Foxtel

The largest subscription television provider in Australia

Foxtel is Australia’s leading subscription television provider. Foxtel subscribers have access to up to 127 channels of movies, sport, news, music, documentaries, children’s television and general entertainment. Of the 52 providers which supply content to Foxtel, 22 are Australian-owned or Australian-based media and communication companies.

Foxtel employs over 1900 people in Sydney and Melbourne. Employment opportunities are limited in Brisbane. However, people in the Brisbane area are employed in direct door-to-door sales; their primary role being the full-time selling of Foxtel.

Over the last few years, Foxtel has increased its investment in digital television. Foxtel launched its first digital service on March 14, 2004 which included channels with widescreen, pay-per-view, Near Video On Demand and Interactive Television. Foxtel IQ was launched in 2005 as a fully integrated Personal Digital Recorder. In early 2007, Foxtel announced that its television broadcast service was 100 per cent digital.

Foxtel was officially launched in October 1995 as a joint venture between Australia’s national communications carrier, Telstra Corporation and News Limited (the Australian subsidiary of the global entertainment and media group, News Corporation).

In March 1999, Foxtel launched its satellite service, extending its reach to 70 per cent of Australian homes. In 2002, Telstra began to sell Foxtel services as part of a bundle with telecommunication services. In November 2002, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) approved the Content Supply Agreement (CSA) between Foxtel and Optus and any related undertakings which created a raft of new services and choices for consumers. In 2003, for the first time, subscription television ratings data was reported as part of the total television landscape.

Last updated by Alexander Rayner (2009-10-23)