Letter about Foxtel Austar to the Australian Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman

Related links to Letter to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman

Dear Sirs

We write today representing the people of the Australia in relation to the subject of pay television, especially with regards to Foxtel/Austar digital. A number of outsanding issues are still not being dealt with by Foxtel/Austar or the government that have an affect country wide. We the people of the country believe that the government is not doing anything in relation to this matter as they are collecting a large amount of tax from Foxtel/Austar and the fact they are part owners. About 70% of people tell us they got Foxtel/Austar to avoid the advertisements on free to air TV 10% have no choice as they can’t get any reception and the other 20% got it for the kids to watch. We the people of Australia are sick of paying approximately $120 MILLION a month to Foxtel/Austar to see 50% of our money used up by advertisements. Compare this to the internet you get ads with your game / service you get the free use or you get ad free game / service you must pay. So here is a good idea make Foxtel/Austar take the ads out or make it free if not at least cheaper, see point 3. Something seriously needs to be done to reduce the impact this industry has on the consumer across Australia as you will see below they are plying false and misleading statements. To top this off they are charging over 6 times the amount the $25 a month for 300 channels Americans pay for cable TV & internet combined, Australia is charged $200 approximately, for 45 channels & internet. Astra the supposed governing authority of pay television is not doing the job correctly to allow this kind of conduct and we believe they should also be investigated. This is due to the fact that all they seem to be is an anti piracy type deterrent that pops it’s head up each December - January and occasionally over censor programs. 1.

Think back to 2003, when Foxtel/Austar asked you if you wanted to watch what you want when you want people were encouraged to switch to Foxtel/Austar digital to be able to turn on the box & watch what you want when you wanted. This is an absolutely false statement, as Foxtel/Austar did not say that you need another different box plus pay another installation fee to get this service to enable you to watch what you want when you want, via the Foxtel IQ until around July, August 2003. It is noted the IQ service is only available to limited people in areas. 2.

The following comment regularly shown on Foxtel/Austar is an absolute slap in the face to all of us who PAY our hard earned cash approximately $270 million a month to Foxtel/Austar to get the service. That statement is “this program was brought to you by ANZ or Soul or Windows vista, Volkswagon, Wendy’s, etc.” Proof has been given so: Why is Foxtel/Austar double dipping still charging for the same service twice. 3.

Pricing it is rather ludicrous to pay $4 a day for an average of approximately 5 hours of television, when you consider that an average day to power the whole house costs around $1 - $2 for a 24 hour supply. For virtually the exact same 35 channels Austar was charging $49, 6 years ago and at that time Austar claimed it was digital television. Foxtel/Austar charge whether or not they supply a working service numerous reports of faulty service have fallen on deaf ears. At times there are faults with goods or services which should not be charged or should be refunded automatically. Foxtel/Austar does neither whether it is 1 street, a town or nationwide these blackouts can last from 10 minutes to 3 days. The cost of this to us personally is $12 for 3 days, when it happened in QLD for 3 days we paid $4.8 million for NO service. In closing one has to ponder is Foxtel/Austar to big for even the boots of the government or are they paying enough in taxes etc to get away with: False advertising misleading and deceptive conduct, charging for non supply of service to the tune of over $4.8 million a year. We the public are funding to the tune of $120 MILLION a month the programs that are shown on Foxtel/Austar NOT THE ADVERTISERS. Would the government or someone please wakeup and teach Foxtel/Austar a lesson in a big way.