Telstra TV liberates the way Australians watch TV in newly released hype video
Telstra has united the three worlds of TV – free-to-air, subscription TV and on-demand streaming – on its new Telstra TV to be launched on 31 October. The new device will include a series of Australian-first innovations that are set to liberate the way consumers experience TV at home and on the go. Telstra has released a new hype video via Chief Entertainment to promote the new Roku Powered Telstra TV device.
With 83 per cent of Australians watching live broadcast TV each week and the average Australian watching 70 hours of live-to-air TV each month, the second generation Telstra TV now includes an integrated free-to-air tuner, so Australians can enjoy even more of the content they love.
The Roku Powered device created by Telstra, builds on the success of its predecessor. Launched in 2015, it became the fastest selling streaming device in Australia, achieving more than one million sales since its release.
Telstra CEO Andrew Penn said the new Telstra TV was another milestone in delivering on the company’s vision to be a world class technology company that empowers people to connect.
Says Penn: “Telstra TV is a perfect example of how we can build software and service layers on top of our leading networks to provide new value and differentiated experiences for our customers.”
Executive director of media, Michele Garra, said the new Telstra TV was designed to make it enjoyable for consumers to find and discover entertainment.
Says Garra: “Entertainment plays a huge role in our lives and there’s never been more content – live or streaming – available for Australians than there is right now to watch on TV screens, mobile, tablet and laptops.
“Despite this innovation and choice it has become increasingly difficult for consumers to find what they want to watch, in addition to the frustration of switching between services and devices to keep the whole family happy and entertained.”
This consumer pain point was highlighted in recent research that found 65 per cent of viewers were frustrated after not being able to locate the content they are looking for.
The new Telstra TV aims to help reduce that frustration by providing Australia’s first integrated search function – allowing users to search and discover content across all five catch-up services (ABC iView, SBS On Demand, +7, 9NOW and Tenplay), plus Foxtel Now, BigPond Movies, Stan and Netflix – and every free-to-air live channel. Once users have found what they are looking for, the new Telstra TV will take users straight to the content using deep linking technology.
Offering a unique mobile app and set top box integration, the new Telstra TV mobile app (available in both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store) allows users to search, plan and play content anytime, anywhere. The app also acts as a second remote control for your Telstra TV home device.
The new 4K HDR capable Roku Powered Telstra TV delivers a 4x higher resolution, compared to standard HD, when connected to a 4K HDR capable television. Streaming will become more efficient, reducing demands on the network and improving the viewing experience for consumers as more and more content is encoded in High Efficiency Video Codec (HEVC).
Says Garra: “We know that the high-quality digital experiences we are providing to more Australians will continue to differentiate and drive value for our mobile and broadband customers.”
“This is just the beginning for the new Telstra TV, with future product iterations like voice activation, personalised recommendations and more content partners. It will ensure our customers are connecting with the entertainment they love now and in the future.
“Our partnership with Roku, a pioneer of streaming to the TV, has made the new Telstra TV possible. Roku and Telstra have worked together to custom build the device and bring this brilliant experience to Australia.”
The new Telstra TV will continue to be included with Telstra’s great value $99 bundle from Tuesday 31 October and is exclusive to Telstra Broadband Customers.