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By Amanda Meade
http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,28348,26355244-5014239,00.html
November 16, 2009
TELSTRA will begin a live trial of its new digital set-top "T-box" on Thursday, ahead of its release next year.
Several hundred customers will begin using the device in a trial that will enable them to start watching movies downloaded from the internet on their TV sets.
The T-box will make it possible for Telstra customers to download and watch movies using Telstra sites such as BigPond movies, or watch BigPond's IPTV channels, including news and sport, all without running up any additional charges.
The personal video recorder and set-top box is Telstra's attempt to offer its online content on the more user-friendly TV set.
A Telstra insider said the set-top box would also have Tivo-like functionality allowing users to record free-to-air TV.
The strategy appears to put Telstra in competition with Foxtel, of which it owns 50 per cent. Foxtel yesterday launched a number of new channels and also recently revamped its IQ set-top box.
But the telco is also competing for screen time with free-to-air television as it continues to launch its suite of multi-channels.
Telstra insiders say the new service augments its content offering with no threat to the internal recognition that Foxtel is regarded as the premium service.
The launch also comes as Telstra continues its testy negotiations with the Government over the national broadband network (NBN) rollout and the Government's desire to force Telstra to sell infrastructure assets into NBN.
If it doesn't, the Government has threatened Telstra with the forced sale of Foxtel, whose other shareholders are News Limited and James Packer's Consolidated Media.
Foxtel has upgraded its movie channels by categorising them into genres and offering 100 movies at any one time.
Up to 30 new channels have been launched, including sports and documentary channels, and tailored general entertainment channels.
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