Foxtel’s prices are on the up and up, climbing the ladder for the first time in two years, and users are not happy, Jan.
The pay-TV group might cop a bit of backlash, but the move could make the company an extra $30 million annually in profits.
Foxtel has informed its users that the price for its basic service has jumped from $25 to $26 per month, with the decision coming just 18 months after it chopped its basic service price drastically, from $49 to $25 per month.
Foxtel’s intial price drop was intended to get the pay-TV group into more than just 30 per cent of Aussie homes, however it’s latest price hike, while minimal, has surprised some given the competition rife in the SVOD market, which charges much less but is missing that crucial sports network.
A Foxtel spokesman said, “Foxtel has had no price rises for two years, and 18 months ago people either had a price reduction or were given significantly more content for the same price.
“So the fact that there has now been a small price rise is normal business practice.
“There has been some reaction on social media definitely but we reckon a few hundred comments or mentions on a base off close to 3 million customers is what one would normally expect in these circumstances.”
Social media was, as per usual, rather vocal about its opinions.
Hey @Foxtel: you’re an absolute joke. Just heard about your price increase. It’ll now cost $24 for #AntennaPacific. What a farce. #RipOff
— Our Red V (@ourredv) March 14, 2016
@tim_blackwell @Foxtel they need to increase the price as they only have 4 subscribers left
— Bobban Bilbie (@BobbanBilbie) March 9, 2016
@BobbanBilbie @tim_blackwell @Foxtel and the so called “extra content” is replaying endless replays of endless replays&commercials.. — Larry Wilkins (@Bothizonu) March 14, 2016
Another foxtel price rise. Colour me shocked. — West Sydney Football (@WestSydney) March 9, 2016
It is astounding that @Foxtel announces a price rise when it has lost @BarclaysEPL @LigaBBVA @ChampionsLeague @EuropaLeague please protest‼️
— Jugador Apuestas (@JugadorSydney) March 14, 2016
An increase in price and still can’t secure the #EPL… Cheers @Foxtel #switchingtooptus pic.twitter.com/TjS4l6J7ko
— Alex Moore (@moons_moore) March 3, 2016
Talk about first world problems, OH NO @Foxtel pricing on basic package up from $25 to $26 a month. HOW COULD THEY?!https://t.co/Agasy0ftGS
— Ben (@thecattery) March 14, 2016
Foxtel has a subscriber number that hovers around the 2.7 million mark, so the extra dollars from each subscription could be good news for its wallets by the end of the year. The company, which is owned by Telstra and News Corporation, reported a 5.5 per cent rise in first-half revenue to $1.7 billion.
