Telstra has today launch ABC iview on Telstra TV making it the first device to provide easy catch-up access to services from all five Australian Free to Air Networks.
The Telstra TV is the telco’s latest attempt to find a home on Australia’s TV screens. Rather than creating their own video content, Telstra is hoping to provide an easy hub for all of Australia’s existing services. With the addition of ABC iview, Australian Apps now available on the device includes SBS OnDemand, 9Jumpin, tenplay, and 7Plus. The Telstra TV also provides access to SVOD providers Netflix, Presto, Stan, and Bigpond Movies, plus global apps including Youtube, NBA, Vimeo, Crunchyroll, RedBull TV, and the Wall Street Journal.
The new Telstra TV replaces the existing T-Box service, and is built upon the Roku2 hardware that has been available in the US since 2011. While the US version supports over 2000 apps, the Telstra edition is closed to allow only apps that Telstra approves.
Telstra’s main competition in this sector is now coming from the new Apple TV device which now has a full app store environment. Australian app developers have been slow to embrace the Apple TV but this is expected to radically improve next year.
The Telstra TV requires a Bigpond account for activation. Content viewed via the BigPond Movies and Presto apps is unmetered for Telstra Home Broadband customers however all other apps will effect customer data limits.
