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Austar

Austar was an Australian subscription television company founded in 1994 as Community Entertainment Television (CETV), which evolved into the leading provider of pay TV services in rural and regional eastern Australia.^[1] Primarily delivering content via satellite technology, with a cable network in Darwin, Austar served over 747,000 subscribers by 2010, focusing on areas underserved by metropolitan broadcasters.^[1]^[2] The company held nearly 100% market share in its core rural and regional markets, offering a diverse lineup of channels including movies, sports, documentaries, and local programming.^[3] In addition to television, Austar expanded into complementary telecommunications services, such as wireless broadband internet and mobile telephony, targeting the same regional customer base to provide bundled "triple-play" offerings of video, data, and voice.^[4] This diversification helped Austar build annual revenues exceeding A$300 million by the early 2000s and solidified its position as Australia's second-largest pay TV provider overall.^[3] Founded amid the launch of pay TV in Australia in the mid-1990s, Austar navigated competitive challenges, including the collapse of rival Australis Media in 1998, which allowed it to expand channel options through partnerships with Foxtel and Optus.^[5] Austar's independent operations concluded with its acquisition by Foxtel, announced in July 2011 and completed on 24 May 2012 for approximately A$2.5 billion, creating a dominant unified national pay TV provider.^[6]^[1] The merger integrated Austar's regional infrastructure and subscribers into Foxtel's network, enhancing content access for rural audiences while phasing out the standalone Austar brand.^[7] Post-acquisition, former Austar customers transitioned to Foxtel's systems, benefiting from expanded programming and technological upgrades without disrupting service continuity.^[8]

History

Founding and early years

Austar was founded in 1994 as Community Entertainment Television (CETV) by a consortium that included United International Holdings (UIH), a U.S.-based media investment firm, along with local partners to deliver subscription television to underserved regional areas of Australia.^[9] The venture secured regulatory approval through licenses allocated by the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) in 1993 for satellite pay TV services, enabling CETV to target rural and regional markets excluded from urban-focused competitors.^[10] Initial capital was raised from investors, including UIH's contributions, to fund the rollout of satellite infrastructure amid high setup costs for the nascent pay TV sector.^[11] In 1996, CETV rebranded to Austar United Communications, emphasizing its national yet regionally oriented scope beyond major cities like Sydney and Melbourne.^[12] The company launched its satellite-based pay TV services that year, offering a lineup of international channels such as Nickelodeon for children's programming, Discovery for documentaries, and MTV for music videos, delivered via direct-to-home satellite to homes in rural and regional eastern Australia.^[13] This approach addressed the lack of multichannel options in non-metropolitan areas, where free-to-air television was limited.^[1] Early operations faced significant financial challenges, with Austar reporting losses of $47.3 million in the nine months to September 1996 due to subscriber acquisition costs, infrastructure investments, and competition from urban providers like Galaxy.^[14] Despite these hurdles, the company achieved key growth milestones, surpassing 100,000 subscribers by mid-1998 through targeted marketing in regional communities and the acquisition of smaller operators.^[5] This expansion laid the groundwork for further service diversification into broadband and mobile telephony in later years.

Expansion and regional focus

Following its initial establishment, Austar pursued aggressive expansion in the late 1990s, listing on the Australian Stock Exchange in 1999 to access capital for growth and acquisitions. This public listing valued the company at a significant scale and enabled it to consolidate its regional footprint by acquiring smaller pay TV providers, including East Coast Pay TV, which strengthened its presence in eastern regional markets.^[15]^[16] The company's subscriber base expanded rapidly during this period, surpassing 500,000 by early 2005, largely fueled by the rollout of satellite technology via Austar Digital and targeted cable deployments in underserved regional areas such as Queensland and Tasmania. These infrastructure investments allowed Austar to reach approximately 2.4 million homes across regional New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, and all of Tasmania, emphasizing its commitment to non-metropolitan markets where free-to-air options were limited.^[17]^[18] In March 2004, Austar introduced its full digital television services, marking a key technological shift from analog systems to MPEG-2 compression standards, which enabled the addition of more channels and improved signal quality for satellite and cable subscribers. This upgrade, branded as Austar Digital "Essentials," offered packages starting at $44.95 per month and included enhanced options like interactive features, building on earlier pilots of digital satellite capabilities in the early 2000s.^[19] To secure compelling content, Austar formed strategic partnerships, notably collaborating with Foxtel (backed by News Corporation) in 2002 to jointly renegotiate rights for movie channels and sports programming, including access to Fox Sports for regional audiences. These deals provided exclusive regional distribution rights to premium content like Fox Sports events and film packages, helping Austar compete by offering tailored entertainment not readily available via free-to-air broadcasts.^[20] Despite these advances, Austar faced market challenges from Foxtel, which dominated urban areas and overlapped in select regions like the Gold Coast, pressuring subscriber acquisition through superior metropolitan infrastructure. To differentiate, Austar emphasized regional programming, incorporating local news inserts and community-focused content to appeal to rural viewers and maintain loyalty in its core markets.^[10]

Pay television services

Core offerings and platforms

Austar Television commenced operations in 1995, delivering analog pay TV services via satellite and cable to regional and rural audiences across Australia. The infrastructure included Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service (MMDS) for mainland delivery, hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) cable in limited areas such as Darwin, and direct broadcast satellite (DBS) for remote locations, with subscribers requiring set-top boxes priced at approximately AUD 250 for analog satellite installations.^[10] Basic packages featured around 10-15 channels focused on entertainment, sports, and movies, with initial monthly pricing starting near AUD 25 for entry-level subscriptions.^[19] Austar Digital launched in 2000, transitioning to digital satellite broadcasting primarily through the Optus B3 satellite, initially at the 156° E orbital slot (relocated to 164° E in later years), which provided coverage over Australia and New Zealand, later supplemented by Optus C1 for enhanced subscription TV capacity.^[21])^[22] This shift enabled expanded channel packages such as Basic, Value, and Premium, offering tiered access to over 50 channels by 2010, including entertainment options like Arena and BBC World, sports via Fox Sports, children's programming on Nickelodeon, and multiple movie channels.^[23]^[24] Set-top boxes were mandatory for decoding, with digital models costing up to AUD 1,000. Pricing for basic digital packages reached AUD 43.95 per month by early 2004, with options for bundling additional services like premium channels at AUD 44.95 for the Essentials tier.^[10]^[19] The platform evolved to include high-definition (HD) channels starting in 2008, with full rollout via the MyStar HD service in late 2009, delivering 13 HD subscription channels alongside local free-to-air content and supporting 16:9 aspect ratios for widescreen viewing.^[25]^[26] This upgrade utilized advanced set-top boxes with integrated hard drives for recording, enhancing content delivery without altering the core satellite and cable infrastructure. Interactive on-demand features were briefly integrated to complement standard viewing.^[26]

Interactive features and devices

Austar introduced interactive features to enhance subscriber engagement with its pay television services, building on the core satellite and cable platforms to provide on-demand and mobile access options. These features allowed users to access content beyond traditional linear broadcasting, catering to the growing demand for flexibility in regional Australia. The company's focus on interactivity began with set-top box enhancements and evolved to include online and mobile streaming, though adoption was influenced by infrastructure challenges in remote areas. Austar On Demand (Featured) was launched in 2008 as part of the MyStar set-top box rollout, offering video-on-demand access to movies, TV shows, and premium content directly through compatible devices.^[27] This service delivered weekly updates of selected programming, enabling subscribers to watch at their convenience without scheduling constraints. It represented an early step in Austar's shift toward hybrid delivery models, integrating satellite signals with stored content for seamless playback. In 2010, Austar expanded interactivity with the Austar AnyWhere service, which permitted subscribers to stream live TV and catch-up episodes via web portals and dedicated apps on personal computers and mobile devices. The platform provided access to content from over 38 channels, including entertainment, sports, and lifestyle programming, allowing downloads for offline viewing. This service marked Austar's entry into IP-based delivery, bridging traditional pay TV with internet-enabled portability.^[28] Austar AnyWhere utilized IP streaming technology for transmission, with compatibility for iOS and Android devices through apps that supported both live and on-demand playback. Data usage was managed to accommodate varying connection speeds, typically around 1 GB per hour for standard definition content to minimize buffering on mobile networks. By 2011, the service had garnered significant uptake, with over 200,000 active users reported, bolstered by content licensing partnerships with major providers such as HBO and Disney to offer exclusive series and films. These collaborations ensured a diverse library, appealing to regional audiences seeking premium international titles. Despite these advancements, Austar AnyWhere faced limitations in regional areas, where bandwidth constraints often led to reduced streaming quality or restricted access compared to urban centers. Satellite-dependent infrastructure in rural locations exacerbated issues with IP delivery, requiring subscribers to rely on dial-up or limited broadband options, which impacted the full potential of interactive features. The MyStar personal digital video recorder (PDR) was launched by Austar in February 2008 as an integrated set-top box combining pay television delivery with digital recording capabilities.^[27] It allowed users to pause and rewind live TV, record up to two programs simultaneously while viewing a third, and incorporated two digital free-to-air tuners for accessing local channels without additional hardware.^[27] The device also supported seamless integration between Austar's subscription services and free-to-air content, with an HD-capable version introduced in November 2009 featuring a 320 GB hard drive for enhanced recording.^[26] By the end of 2011, MyStar had achieved significant market penetration, reaching 43% of Austar's residential subscriber base, with 14,500 net additions in the final quarter alone.^[29] Product enhancements during the year contributed to a 4% increase in average revenue per user, positioning MyStar as a key differentiator in Austar's offerings.^[29] The service included on-demand content access and series recording options, complementing Austar's interactive features like remote viewing via the MyStar Anywhere app.^[27] Despite its adoption, MyStar faced substantial user criticisms related to reliability and functionality. Subscribers reported frequent technical faults, including recording failures, freezing, and the need for repeated box replacements, leading to widespread complaints directed to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). In 2011, the ACCC investigated Austar for potentially misleading contract terms regarding pricing and service commitments, though this did not directly address device-specific issues like recording capacities.^[30] Privacy concerns arose from the device's remote management features, where Austar could update firmware or delete content over the network, prompting user unease about unauthorized access to personal recordings, though no formal regulatory action on this aspect was documented. Legal challenges emerged in response to these problems, including customer disputes over faulty units and service disruptions. While no large-scale class-action lawsuit settlement specific to MyStar was finalized in 2010, ongoing subscriber complaints contributed to broader scrutiny of Austar's equipment reliability during that period.

Telecommunications services

Mobile telephony

Austar entered the mobile telephony market in 2000 through the launch of Austar Mobile, operating as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) that resold services from Optus's GSM network and Telstra's CDMA network. This move expanded Austar's portfolio beyond pay television, allowing it to offer voice and SMS services to its primarily regional customer base in Australia. By 2006, the service utilized Optus's 3G capabilities for enhanced data features, aligning with the growing availability of third-generation mobile technology.^[31] Austar Mobile provided both prepaid and postpaid plans, with entry-level options designed to appeal to cost-conscious regional users seeking bundled telecommunications. These plans often included discounts on Austar's pay television subscriptions, and in some cases integrated with internet access services to form comprehensive telecom packages. The service also featured handset subsidies for popular devices, such as models from Nokia and Sony Ericsson, alongside value-added offerings like mobile TV content streaming. By the end of 2005, Austar Mobile had grown to approximately 31,500 subscribers, reflecting modest uptake among its target audience of regional households looking for affordable, integrated connectivity.^[32]^[31]^[18] Despite these initiatives, Austar Mobile faced significant challenges in capturing market share amid intense competition from established carriers like Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone, which dominated Australia's mobile sector with broader coverage and larger marketing budgets. The MVNO's regional focus limited its scale, and subscriber growth stalled as the market shifted toward national providers. Ultimately, these pressures led to the wind-down of the service; in February 2011, Austar sold its mobile assets, including around 15,000 remaining subscribers, to M2 Telecommunications for $2 million, effectively ending its telephony operations.^[33]^[34]

Internet access services

Austar offered internet access services primarily through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Austar United Broadband, which focused on providing dial-up and broadband options to regional and rural customers where DSL infrastructure was limited or absent. The company launched its dial-up service, branded as Austarnet, in 2000, outsourcing the network to COMindico for nationwide availability.^[18] This service catered to users in underserved areas, offering standard dial-up connections and supporting basic online activities, with approximately 38,326 subscribers reported by the end of 2005.^[18] Dial-up plans emphasized affordability and accessibility for rural households, though specific pricing details varied over time. By late 2010, Austarnet had around 9,300 subscribers.^[35] In the mid-2000s, Austar expanded into broadband, prioritizing wireless technologies to address connectivity gaps in regional markets. A key partnership was formed in 2005 with Unwired Australia to deploy WiMAX-based wireless broadband, involving a spectrum swap where Austar traded portions of its 2.3 GHz licenses for Unwired's 3.5 GHz licenses to build interoperable networks across metropolitan and regional areas.^[36] This alliance aimed to cover up to 750,000 homes in 25 regional locations by the end of 2007, initially targeting communities like Broken Hill that were underserviced by traditional ADSL providers.^[37] In January 2008, Austar announced an agreement with OPEL Networks to sell its 2.3 GHz and 3.5 GHz spectrum licenses for A$65 million to support WiMAX trials in rural and regional zones; however, the deal did not proceed following the Australian government's cancellation of the OPEL initiative later that year.^[38]^[39] Austar's broadband offerings included trials in select markets using WiMAX over its spectrum, with services bundled to include email and web hosting for enhanced user experience.^[40] By 2009, the company operated small-scale broadband operations alongside its core pay TV business, with fewer than 10,000 subscribers and modest adoption compared to urban competitors.^[41] As part of service evolution, Austar ceased dial-up and fixed-wireless broadband operations in 2011, while selling its 2.3 GHz and 3.4 GHz spectrum to NBN Co for A$120 million to support integration into the National Broadband Network.^[42]^[41] This shift marked the end of Austar's independent internet provisions prior to the 2012 Foxtel acquisition.

Acquisition by Foxtel

Takeover process

In May 2011, Foxtel, majority-owned by News Limited, announced an initial non-binding takeover bid for Austar valued at A$1.93 billion, amid Austar's ongoing financial pressures following the global financial crisis (GFC), which had led to reduced consumer spending on discretionary services like pay television and resulted in slower subscriber growth and high net debt of A$525 million as of March 2011.^[43]^[44] The bid, offering A$1.52 per share, represented a premium to Austar's then-share price and was positioned as a strategic merger to combine Foxtel's metropolitan dominance with Austar's regional network, enabling greater investment in digital infrastructure to compete with emerging online streaming threats. Negotiations were spearheaded by Austar CEO John Alexander and Foxtel CEO Kim Williams, with the process gaining momentum after early takeover rumors in March 2011 caused Austar's share price to surge from around A$0.75 to over A$1.30 on the ASX.^[45]^[46] By July 11, 2011, a definitive agreement was reached for A$1.52 per share in cash, valuing Austar's equity at approximately A$2 billion (enterprise value A$2.5 billion including debt), subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals.^[47] The takeover faced significant regulatory scrutiny from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which initiated a review in May 2011 and raised concerns about potential market dominance in regional pay TV, where the merged entity would control over 90% of subscriptions outside major cities.^[35] After multiple delays and public consultations, the ACCC granted approval on April 10, 2012, conditional on undertakings from Foxtel to refrain from anti-competitive bundling restrictions, such as limiting pay TV packages with broadband services, to preserve competition in telecommunications and internet markets.^[48]^[6] The deal also received Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) clearance in December 2011, clearing the final major hurdle. On March 30, 2012, Austar shareholders overwhelmingly approved the scheme, with approximately 99% of votes by value in favor, far exceeding the required 75% threshold under Australian corporate law.^[49] The acquisition was completed on May 24, 2012, following Federal Court approval, with Austar shares suspended from trading on April 16 and delisted from the ASX on April 27.^[50] Strategically, the merger allowed Foxtel to expand its subscriber base by approximately 750,000 in regional areas, achieving economies of scale to bolster content investments and counter the rising challenge from international streaming platforms like Netflix, which launched in Australia later that year.^[47]^[51]

Integration and discontinuation

Following the completion of the merger on 24 May 2012, Foxtel initiated the rebranding and integration of Austar operations under a unified national Foxtel brand.^[50] Austar subscribers began migrating to Foxtel services from July 2012, with no immediate alterations to billing, equipment, or pricing to minimize disruption.^[52] This process included set-top box swaps for MyStar users to transition to Foxtel's iQ technology, alongside the closure of Austar's head office as part of operational consolidation.^[50] The Austar brand was progressively phased out, with full discontinuation by 2014.^[52] Service changes emphasized standardization of channel packages while preserving a regional focus for Austar legacy areas through planned iQ rollouts.^[52] From 1 July 2012, Austar subscribers gained access to additional HD channels, including Discovery, National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild, and MTV Live, while Foxtel added Al Jazeera and CCTV News to align offerings.^[52] Unique Austar features, such as the Austarnet broadband service, were discontinued on 30 September 2011 as Foxtel streamlined its telecommunications portfolio into national platforms.^[50] Subscriber impacts were generally positive initially, with a churn rate of 13.2% for the year ended 30 June 2012 reflecting strong retention during the early migration phase.^[50] Combined residential subscribers reached 2.3 million (including installation queue) by mid-2012, though later declines occurred due to pricing adjustments and emerging digital alternatives.^[50] Support for legacy MyStar equipment continued beyond 2015, with full decommissioning planned for 2025.^[52] The integration bolstered Foxtel's regional dominance in Australian pay television, serving over 2.2 million households and more than 7 million weekly viewers by late 2012.^[52] This consolidation played a key role in the broader pay TV market's evolution, enhancing scale amid digital disruption from streaming services while unifying content delivery nationwide.^[50]

References

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Mar 29, 2017 · AUSTAR was founded in 1994 as Community Entertainment Television (CETV) and became the largest subscription television operator in rural and ...
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Jul 29, 2010 · Austar said it added 3389 subscribers in the second quarter to 747,148, which was up 18,429 over the year.
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Austar is the second largest pay TV provider in Australia, with almost a 100% market share in rural and regional eastern Australia.
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Aug 20, 2010 · AUSTAR is a provider of wireless broadband services in regional and rural Australia. ... AUSTAR also offers a mobile telephony service in ...
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