Optus Television

Optus Television is the television division of Australian telecommunications operator Optus. Its roots lie in Optus Vision, a joint venture created to develop residential cable television and local telephone services while Optus concentrated more heavily on corporate, long-distance, satellite and interstate communications. The venture deployed a hybrid fibre-coaxial network in metropolitan Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, using Optus's telecommunications licence and infrastructure to connect homes. Cable broadband internet access was later added to the network. Optus Television entered the Australian subscription-television market in September 1995, shortly before Foxtel's launch. The initial service was limited in scale and began with customers connected through the Blacktown exchange. Its principal competitor was Foxtel, then associated with Telstra and News Corporation. Competition extended beyond customers and infrastructure into premium content, particularly sports. During the Super League war of the late 1990s, the Optus and Foxtel consortia competed for valuable rugby league rights. Optus also secured or carried distinctive programming arrangements involving the Australian Football League, rugby league, Disney Channel, ESPN and MTV Australia, although its entertainment offering was generally less extensive than Foxtel's. In March 1997, Optus bought out the other Optus Vision shareholders in exchange for equity in Optus. The television business subsequently changed direction as content agreements became less exclusive. From 2002, several previously distinctive arrangements, including access to MTV Australia, Disney Channel, ESPN and premium Movie Network channels, became non-exclusive and were also available through Foxtel. The change reduced the differentiation of Optus's standalone television proposition and encouraged the company to position television as part of broader telecommunications bundles. Optus also experimented with digital and interactive television. During 2002 and 2003 it trialled Optus iTV over part of its Sydney cable network. The platform used Liberate software and supported interactive functions, a cable-based return path, email and walled-garden internet access, as well as near-video-on-demand programming. The trial was discontinued after Optus reached a content-supply agreement with Foxtel; the Optus iTV broadcast centre at Macquarie Park was subsequently re-engineered for Foxtel use. The company stopped accepting new Optus Television customers in 2009 while continuing to serve existing subscribers. From February 2011 it again marketed Optus TV featuring Foxtel, including IQ2 services, under arrangements that allowed Optus to resell or package selected Foxtel television capabilities. In April 2005, Foxtel had granted Optus rights to carry its digital platform, with trials beginning in November and full operation following in December 2005. The arrangement used Foxtel-related equipment, encryption and interactive-television technologies and also permitted certain satellite resale arrangements. Sports remained a major part of the brand's history. Optus initially carried Sportsvision and later C7 Sport rather than Fox Sports. After C7 lost major sporting rights, Optus and Austar dropped the service in 2002, replacing it with an Optus-branded version of Fox Sports; the Optus Sports name was dropped later that year. On 13 July 2016, Optus launched Optus Sport as a group of sports channels, most notably associated with Premier League football coverage. This later sports business became a prominent component of Optus's broader content strategy, although it is distinct from the historical cable-television service described by the Optus Television article.

Optus Television developed from Optus Vision, a joint venture established to build a residential cable network and provide cable television and local telephony. The venture operated separately from the parts of Optus focused on corporate, long-distance, satellite and interstate communications. Using a hybrid fibre-coaxial architecture, it built networks in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. The service began in September 1995, one month before Foxtel, and initially reached only a small number of customers connected through the Blacktown exchange. Optus competed with Foxtel over both subscribers and programming rights. During the Super League war between 1995 and 1997, the rival groups contested high-value rugby league rights. Optus also assembled a programming portfolio involving AFL, rugby league and channels such as Disney Channel, ESPN and MTV Australia, although Foxtel maintained a stronger general-entertainment proposition. In March 1997, Optus consolidated ownership by acquiring the other Optus Vision shareholders in return for equity in Optus. The television business later lost much of its exclusive character. In 2002, several content agreements were changed from exclusive to non-exclusive, allowing channels including MTV Australia, Disney Channel, ESPN and premium Movie Network services to appear on Foxtel as well. This reduced Optus's ability to differentiate itself through programming alone. Optus operated a satellite subscription-television arrangement with Austar. It trialled and briefly offered a limited satellite service called VIP, including availability for some Norfolk Island users. Optus later ended the VIP service and sold its interest in the satellite venture to Austar. The commercial relationship subsequently changed, with Austar becoming a customer of Foxtel for satellite delivery in 2004. The company also pursued interactive television. Optus iTV was developed from 2000 and trialled over part of the Sydney network in 2002–2003. It used the Liberate platform and the cable network for both programme delivery and the return path. Its proposed or trialled features included interactive services, email, restricted internet access and near-video-on-demand. The trial ended after Optus and Foxtel reached a content-supply agreement, and the Optus broadcast facility at Macquarie Park was adapted for Foxtel operations. Foxtel granted Optus rights to carry its digital platform in 2005. Trials began in November 2005 and the service became operational in December. The arrangement allowed Optus to offer a Foxtel-based digital product using related set-top boxes, encryption and interactive technologies, while also permitting specified satellite resale rights. Optus marketed this as Optus TV featuring Foxtel and later resumed new-customer marketing in 2011 after having stopped new sign-ups in 2009. Sports programming has been central to the brand's evolution. Before 2002, Optus did not carry Fox Sports in the same way as Foxtel and Austar; it instead carried Sportsvision and later C7 Sport. After the collapse of C7's major sports-rights position, Optus and Austar dropped C7 Sport in March 2002. The decision was connected to the new AFL broadcasting agreement and the loss of important rights. Optus replaced the service with a rebadged Fox Sports offering and abandoned the Optus Sports name later that year. Seven Network litigation over the end of C7 Sport was unsuccessful. On 13 July 2016, Optus launched Optus Sport, a sports-channel group associated particularly with Premier League coverage. Overall, Optus Television shifted from a standalone cable-pay-TV challenger into a partner and bundle component within Optus's telecommunications business. Public information does not establish a separate corporate entity, a current standalone subscriber base or a distinct present-day operating structure for the historical Optus Television brand.

• 2016

  Optus Sport launches

  [1]Optus Televisionen.wikipedia.org

  Optus launched its Optus Sport group of channels on 13 July, including Premier League programming.

• 2011

  Optus TV featuring Foxtel returns

  [1]Optus Televisionen.wikipedia.org

  Optus resumed marketing a Foxtel-based television offer, including IQ2 services.

• 2009

  New subscriptions are suspended

  [1]Optus Televisionen.wikipedia.org

  Optus stopped accepting new Optus Television subscribers while retaining existing customers.

• 2005

  Foxtel Digital resale begins

  [1]Optus Televisionen.wikipedia.org

  Optus received rights to carry Foxtel's digital platform; trials started in November and commercial operation followed in December.

• 2002

  Exclusive content arrangements are reduced

  [1]Optus Televisionen.wikipedia.org

  Several formerly exclusive channels and movie services became available on a non-exclusive basis, including through Foxtel.

• 2002

  C7 Sport is removed

  [1]Optus Televisionen.wikipedia.org

  Optus and Austar dropped C7 Sport after major sports-rights changes and substituted an Optus version of Fox Sports.

• 2002

  Optus iTV trial ends

  [1]Optus Televisionen.wikipedia.org

  The interactive digital television trial was discontinued after a content-supply agreement with Foxtel.

• 1997

  Optus consolidates Optus Vision ownership

  [1]Optus Televisionen.wikipedia.org

  Optus acquired the other shareholders in Optus Vision in exchange for equity in Optus.

• 1995

  Cable television service begins

  [1]Optus Televisionen.wikipedia.org

  Optus Television commenced cable television operations in September, initially serving a limited group of customers in Sydney.

A telecommunications-linked subscription-television service using Optus cable infrastructure and content partnerships, historically positioned as an alternative to Foxtel and later increasingly integrated into bundled communications offerings.

• Cable subscription television · 1995

  Optus cable television

  The original Optus Television proposition delivered subscription television over Optus's hybrid fibre-coaxial cable network in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. It was introduced as a residential service and later became more closely associated with bundled telecommunications offerings.

• Interactive digital television · 2002

  Optus iTV

  Optus iTV was an interactive digital television platform trialled across part of the Sydney cable network. It used the Liberate platform and supported a cable return path, interactive functions, email, restricted internet access and near-video-on-demand programming.

• Resold pay-TV service · 2005

  Optus TV featuring Foxtel

  This offering combined the Optus customer relationship and network with Foxtel-supplied television content. It followed the content-supply agreement between the companies and allowed Optus to package selected Foxtel services, including later IQ2-related capabilities.

• Digital pay-TV platform · 2005

  Optus TV featuring Foxtel Digital

  The digital version used Foxtel-related set-top-box hardware, encryption and interactive technologies. Optus conducted trials in late 2005 and made the service operational in December of that year, with specified rights to resell digital television and satellite services.

• Sports television · 2016

  Optus Sport

  Optus Sport was launched as a group of sports channels in 2016. Its launch was strongly associated with Premier League football coverage and represented a later sports-content strategy distinct from the earlier Optus cable television service.

• 2009

  Stop accepting new Optus Television subscribersStrategy

  Background

  Optus had repositioned television as part of bundled telecommunications services rather than primarily as a standalone product.

  Action taken

  The service was closed to new subscribers while existing customers continued to receive service.

  Aftermath

  Optus later resumed marketing a Foxtel-based offer in 2011, showing that television remained part of the company's broader bundle strategy.

  Source

• 2002

  Replace C7 Sport with an Optus version of Fox SportsStrategy

  Background

  A new AFL broadcasting arrangement weakened C7 Sport's position and left the service with few major rights of continuing significance.

  Action taken

  Optus and Austar removed C7 Sport from their platforms and substituted a rebadged version of Fox Sports. Optus later discontinued the Optus Sports name.

  Aftermath

  The decision ended Optus's earlier C7-based sports proposition and contributed to the disappearance of C7 Sport. Seven Network subsequently pursued unsuccessful legal action concerning the service's demise.

  • Foxtel — Foxtel's sports-rights position was strengthened by the new broadcasting arrangement and its related content partnerships.

  Source

1. 1Optus Televisionen.wikipedia.org