FWIW the following article in the Age business section today regarding a Malaysian company (partnering with Ten) bidding against Foxtel for AFL rights that they would supply by on-selling to internet srvice providers:
http://www.theage.com.au/business/fetch-tv-fights-for-afl-rights-20100318-qik2.html"Fetch provides subscription TV delivered via a broadcast signal over broadband — but not via a satellite or streamed from the internet. The company was the under bidder to Fox Sports in last November's negotiations for the Australian broadcast rights to the English soccer Premier League."
"Fetch will provide pay TV to internet service providers, such as iiNet, Internode and TPG, so they can offer a bundled deal of unmetered pay TV, fixed-line telephone and broadband internet for a monthly fee, allowing them to compete more effectively compete against Telstra, a 50 per cent shareholder in Foxtel and current holder of the online rights.
Fetch's internet service provider partners are expected to charge a quarter of what Foxtel's entry-level service for up to 20 new channels, including BBC and Discovery, beyond all the free-to-air channels subscribers will be able to receive through Fetch's free set-top box."
As said by the Foxtel spokesperson:
Fetch declined to comment and all Foxtel spokesman would say was:
"We live in interesting times".
