Industry Internet television Website www.fetchtv.com.au Founded July 2010 | Area served Australia Headquarters Pymble | |
Products Independent, IPTV, Pay television, Pay-per-view Owner Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd Type of business Independent Pay TV Provider | ||
What is fetch tv
Fetch TV is an Australian Internet Protocol television (IPTV) founded in July 2010, operating a subscription television service over a user's regular internet service. Fetch TV launched in 2010, backed by its Malaysian parent Astro All Asia Networks, which owns 75%.
Contents
- What is fetch tv
- Optus fetch tv set top box unboxing
- History
- Availability
- Subscriber Base
- Subscription channels
- Ultimate Pack
- Special Interest Packs
- Entertainment Pack
- Italian Package
- Pinoy TV Package
- South Korean TV Package
- Sun South Indian Package
- Taj Mahal Hindi Urdu Package
- The Great Wall TV Package
- TVB Cantonese Package
- References
Fetch TV provides a set top box with a digital TV tuner, personal video recorder and up to 35 subscription channels, video on demand, pay per view movies, web applications, and a mobile app.
The service is delivered by either multicast or HLS adaptive bitrate streaming. The minimum internet sync speed required varies by ISP delivery method. The majority of Fetch TV content is unmetered when delivered over a broadband connection from a Fetch TV ISP partner.
Optus fetch tv set top box unboxing
History
On 25 May 2010 Fetch TV announced they would begin offering their first generation set top box PVRs through partner iiNet. This featured three digital tuners to receive Australian terrestrial channels, as well as fourteen linear subscription channels and six Video on Demand based channels. On 21 July they added five international news channels to the subscription channel package and on 6 August they added the WarnerTV SVOD service.
Fox Sports News was added on 27 August 2010 and by 14 February 2011 Fetch had Chelsea TV, Man City TV, Barcelona TV, Man Utd TV and Real Madrid TV.
The Ovation channel and Setanta Sports were added soon after, with Setanta later being rolled out as a $15/month add-on to the basic subscription package. The Travel Channel was added 15 September 2011, a FetchTV exclusive and Optus began on-selling the service.
Syfy was added in 2014 and from February 1, 2015 the subscription channel pack was completely revamped, with nine new channels added including ESPN and BBC and six channels removed. When Setanta Sports was purchased by the Al Jazeera Media Network in 2014 the channel was rebranded as beIN Sports (Australia).
On 16 February 2015 they announced plans to become the first Australian pay-TV provider to integrate the Netflix service into its platform, allowing users with a separate Netflix subscription to access Netflix content though the Fetch TV set-top box. In March 2016 it was announced Optus would add it' Optus Sport channels showing the English Premier League to the service, available only to Optus customers and on 15 June 2016 they announced their third generation boxes: the 4k-capable Mighty and the puck-like Mini. This announcement included the addition of Spike to the channel pack and the planned additions of the Presto and 9Now apps to the service. Their press release from the event also hinted at a future catch-up service for content available on the entertainment pack channels.
In 2016 they began trialling HD and broadcast ESPN, beIN Sports (Australia) and Optus Sport in minimum 720p. Customers with the third generation boxes, which are HEVC capable, have reported that they have received the BBC channels - BBC First, UKTV, and BBC Knowledge - in HD, although Fetch has not confirmed this.
They launched the next generation of their mobile app in October 2016 and their customer service representatives hinted on Facebook that a redesign was coming soon for the entire Fetch visual interface.
Fetch launched their new channel packs on 23 February 2017, to launch Monday 27 February 2017. They also confirmed that a number of the channels will be delivered in HD, with 'more improvements to come in the next 60 days.'
Availability
Fetch TV can be purchased at retailers JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman and Domayne and through Australian ISP's (Internet Service Providers) such as Optus, Dodo and SlimTel. The service ceased to be sold online through iiNet and its subsidiaries Internode, Westnet, Adam Internet and TransACT following a takeover by TPG on 26 August 2015, but could still be purchased via phone sales. until the service resumed on 23 September 2015 after renegotiations.
In 2016 TPG announced that they would abandon their own plans for an IPTV service and begin selling FetchTV.
Subscriber Base
Fetch TV Australia faces significant opposition in the market place from competitors such as Foxtel and Telstra TV leading to comments by mainstream technology and financial media sources that the service needs to ramp up its subscriber base to progress. In response the company says it has strategies in place to produce success and increase its subscription base significantly.
In early 2016 it was revealed the service had 400 000 active subscribers and were aiming for 600 000 by the end of the year. The service operates an industry TV ratings app which gives an indication which boxes are subscribed at any one time and which channels have what share of their audience.
Subscription channels
Fetch TV has broadcast rights to channels from Viacom, BBC Worldwide, Foxtel Networks, NBCUniversal, Disney, Scripps & Turner Broadcasting System. ACC TV and Hillsong Channel are free to all customers.
As of 27 February 2017, the following Fetch Channel Packages are offered:
Ultimate Pack
The Ultimate Pack includes all four 'skinny' channel packs: Kids, Knowledge, Vibe, and Variety.
Note:
1 These channels are exclusively available through Fetch TV in Australia.
2 This channel is an different version to the one provided by SBS on free-to-air television.
Special Interest Packs
As of January 2017 the following channels are offered through the Fetch TV Special Interest Packs:
Note:
1 These channels are exclusively available through Fetch TV in Australia.
2 Available only to eligible Optus customers.
Entertainment Pack
The entertainment pack is available only to customers who subscribed before 27 February 2017.
Note:
1 These channels are exclusively available through Fetch TV in Australia.
2 This channel is an different version to the one provided by SBS on free-to-air television.
Italian Package
4 Channels.
Pinoy TV Package
8 Channels.
South Korean TV Package
5 Channels.
Sun South Indian Package
10 Channels sourced from the Sun TV Network.
Taj Mahal Hindi & Urdu Package
28 Channels.
The Great Wall TV Package
23 Channels.
TVB Cantonese Package
10 Channels.