Free iQ offer to keep subscribers
Kim Williams says he doesn't think existing iQ subscribers who pay for the service will be resentful of campaigns for a year's free iQ.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under Subscription
Foxtel CEO Kim Williams says he doesn’t think existing iQ subscribers who pay for the service will be resentful of an newly introduced offer to others of a year’s free use of iQ.
Existing subscribers who have basic set-top boxes can upgrade to an iQ and not pay any monthly fees for the first year, although they will need to pay an $100 installation fee. They can also get the high-definition iQ2 recorder for $200, which includes seven months’ free access to Foxtel’s five HD channels.
“I think people understand that we’re … always taking different initiatives to activate growth,” Mr. Williams said.
It is the second major revamp of Foxtel’s offers in the past month, which began with the company offering free installation to new customers and cutting the contract period from two years to one year.
“We’ve made no secret of the fact that our objective is to see an iQ for every subscriber,” he told The Age.
“We listen to customers and they’ve told us what they think, and on the iQ there’s a substantial body of people who want to try it, so we’re saying ‘OK, we hear you’.”
While Foxtel’s latest reported churn rate was 13.4%, the rate for subscribers with iQs was below 5%.
Regional operator Austar said it would not attempt to match Foxtel’s offer for MyStar.
Source: The Age
24 Responses
You get free installation on a new install and you save the $10 per month fee, how does that equate to a $20 saving? 12 x 10 = $120. Of course adding an IQ to a previous foxtel install is going to be dearer, they’ve had to make two visits out instead of one.
Previously, existing subscribers had to pay $100 installation and $10 a month, they now only pay the $100 install, and no monthly fee, which is a saving of $120 over 12 months compared to what you would have paid a week ago if you signed up for an IQ.
It’s not such a bad offer, guys. And of course if you’re out of contract you can always just cancel Foxtel and get it reconnected the week after to get the free installation of an IQ box. I sound like a CSR here.
I got my IQ free when I installed Foxtel and pay $10 per month for it….therefore there is no real deal here, well other than saving $20 for the year, charging $100 is just covering their normal 10 month x $10 fee.
Who do they think they are kidding here?
Oh right, I forgot not everyone is on Satellite like in our area lol
Still, can anyone confirm what the installation is like for an IQ on cable?
It was certainly a big deal to install it with satellite.
itsross
we’ve already got foxtel (cable) and foxtel have offered us a few times to upgrade to IQ and there was an offer where by we could swap and install (i.e unplug old box and plug in IQ) ourselves to save technciain charges
so again not sure what the $100 is for other than just an add on cost
@greenlego I’m sure your Tivo works for you and would work for anyone technically minded and who loves everything to be DIY and setup exactly the way they want it to be. Be c’mon, your setup isn’t an option for most people.
And how exactly do you get a Foxtel EPG into your Tivo if you don’t mind my asking?
If Tivo ever came out with a low cost box which worked seamlessly with paytv, FTA and downloaded content I’d buy a Tivo in a heart beat.
@john quite a lot. A foxtel iQ installation requires the installation of a new satellite receiver outside on the dish, as well as re-cabling the whole house because the IQ needs TWO connections to the satellite (one for each tuner). $100 is simply covering the cost of the hour plus it will take the installer to do his work.
Its not as simple is switching the box over yourself.
itsross
I hear you but my defintion of free is $0.00
From what i understand new subscribers are nto being asked to fork out the $100 upgrade
and what is there to install ?
I wrote “modified Tivo” and it covers both Foxtel and FTA just fine, and it didn’t cost anywhere close to $700. And I can transfer filed from it to the PC to free up hdd space if I don’t get around to watching the content.
I don’t get why anyone would rent an IQ box which is crippled, as you have mentioned.
True, it doesn’t work out of the box, but does IQ? Doesn’t it require an install by a technician?
@john anyone wishing to upgrade their box to IQ has always had to pay the installation fee, its not a new fee, you’re still saving $120, take it or leave it really.
$100 upgrade is 10 months at $10 per month, so real saving is only $20. If there is no upgrade fee for existing subscribers then I may consider it.
This offer is one of many steps until IQ is the standard box
TiVo forever 🙂
That’s great, Kim.
Meanwhile, existing subscribers have to put up with being screwed around with. We got the iQ2 installed for $100 but was then billed $200 for it. Now they have to listen to the conversation we had with the Foxtel salesperson, this is despite them posting us a special offer originally offering the discount.
Sometimes I don’t know why we pay for it – but iQ2 itself is pretty handy.
GreenLego, I don’t know why anyone would want a to pay out $700 for a crippled Tivo that can’t even record pay TV or download tivocasts. Sure you get to keep the box forever, but eventually you’re going to want a newer model Tivo, and even if your Tivo last for 5 years, you’re still paying over $11 per month when you average out the cost of a Tivo over 5 years.
As for modified Tivo, I’m not sure what exactly that means but it sounds like more drama than most people care for. IQ just works out of the box, and someone even sets it up for you!
Green Lego, the channels would be why people get IQ.. while Tivo may have the same functions, but only for the regular channels..
I have a modified Tivo that does it better than IQ and I actually get to keep the unit if I ever cancel Foxtel. Not sure why anyone would get IQ when there’s much better solution out there. Unless IQ is free ($100 install isn’t free, and you don’t get to keep the unit)
$200 bucks for Installation of the Iq2??? What a Ripoff!! The Programming sucks on Foxtel already, why would you pay this ridicilous sum of money just so you can watch the already crap programming in HD.
No way would I pay $200 just for this so called HD experience!!
Well Kym thats your problem you don’t think. How arrogant and out of touch can you be?
I love IQ..I would pay whatever they asked for it!! lol
seriously though, I cant remember the last time I watched an ad!
Even things on FTA, Packed to the rafters for example, record it, start watching it about 9pm and forward all the commercials..love it!
Someday someone is gonna bringout a DVR which can infiltrate both Foxtel’s and FTA’s program guides – that is the day that I’ll bother. I have Foxtel, a VCR and a DVD+R and if I can’t catch a show that repeats several times per week then there’s something wrong!
As soon as we have PVR that can corral both Foxtel and FTA then I’ll bite.
Haha, free IQ for a year but you pay a $100 install fee! What the!?!
Although IQ is pretty good, you really shouldn’t have to pay such a high monthly fee for something you don’t even own. All you are paying for is the link to the program guide and a use of a hard disk.
“Foxtel CEO Kim Williams says he doesn’t think existing iQ subscribers who pay for the service will be resentful of an newly introduced offer to others of a year’s free use of iQ”.
– What Crap! Why can’t existing subscribers to IQ then be allowed to have a free upgrade to HD, and then just pay mothly cost, or pay for upgrade, and have no monthly cost for 12 months, that would be fair and reasonable. So people who wait get rewarded, and people who step in first and get new products at the start get no reward. Very unfair!
Craig – I have a LG DVD Recorder connected to my Foxtel IQ, and I have recorded shows to DVD numerous times. I tape them to IQ first, then record them over when I am not using the TV for anything else. You just cant record live to DVD.
itsross – I think your right, they should get rid of the standard box all together and only offer IQ to customers. Even if they don’t pay for the feature, at least they have the right box to do so when they want it.
It’s a good offer but the only problem I have with IQ (and the Austar version) is they don’t allow you to record shows to DVD, even if you hook up an external DVD recorder. They are electronically blocked so you’re stuck with your recordings in the box, can’t put movies or shows to DVD to keep and you quickly run out of space. Sorry but I’ll hang on to my standard Austar box and LG recorder.
Wow nice offer. But why not just go and make the iQ the standard STB (ie make it free forever)? It’s an amazing device which IMHO doubles the value/usefulness of Foxtel, and doesn’t really cost much more for foxtel to provide than a regular box. Losing my iQ was the worst/only thing I miss about not having foxtel on. Think I’ll be getting it back on soon. Guess their marketing is working. That, and we want to watch Jon Farris host Max Sessions next year.
Heh, I saw Williams’ quote on The Age’s site and immediately thought “oh, you poor delusional little CEO.”
However, he’ll never know (or care) about all the angry phone calls as he has his at-least-it’s-a-job-pay-rate call centre staff for that.
Not that I care either. I’d join the Church Of Satan before subscribing to Foxtel again 🙂