Telstra to take on 7's overpriced TiVo and Foxtel iQ,with their ownT-box digital recorder device

Depending on what it'll sell for of course, this is an excellent idea,
if the T-box will offer even better features than the Aus TiVo device
and if you're not interested in subscribing to Foxtel, plus if and
when it comes out, it'll force 7 to lower their pricing on their
watered down, currently overpriced TiVo. There's also Sony's Play TV
PS3 add on unit, in the works for the Aus market (that'll allow PS3
console owners to use to record TV) that's already out in the UK.

Lara Sinclair | September 21, 2009.
Article from: The Australian.

Telstra is planning to launch a personal digital video recorder and
set-top box, likely to be called the T-box, as early as December, in a
bid to shift the entertainment, news and sport content it offers under
the BigPond brand from people's computers to their televisions.

At the same time, the telco, under new chief executive David Thodey,
has split the project into 2 parts, with head of products Holly Kramer
now in charge of the box and the technological rollout and the chief
of the Telstra Media division, Justin Milne, in charge of the
content. The uncoupling of the content strategy from the
T-box allows the telco to offer its content to a wide range of other
set-top box and PVR providers.

Media understands Mr Milne's Telstra Media division has approached a
number of PVR manufacturers, offering to make BigPond content
available over the internet to customers free of costly data download
charges. However, other content a consumer might download to that
same set-top box, would still incur download costs. Telstra already
offers its own content online for existing BigPond broadband customers
free of download charges.

The strategy, which puts Telstra into direct competition with Foxtel
(which has its own iQ set-top box), enables the telco to retain a
content play if it's forced to divest its 50% shareholding in Foxtel.
BigPond's clout in the broadband internet market, coupled with its
existing content library and internet rights to show Australian rules
football, rugby league, V8 Supercars and others, would effectively
make it a
quasi 4th commercial TV network, delivered via broadband. The telco
already offers 7 different online video channels, including a white-
label 24 hour news channel supplied by Sky News, and has begun
producing daily sports bulletins for Telstra BigPond Sports channel.

Telstra's ability to bring its sports content to TV sets over the
internet is also likely to be scrutinised under the current anti-
siphoning review of sports content.
Free-to-air TV players have already called for rules that prevent high-
profile sports events from being shown first on pay-TV to be extended
to the internet. Sources said Mr Milne was visiting Hollywood studios
in a bid to increase the library of movies and TV content that
customers would be able to buy and download from BigPond.

The Australian revealed Telstra was working on its own set-top box
strategy last December, following the expiry of a non-compete
agreement with Foxtel, but Media has learnt the telco also has a 2nd
set-top box play in development with Foxtel. This is being driven at
Telstra by Ian Davis, Telstra's rep on the board of
pay-TV industry group ASTRA. It's understood that project relates to
providing internet connectivity and content to Foxtel's existing iQ
set-top boxes, but
wouldn't replace the iQ. In April, Foxtel chief executive Kim
Williams said the company was considering offering internet-only
subscriptions. It also flagged plans to offer full-length program
downloads in October, and to transform its internet presence from a
corporate website into a personalised broadband entertainment channel.

Seven's TiVo last week announced it had secured a deal to be resold in
New Zealand by the dominant carrier, Telecom NZ. 'We're very pleased
to have the largest telecommunications provider support our efforts in
supplying unmetered broadband entertainment', said Robbee Minicola,
chief of Hybrid TV, which has the licence to sell TiVos in Australia
and NZ. Sources said Telstra was planning to test its set-top box and
content delivery strategy in Victoria this quarter before a national
launch. Neither Telstra nor Foxtel would comment.

Considering the government wants Telstra to get out of the content game,
launching such a device seems pointless.

Jonathan Wilson <jfwfreo@tpgi.com.au> wrote:

>Considering the government wants Telstra to get out of the content game,

What makes you think this?
>launching such a device seems pointless.

Jonathan Wilson wrote:

> Considering the government wants Telstra to get out of the content game,

The govt hasnt said that.

> launching such a device seems pointless.

Nope.

LOL. What, with a Telstra over price version.