Data usage and Foxtel Go

[ir444]

I have recently had Foxtel installed at my house (organised through Telstra), and loving it and am starting to look at the Foxtel Go app (mainly for windows PC)

I understand Foxtel Go is unmetered on Bigpond Home ADSL

And unmetered if you sign up for it on your Telstra handset.

My question is, if I share my mobile internet (personal hotspot) with my Laptop, and use the Foxtel Go app on my laptop, is the data metered or unmetered against my mobile plan?

[DEANJA]

IR, the access point would be your TELSTRA service via your mobile, so it would be unmetered. If you were trying eg. to access it via the next door neighbours service and they use XYZ communications company and not Telstra it would be metered.

[strykr]

This seems to say otherwise? Which is correct?

http://go.telstra.com.au/helpandsupport/-/using-foxtel-go

[DEANJA]

You can use it on 2 registered devices, through Telstra. eg. T-box and a Mobile handset, or if you wanted to use T-box and a laptop connected through your mobile hotspot, you might deregister the mobile and register the mobile hotspot.

This change can only be done once poer month by the way.

NB:

Can I use Foxtel Go at a Wi-Fi location or a personal hotspot?

Yes, you can use it when you are in Australia provided you have an internet connection.

Some locations offer Wi-Fi hotspots where you can log onto the internet for free. e.g. McDonalds, Starbucks, etc.

Any data charges incurred are charged to the business and not to you. When connected to Wi-Fi, you'll see a Wi-Fi symbol on your device.

Charges would apply at Maccas etc. but through a Telstra personal hotspot would NOT incure charges.

[strykr]

So I personally am using personal hotspot in my Telstra mobile and watching Foxtel on my iPad through that, the 1GB I just viewed is showing as being used from my "allowance"?

[Jay · Accepted solution]

Hi All,

I can confirm that Foxtel Go content is unmetered with Telstra BigPond Home Broadband services. With other internet service providers this will be offset against your data plan.

If you use Foxtel Go on your device with any 3G/4G telecommunications service provider, including Telstra, usage isn't unmetered and you will incur data charges when using Foxtel Go.

You can find more information in our Support area:

support.telstra.com.au/t5/Foxtel-from-Telstra/Everything-you-need-to-know-about-Foxtel-Go/ta-p/39841...

Thanks

Jay

[Slayerz]

So what you are saying is that if I am at home next to my giant tv watching foxtel on my tiny tablet is unmetered but if I use foxtel go for when I am on the go ie:not at home it is metered........what is the point?

[Steph]

Hi Slayerz

We aren't able to offer Foxtel Go unmetered on the Mobile network, as the level of data required is too large to do so - however we don't have this problem on the Home Broadband network, so why not offer it unmetered if we can? Sure it's not as great as being able to offer it to people on the Mobile network, but doesn't mean that it can't be useful in it's own regard.

It means that people who can't afford a second TV or who don't want the ongoing cost of multiroom subscriptions can watch Foxtel in any room of their house, or different people in the house can watch different things, or whilst relaxing outside, kids could watch in it their rooms or with headphones whilst parents watch something else on the giant TV. 

Or you can use it at a friend/ family members house - as it's unmetered on any BigPond home broadband connection - not just your own. 

[davidmelbourne]

Hi Steph (of Telstra) & other,

Telstra are being disingenuous eith the facts. On the one hand you say Foxtel Go cab't be unmettered on Telstra account mibiles due to the network not being able to handle the load, yet it will handle ANY data load if charged by Telstra!

True, by metering fewer people may use the app when in mobile usuage but to make an app - obviously engendering on purpose an understandable sense in people's minds that by being a Telstra / Fixtel subscribed customer at home would get unmetered on their mobile) - only available as metred is simply corporate GREED. Telstra made BILLIONS $ profit and profit is what is left over AFTER costs like R&D, investment in infrastructure, debt costs, salaries, etc have been accounted for!

One pays the higest for pay tv in Australia compared to just about all other developed nations (FACT - don't argue it!), Telstra though having a good mobile network coverage charges an "arm an a leg" yet provides in most mobile plans the least nonthly data allowance compared to Vodafone and Optus. (I hear Telstra saying "ah but we soend more on you getting better coverage".

True! But we customer pay MORE per month for it!

Plus remember you cover that cost of better coverage yet still make BILLIONS $ profit yet stiil can NOT provide some sense of decent service to customers who have a home Foxtel account - (mine is through Telstra who also do my broadband) - and can not have a network that could handle the data if it was free!

Well three suggestions to help you out!

1. provide more data per month at no extra cost to Telstra monthly account mobile customers - at least to your long time many years customers who have all services with you, though I think to any Telstra mobile account customer who has stayed say two years at least with Telstra (loyalty rewards - hint!)

2. Provide a certain amount of Foxtel Go viewing data as unmetered ( eg four or five full length movies a month) and provide text and email warnings when that unmetered amount will run out;

3. Just make Foxtel Go totally unmetered for Telstra account (mobile phone and home Foxtel and home broadband with Telstra) customers. This option may dent your corporate greed profit by a relatively small amount because - just perhaps - you are partly speaking the truth in that the greater data usage could mean more needed to be spent on your mobile system so that it could cope. So what?! But gee you would enjoy even more customers joining and better current customer satisfaction.



Another example is our national broadcaster ABC's iView on the internet. Telstra charges that data as part of metered monthly data on mobile and home broadband yet other ISPs provide it free! For example IINET. FACT! At last check IINET was making a profit and considred a very successful company!
Telstra has to charge even for our national broadcasters online iView! Ok, if it has to do that, how about it's own Foxtel customers getting unmetered on mobiles!


David.
18/12/15

[Brad10]

100% correct mate. Telstra pull your head in and start offering a premium service/ not just premium coverage. We pay top $$. I just changed my service from budget Aldi mobile which uses your 3G network which is all I receive in my area anyway. To gain access to your list of unmetered sites then after reading the fine print it doesn't cover Foxtel Go on 3G/4G wtf. So I've just payed you more for a service which gives me no more benefits then Aldi. This is why I left Telstra last time and i will switch again, nothing has changed has it. So I click on your link yesterday under your unmetered sets list and play a video clip bang I get smashed with data usage. Sorry sir those clips get redirected to another site which is metered!!! You are truly kidding me.

[LC5]

But why can you offer it interes for Foxtel Mobile?

[LC5]

But why can you offer it unmetered for Foxtel Mobile?

[Steph]

Hi LC4

Foxtel Mobile is a service that has Fair Play policies to cover it's use as a Mobile network only service.

From our Terms and Conditions:

12. FairPlay policy
12.1 Mobile Foxtel from Telstra is subject to Telstra's FairPlay Policy. See Telstra's Fair Play Policy.

12.2 In addition, there is a viewing limit of 200 minutes per month for Mobile Foxtel from Telstra. Once you reach the 200 minutes viewing limit, we may ask you, by SMS or any other means, to moderate your usage. If, after we have asked you to moderate your usage, you (in our reasonable opinion) fail to do so, we may terminate your viewing session and cancel this Agreement. If you do not reach the 200 minutes viewing limit in any month, you cannot carry forward any unused minutes to the next (or any other) month.

12.3 If you view a single channel on Mobile Foxtel from Telstra for more than 30 minutes at a time, we may terminate your viewing session and, if you want to view that channel again, you will have to start a new viewing session. Depending on network capacity, a maximum of 15 minutes per viewing session may apply.

[fitzgerr8]

Hi

I've had Foxtel via Telstra for many years.

In the last week I've accessed Foxtel Go a number of times, totalling probably over 3 hours of viewing, however my UNMETERED usage data has only been approximately  40MB in that period. Correspondingly my counted DOWNLOAD data seems to increased significantly during the same period.

Has Telstra changed it's policy & is now counting the Foxtel DOWNLOADS or alternatively are they downloads not being counted as UNMEASURED?

A comment will be appreciated.

[Shellock]

I can confirm that Foxtel Play is unmetered with Telstra BigPond home broadband services.

This site will be metered if you're accessing the internet using Telstra Mobile, VPN services or alternate DNS servers. 

- Shelly

[Agreed]

I agree with you. For the past 2 months (prior to the recent month) my data usage has gone up considerably as I was using foxtel streaming. In the past few weeks I haven't done any foxtel streaming and low and behold, I barely used any of my allotment.  

It ate so much of my allotment that I had to seriously restrict my internet usage for the last few days of each of the months. It didn't enter my head that it was foxtel go as its unmetered.  I was serious trying to work out what was draining the GBs!  I think there was a glitch at Telstra they won't own up to.  Over charged service as it is, try to get things right Telstra or at least compensate those affected.

[toddys3]

I work where I am required to be away from home for work I have Foxtel attached to our account and have Foxtel go on my mobile devices, I also have a Telstra 4G modem which is attached to our home account when is Telstra going to allow me to access my home download data via this 4G modem so that I am not using my mobile data while I am away from home.

[thedylan]

Hi guys, I'd just like to point out that Foxtel Play is definitely metered on Telstra services.

[Steveee]

I can confirm that it isnt unmetered.

I was told that unless my Foxtel and Telsra accounts are linked , i will be charged data, and the 5.5GB i used yesterday proves that fact.

The statements that both parties make (Foxtel and Telsra) are entirely misleading.