Austar

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Austar United Communications Ltd

Type	Public
Founded	1995
Headquarters	Sydney, New South Wales Gold Coast, Queensland
Key people	John Porter, CEO Mike Fries, Chairman
Industry	Subscription Television Dial-Up Internet Mobile Telephony
Products	Austar Television Austarnet Austar Mobile
Website	www.austar.com.au www.austarunited.com.au

An Austar Remote

Austar is an Australian telecommunications company. Its main business activity is Pay TV, although it is also involved with internet access and mobile phones. The company commenced operations in 1995, and thus celebrated its 10th birthday in 2005.

It is owned by Austar United Communications Limited (ASX: AUN). 54% of Austar United is owned by Liberty Global, through United Austar Partners. The remaining 46% is owned by public shareholders ^[1]

Austar also owns 50% of XYZnetworks, a pay television program provider, a 50-50 joint venture between Foxtel and Austar. ^[2]^[3]

[edit] Mobile telephony (Austar Mobile)

Established in 2000, Austar Mobile offers mobile services via resale agreements with Optus and Telstra for access to their GSM and CDMA mobile networks respectively.

At the end of 2005, there were about 30,500 customers. ^[4]

[edit] Dial-up internet (Austarnet)

Established in 2000, Austarnet currently outsources its network to COMindico and is available across Australia.

At the end of 2005, there were about 38,326 customers. ^[5]

[edit] Subscription television (Austar Television / Austar Digital)

Austar's main business is subscription television, serving customers outside of the major metro areas. It takes programming from both Foxtel and Optus services, and operates in both analog and digital platforms.

Austar Television is available in 2.4 million homes in regional and rural areas of all mainland states (bar Western Australia), Tasmania & the capital cities of Darwin & Hobart.^{[citation needed]} Subscriber numbers to Austar Television are second behind Foxtel. Delivery methods include utlising the Optus C-Class Satellite Optus C1 and a digital cable network in Darwin

[edit] Austar Digital

Launched in March 2004, Austar Digital subscribers account for about 75% of all of Austar's Television Subscribers. In October 2004 the cable network utilised in Darwin was converted to allow the Austar Digital product to be sold over that delivery method. In December 2006 it was reported that Austar was in talks with Channels Seven and Ten about providing AFL coverage to rural areas.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] The Mystar Personal Digital Recorder

Announced in November 2005, Thomson SA have been awarded the contract for the development of a 4 tuner PDR, two of which will be dedicated for Australia's Digital Terrestrial free-to-air (FTA) service. Mystar will also allow for recording of two shows at one time, while still being able to watch one pre-recorded

Its estimated release is set for the first half of 2007 ^[6]

[edit] Channel lineup

Note: this is the Austar Digital package. The Analog package is considerably different, and some channels are available only as add-ons to the standard Analog package. Some businesses (namely hotels and motels) take on a customized package, with some channels not included. Please check with www.austar.com.au for details.

Starter Pack

Entertainment
- TV1 +2
- TVSN
- W +2
- FOX8 +2
- The LifeStyle Channel +2
- Arena +2
- Fox classics +2
- Fashion TV
- Aurora
- EXPO Channel
Documentaries and Learning
- Discovery Channel
- National Geographic
- ABC +2
Music
- MAX
- Channel [V]
- Country Music Channel
- Austar Interactive Radio Service
Kids
News and Weather
- Sky News
- Sky News Active
- BBC World
- The Weather Channel (Australia)
- Bloomberg Television
- SBS
- SBS World News
- Fox Sports News
- CNBC Australia
- CNN
- FOX News Channel
Special Interest
- Australian Christian Channel
- Sky Racing
Pay-Per-View access to:
- BOX Office
- Adults Only
- Main Event

Sports

FOX Sports 1
FOX Sports 2
FOX Sports 3
Eurosport News
ESPN

Living

The Comedy Channel +2
Hallmark Channel
Lifestyle Food
How To Channel
VH1
UK TV
Discovery Home & Health
E!

Quest

The History Channel
A1
Discover Travel & Living
Discovery Science
Ovation
The Biography Channel
Animal Planet
Crime and Investigation

Fun

Animal Planet
Boomerang
Channel [V]²
The Comedy Channel+2
ESPN
Fuel TV
MTV
Nick Jr.
Playhouse Dsney
Sci Fi

Movie options

Movie Network
- Movie Extra
- Movie Greats
- Movie One
- Movie Two
- World Movies Channel;
- Turner Classic Movies
Showtime
- Showtime
- Showtime 2
- Showtime Greats
- Turner Classic Movies
- World Movies Channel
World Movies
- World Movies

Special interest options

Greek (Antenna Pacific)
Italian (RAI International)

History option

History Channel

Racing option

Game options

Playin'TV
MindGames
The Arcade

[edit] Channel line-up

Channels on the Austar Digital service:

[edit] General

Channel 101 - TV1
Channel 102 - ABC TV NSW (ABC TV NT on Darwin cable)
Channel 103 - UK.TV
Channel 104 - SBS
Channel 105 - Arena TV
Channel 106 - The LifeStyle Channel
Channel 108 - FOX8
Channel 112 - FOX Classics
Channel 113 - THE COMEDY CHANNEL
Channel 114 - W (formerly known as fx)
Channel 116 - Hallmark Channel
Channel 117 - LifeStyle Food
Channel 118 - How To Channel
Channel 120 - BOX OFFICE Preview Channel (Box Office channel and Preview)
Channel 121 - E!
Channel 123 - Fashion TV
Channel 125 - Ovation
Channel 126 - ABC2
Channel 132 - Sci Fi
Channel 150 - FOX8 + 2
Channel 151 - TV1 + 2
Channel 152 - FOX Classics + 2
Channel 153 - THE COMEDY CHANNEL + 2
Channel 154 - Arena TV + 2
Channel 156 - UK.TV + 2
Channel 157 - The LifeStyle Channel + 2
Channel 176 - TVSN
Channel 177 - Expo Channel
Channel 182 - Australian Christian Channel
Channel 183 - Aurora Community Television

[edit] Regional ABC TV variants

These are not available on Darwin cable.

Channel 193 - ABC TV Queensland
Channel 194 - ABC TV NSW
Channel 195 - ABC TV Victoria
Channel 196 - ABC TV SA
Channel 197 - ABC TV NT

[edit] Movies

Channel 401 - SHOWTIME
Channel 402 - SHOWTIME + 2
Channel 404 - SHOWTIME GREATS
Channel 411 - MOVIE ONE
Channel 412 - MOVIE TWO
Channel 413 - MOVIE EXTRA
Channel 415 - MOVIE GREATS
Channel 417 - TCM
Channel 419 - World Movies

[edit] Sports

Channel 501 - FOX Sports One
Channel 502 - FOX Sports Two
Channel 503 - FOX Sports Three
Channel 508 - ESPN Australia
Channel 513 - FOX Sports News
Channel 514 - EUROSPORTNEWS
Channel 516 - Fuel
Channel 518 - Main Event/Adults Only (also shows previews of Box Office)
Channel 519 - Sky Racing
Channel 520 - TVN Racing

[edit] Games

Channel 555 - Games World (now includes all the games on one channel)

[edit] News

Channel 601 - Sky News Australia
Channel 603 - The Weather Channel
Channel 604 - FOX News
Channel 605 - CNN International
Channel 606 - BBC World
Channel 648 - SBS World News Channel
Channel 650 - Bloomberg Television
Channel 652 - CNBC Australia

[edit] Factual

Channel 115 - The Biography Channel
Channel 517 - Adventure One
Channel 608 - The History Channel
Channel 610 - Discovery Channel
Channel 612 - National Geographic Channel
Channel 615 - Animal Planet
Channel 617 - Crime and Investigation Network
Channel 638 - Discovery Science Channel
Channel 640 - Discovery Home & Health Channel
Channel 646 - Discovery Travel & Living Channel

[edit] Kids

Channel 701 - Nickelodeon
Channel 703 - Nick Jr.
Channel 707 - Disney Channel
Channel 709 - Playhouse Disney
Channel 713 - Cartoon Network
Channel 715 - Boomerang

[edit] Music

Channel 801 - Channel [V]
Channel 803 - Channel [V]²
Channel 805 - MAX (formerly known as musicMAX)
Channel 808 - MTV
Channel 810 - VH1
Channel 812 - TMF
Channel 815 - Country Music Channel
Channel 830 - AUSTAR Interactive Radio (34 Channels)

[edit] Speciality

Channel 941 - Antenna Pacific (Greek)
Channel 942 - RAI International (Italian)

[edit] Austar/Unwired Alliance

In 2005, Austar United and wireless internet provider Unwired announced a deal to swap spectrum under either companies control to allow for interoperable wireless broadband services across the country. In 2006, Austar United and Unwired together with Soul formed AUSalliance for the purposes of obtaining funding from the Australian Government's Broadband Connect Infrastructure Program and rolling out a regional broadband network ^[7]

Austar holds a considerable number of 2.5 & 3.5 GHz spectrum licences that they have purchased for delivery of their former MMDS Service and for an ill-fated attempt at wireless internet through a joint-venture with Chello

The deal will also allow WIMAX wireless services to commence in Australia.

Austar Broadband have launched wireless (non-WIMAX) services in:

June 2006 - Service launched in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales ^[8]
November 2006 - Service launched in Tamworth, New South Wales ^[9]
End 2007 - Further 24 markets

[edit] Notes

^ Austar United Website: http://www.austarunited.com.au/aboutus/ownership.asp
^ XYZnetworks Website: http://www.xyznetworks.com.au/xyznetworks/About.aspx
^ Austar United 2005 Annual Report
^ Austar United 2005 Annual Report
^ Austar United 2005 Annual Report
^ Austar United Presentation: http://www.austarunited.com.au/pdf/06-09-29%20Investor%20Day%20Presentation%20inclcover%20page.pdf
^ Austar United Press Release: http://www.austarunited.com.au/pdf/06-03-29%20AUSTAR%20_%20Soul%20partner%20for%20regional%20b'dband%20network.pdf
^ Austar United Press Release: http://www.austarunited.com.au/pdf/06-06-08%20AUSTAR%20Broadband%20launch%20release%20-%20final.pdf
^ Austar United Press Release: http://www.austarunited.com.au/pdf/06-11-28%20AUSTAR%20broadband%20arrives%20in%20Tamworth.pdf

[edit] External links

Cable, satellite and other speciality television providers

v • d • e

Fiber-Optic: Verizon FiOS

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