eventually merging into Foxtel Movies. VH1 Australia was replaced by MTV Classic. Other channels that experienced rebranding or replacement include MTV Live HD; Air Active, which became Foxtel Music; KidsCo, now Discovery Kids; Fuel TV; Speed, replaced by Fox Sports 505 and 506; SoHo, succeeded by Binge; Channel V Australia, which transitioned to [V] Hits and then [V]; MTV Music and MTV Dance, relaunched as MTV Hits and Club MTV respectively; and MTV Classic, replaced by MTV 80s.
HD multichannels like 10 Drama and 9Gem were phased out in favor of their HD simulcasts—10 HD and 9HD—while the original SD channels remained available. Subsequently, 9Gem reinstated an HD simulcast.
Channels that have been completely discontinued include beIN Sports, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., PBS Kids, Disney XD, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Binge, Discovery Science, Discovery Kids, Foxtel Movies Disney, Eurosport, Your Money, The Soundtrack Channel, Movie Network (replaced by Foxtel Movies), Showtime Network (also succeeded by Foxtel Movies), TechTV, Ovation, History+2, Starpics (replaced by Foxtel Movies), Gamesworld Interactive Games, and the Interactive Sports Selector. In July 2020, music channels such as [V] (replaced by NickMusic), Max (replaced by MTV Classic), Country Music Channel (succeeded by CMT), and Foxtel Smooth ceased broadcasting.
TV1 and SF ended their transmissions on 31 December 2013 after Foxtel chose not to renew their agreements to bring more channels under its direct control. STUDIO concluded operations on 27 March 2015 following a contract non-renewal with SBS Television; it was replaced by Foxtel Arts on Channel 132 in both SD and HD formats.
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) stopped broadcasting on 13 December 2016. Disney XD ceased on 6 January 2019. The Comedy Channel closed on 1 September 2020. Disney Channel and Disney Junior ended transmissions on 13 February 2020. Both beIN Sports and PBS Kids discontinued broadcasts on 1 July 2023. Paramount’s MTV, Nickelodeon, and Nick Jr. ceased airing on Foxtel on 1 August 2023 but continue to be available through other Australian and New Zealand providers; however, Foxtel still carries Paramount’s music video networks. By September 2023, all MTV music channels except CMT switched from regional feeds to global programming.
Sky News Extra ended transmission on 28 June 2024. BBC Studios’ channels—including BBC First, BBC Earth, BBC News, and CBeebies—ceased operations on 31 July 2024.
Audio-only offerings comprise ABC NewsRadio, ABC Radio National, ABC Local Radio stations, ABC Classic FM, Triple J, Double J, and ABC Jazz.
Current services
Initially launched as a cable television service in 1995, Foxtel broadened its portfolio in 2014 to incorporate broadband internet and telephone services.
Foxtel Go
Foxtel Go, introduced on 7 November 2012, enables subscribers to stream both live broadcasts and on-demand programming from their subscribed bundles via internet connectivity. Initially launched exclusively for iPad users, the platform expanded by February 2013 to include iPhone, Mac, Windows PCs, and selected Android devices. This rollout followed the success of Foxtel’s London 2012 app, which provided simultaneous streaming of eight HD channels.
Residential customers with a Foxtel or Foxtel Now subscription and a set-top box can access Foxtel Go at no additional cost, gaining entry to all channels included in their subscription. Each account supports linking up to five devices monthly, with a cap of two simultaneous streams.
In contrast to Telstra’s Mobile Foxtel—which restricts content selection and imposes time limits—Foxtel Go offers live simulcasts of numerous traditional cable and satellite channels without any viewing time constraints.
The available channel packages include:
Essentials: Showcase; Comedy; Fox8; BoxSets; Arena; Lifestyle; Real Life; Club MTV; NickMusic; MTV 80s; Sky News (including Weather, Extra, UK); Fox Sports News; CNN; Fox News; BBC News; CNBC; Bloomberg; NHK World-Japan; Fox Comedy; TLC; E!; Lifestyle Food; Lifestyle Home; Foxtel Arts.
Drama Plus: UKTV; Fox Crime; BBC First; Universal TV; Fox One; Fox Sci-Fi; Fox Sleuth.
Kids: CBeebies; School Holidays Pop-Up Channel.
Sport: Fox Sports, Fox Cricket; Fox League; Fox Footy; ESPN; ESPN 2.
Movies: Premiere; Kids; Action; Comedy; Romance; Family; Drama; Hits; Thriller; Greats; LMN; SBS World Movies.
Docos: A&E; History; Discovery Channel; Discovery Turbo; Animal Planet; Investigation Discovery; Crime + Investigation; BBC Earth.
In addition to live streaming, Foxtel Go provides on-demand content for most channels, including sports programming.
Foxtel Now
Foxtel Now (previously known as Foxtel Play) serves as an internet-based television option that differs from traditional Foxtel subscriptions by offering no lock-in contracts starting at $10. It delivers over 50 live channels alongside hundreds of hours of on-demand content spread across six subscription tiers.
The service is accessible through computers, televisions, and gaming consoles. Subscribers also gain access to the Foxtel Go app for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.
On 4 October 2016, Foxtel revealed plans for a redesigned Foxtel Play streaming service set to launch in December 2016. The new version aimed to provide a more straightforward, affordable, and flexible experience through IP-based delivery.
Following a company-wide rebranding initiative in June 2017, Foxtel Play was renamed Foxtel Now. This update introduced high-definition streaming and Chromecast compatibility while lowering the entry price to $10 per month (which was later raised to $25).
Foxtel magazine
Foxtel produces a magazine that reaches an estimated audience of around 700,000 readers each month. Created by Medium Rare Content Agency, this publication is mailed directly to customers who subscribe to Foxtel services.
Hubbl, formerly known as Streamotion Pty Ltd, operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Foxtel specializing in the development and management of over-the-top subscription streaming platforms. The company currently runs services including Kayo Sports, Binge, Flash, as well as international platforms WatchNRL and WatchAFL.
Past offerings
- Foxtel Digital
- Foxtel On-Demand
Foxtel HD
Foxtel introduced its high-definition service, initially named Foxtel HD+, on 19 May 2008, priced modestly at $10 AUD, despite the presence of free-to-air HD channels. The initial lineup featured BBC HD, ESPN HD, Fox Sports HD, and a shared documentary channel alternating between Discovery HD World and National Geographic HD. Additionally, Foxtel Box Office commenced HD simulcasts.
On 15 November 2009, the service expanded with ten more HD channels, including Fox Sports 2 HD, Fox8 HD, Movie One HD, Showcase HD, and Showtime Premiere HD. BBC HD was rebranded as UKTV HD, while the documentary channel separated into dedicated full-time Discovery HD World and National Geographic HD channels. Pricing structures and channel packages were updated accordingly.
Further growth saw the addition of BBC Knowledge HD, MTVN Live HD, Nat Geo Wild HD, Speed HD (November 2010), ESPN 2 HD and Lifestyle HD (March 2011), followed by A&E HD, Fox Footy HD, and FX HD (February 2012). To cover the London Olympics in July 2012, eight new HD channels were launched. On 1 January 2013, Foxtel replaced five existing movie channels with eight new genre-specific HD movie channels such as Action/Adventure, Comedy, Drama/Romance, Family, and Thriller/Crime. Main Event HD debuted in September 2013.
Additional introductions included Syfy HD (January 2014), Disney Movies HD (April 2014), BBC First HD replacing UKTV HD (August 2014), along with nine new channels like BoxSets HD and Eurosport HD (November 2014). Simultaneously, Speed HD was renamed Fox Sports 5 HD. Binge HD became available in October 2015. Sky News National HD launched in December 2015 with Sky News Business HD following in January 2016. Foxtel Arts HD started broadcasting in March 2016; Sky Thoroughbred Central HD was added in April.
Following Optus Sports' acquisition of English Premier League rights, Foxtel unveiled six new sports channels in May 2016: beIN Sports 1-3 HD, Chelsea TV HD, LFCTV HD, and MUTV HD. The Sky News Election Channel was replaced by A-PAC HD in January 2017. Movie Greats HD was introduced in March 2018; Sky News UK launched as a standalone channel in May with A-PAC rebranded to Sky News Extra. Fox News Channel HD commenced in November 2018.
Foxtel also retransmits high-definition free-to-air networks to cable subscribers and satellite viewers equipped with iQ3 or newer set-top boxes. These include ABC HD, SBS HD, 7HD, 9HD, and 10 HD, among others.
The high-definition broadcasts utilize H.264 compression technology at both 720p and 1080i resolutions. By 2011, approximately one-third of Foxtel’s customer base subscribed to the HDTV service.
Foxtel Download
On 1 October 2009, Foxtel introduced an online download platform allowing cable and satellite subscribers to access Foxtel content via their computers. The service was complimentary for subscribers and permitted downloads from channels included in their subscription packages. It featured one live streaming option—ESPN3—and offered episodes from 38 different channels. Then-CEO Kim Williams revealed intentions to increase live streaming options later in 2009 to coincide with the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and the rollout of thirty additional digital and high-definition channels. Despite these plans, the service encountered criticism for lacking compatibility with Linux, Mac OS, and 64-bit Windows operating systems, restricting user accessibility. Foxtel Download was ultimately discontinued in September 2012.
Mobile Foxtel
Introduced in late 2006 alongside Telstra's NextG 3G network, Mobile Foxtel (previously known as Foxtel By Mobile) provided 33 standard channels tailored for mobile viewing at a modest subscription cost. Notable channels included Sky News National, Your Money, CNN, Fox Sports News, Fox8, The Comedy Channel, MTV, E! Entertainment, Fashion TV, Discovery Mobile, Disney Channel, Eurosport, Union Extreme Sports, Cartoon Network, TV1, National Geographic, ABC, and SBS One.
With the exception of CNN, Fashion TV, Eurosportsnews, Eurosport, Fox News, BBC World News, Fox Sports News (which were simulcast live), and Sky News channels sourced from Sky News Active, the remaining channels consisted of pre-recorded loops rather than full satellite or cable schedules. Although usage restrictions of 200 minutes monthly and 15 minutes per session were established, enforcement was lenient. The service ceased operations on 27 July 2016.
Foxtel on Xbox 360 and Internet TV
Foxtel became available on the Xbox 360 console in November 2010, featuring 38 channels along with catch-up TV and on-demand movies. Access required both an Xbox Live Gold membership and a Foxtel subscription. By July 2012, this service extended to Samsung Smart TVs at no additional charge. This platform has since been superseded by Foxtel Now.
Presto
Foxtel launched Presto in 2014 as a movie streaming platform initially priced at $19.99 before being reduced by 50%. Early in 2015, Presto broadened its offering to include television streaming through a partnership with Seven West Media. Foxtel announced the closure of Presto in January 2017, with subscribers migrating to Foxtel Now.
Fox Movies
In August 2018, Foxtel introduced FoxFlicks, a video-on-demand movie streaming service accessible to subscribers holding the movie or platinum package on the iQ4 set-top-box. This service has since been rebranded as Foxtel Movies.
Live2Air
In December 2006, airline Virgin Australia (then Virgin Blue) collaborated with Foxtel and Austar to launch "Live2Air," delivering live satellite television on select Boeing 737 flights from mid-2007. The offering included 24 Foxtel channels but began being phased out starting in 2012.
Devices
Foxtel’s hardware, produced by Pace plc, comprises:
Foxtel Standard
These devices do not include recording capabilities but can connect to external devices such as a VCR or DVR. Production of standard boxes for new installations has ceased, replaced by iQ3, iQ4, or iQ5 models. Customers have the option to disable advanced iQ functions to use these units similarly to older models.
Foxtel iQ
Introduced in early 2005, Foxtel iQ is a personal digital recorder offering timeshifting functionality with a 160 GB hard drive for program recording. It includes Series Link for recording entire series (limited to select shows), along with live rewind and pause features. In 2007, Foxtel added On Demand and Remote Record capabilities—Remote Record allows users to schedule recordings via the Foxtel website, while On Demand provides streaming content inspired by News Corporation's UK Sky platform.
Two iQ versions deliver identical user experiences but differ in audio-visual output options; both incorporate dual tuners enabling simultaneous recording and viewing. According to Pace plc, the cable variant is the first Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB)-based cable digital video recorder.
The upgraded iQ1.5 model is more compact, supports enhanced recording quality, HDMI upscaling, and includes an Ethernet port for Box Office downloads and On Demand requests without requiring a phone line. As of 1 March 2017, these units are no longer offered to new customers.
Foxtel iQ2
Introduced in mid-2008 alongside Foxtel HD+, the iQ2 represents the second generation of Foxtel’s set-top boxes, equipped with a 320GB hard drive that allows for 30 hours of HD recording and 90 hours in standard definition—twice the storage of the original iQ. It features HDMI output and four tuners, one dedicated to on-demand services, enabling viewers to record two shows simultaneously while watching a third live.
By 2011, three-quarters of Foxtel subscribers were using an iQ series device, with 40% opting for Multi-Room setups and another 40% specifically using the iQ2 model, which supports HD content. On 2 November 2011, Foxtel introduced an upgrade option to a 1TB version offering quadruple the recording space for a one-time payment of $200; however, as of August 2020, this upgrade is no longer accessible to new subscribers.
Foxtel iQ3
Announced by CEO Richard Freudenstein in March 2012 and launched on 23 March 2015, the third-generation iQ3 box enhanced connectivity by incorporating Wi-Fi and added features like the ability to restart live broadcasts on demand. Its 1TB hard drive tripled previous storage capacities and it came with a Bluetooth-enabled remote control.
Despite these technological improvements, the iQ3 was met with customer dissatisfaction due to an unstable graphical user interface, leading some users to claim that Foxtel released an incomplete product. Foxtel refuted allegations that the launch was rushed to coincide with Netflix’s Australian arrival in April 2015. Stability problems continued through late 2015. A software update released in late 2019 enhanced performance further by integrating Netflix functionality on compatible TVs.
Foxtel iQ4
Foxtel’s fourth-generation set-top box, the iQ4, debuted in August 2018 and supports ultra-high-definition 4K resolution. Alongside this release, Foxtel launched Foxtel 4K, a dedicated channel broadcasting in 4K quality beginning on 7 October 2018 with coverage of the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 event.
Foxtel iQ5
The latest model, iQ5, arrived in September 2021 and offers dual connectivity options: it can operate via satellite when a dish is installed or stream content exclusively over the internet in internet-only mode. This dual approach provides greater flexibility for subscribers.
Advertising on Foxtel
Following its initial launch in 1995, Foxtel was prohibited from airing advertisements during programming for two years. Since then, advertising has been gradually introduced across its services. However, regulations restrict pay TV providers from earning more than half of their revenue through advertising. Viewers typically experience up to five minutes of commercials for every eight minutes of content. Premium offerings such as movies, live Fox Sports broadcasts, and certain channels like Fox Showcase continue to be presented without advertisements.
Anti-siphoning
Australian anti-siphoning regulations prevent Foxtel and other subscription television providers from securing exclusive rights to major sporting events—including cricket, golf, tennis, and football—until free-to-air broadcasters such as ABC, SBS, Seven Network, Nine Network, and Network Ten have obtained those rights first. The purpose of these laws is to ensure that significant sporting events remain accessible to the general public. The anti-siphoning list encompasses over 1,300 events during Olympic years and is considered one of the most comprehensive worldwide. In 2009, a review was initiated to evaluate how this legislation affects competition within broadcast rights markets.
Third-party Access
Foxtel limits the use of its subscription card exclusively to the set-top boxes it provides, thereby blocking compatibility with third-party decoders. Nevertheless, some users have managed to view certain channels on computers by utilizing DVB-C cards alongside sasc-ng software, which decrypts programming by extracting keys directly from the Foxtel iQ subscription card.
Foxtel Networks
After merging with Austar on 24 May 2012, Foxtel took ownership of Austar's shares in XYZnetworks. This entity was subsequently dissolved to establish Foxtel Networks. The merger also expanded Foxtel's holdings in Main Event.
Channels owned by Foxtel include: