Foxtel users in “very remote” areas, as defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, will soon receive some disappointing news. From March 3, access to popular services like Kayo Sports and Binge will no longer be available.
While the timing might raise eyebrows, these changes are reportedly not connected to News Corp’s recent $3.4 billion sale of Foxtel to British sports streaming giant DAZN. This sale marks the end of News Corp’s 30-year reign in cable television, ushering in a new era for the iconic platform.
If you’re in these areas, these streaming services will no longer be available. But don’t worry, you can still access your favourite content through a traditional Foxtel subscription or Foxtel Now.
For current customers exclusively using these apps in very remote regions, subscriptions will be automatically canceled on March 3. Affected users will be notified this month and will receive a refund as part of the process.
It will also impact people who take out subscriptions in a serviced area but travel frequently, including the thousands of fly-in, fly-out mine workers in WA’s Pilbara.
Check below to see if your postcode is impacted by these changes:
| State | Affected postcodes |
|---|---|
| Northern Territory | 822, 852, 854, 860, 862, 872, 880, 885 |
| New South Wales | 2836, 2838, 2839, 2840, 2878, 2879, 2898 |
| Queensland | 4454, 4465, 4467, 4468, 4470, 4472, 4474, 4475, 4477, 4478, 4479, 4480, 4481, 4482, 4486, 4488, 4489, 4490, 4491, 4492, 4493, 4724, 4725, 4726, 4727, 4728, 4730, 4731, 4732, 4733, 4735, 4736, 4801, 4821, 4822, 4823, 4828, 4829, 4830, 4874, 4875, 4876, 4890, 4891 |
| South Australia | 5650, 5651, 5652, 5653, 5654, 5655, 5660, 5661, 5670, 5671, 5680, 5690, 5701, 5720, 5722, 5723, 5724, 5731, 5732, 5733, 5734 |
| Western Australia | 6346, 6348, 6356, 6359, 6429, 6431, 6434, 6436, 6437, 6438, 6440, 6443, 6445, 6452, 6537, 6612, 6635, 6638, 6639, 6640, 6642, 6646, 6705, 6707, 6710, 6711, 6712, 6716, 6728, 6731, 6733, 6740, 6751, 6753, 6754, 6758, 6760, 6762, 6765, 6770, 6798, 6799 |
| Tasmania | 7255, 7256, 7257 |
Impacted users will be offered a Foxtel subscription at a comparable rate, though the company has remained tight-lipped about the exact pricing.
For context, standard Foxtel plans start at $73 per month, with Foxtel Now beginning at $35, while Binge offers a more affordable option starting at just $10 per month.
According to comparison site WhistleOut, only a small number of customers are affected. Which allows Foxtel to handle individual cases, including those involving annual subscriptions, special promotions, and Hubbl ownership.
So, why the change? When questioned, a Foxtel spokesperson pointed to a “change in terms and conditions” but declined to provide further details.
For the remaining remote customers there is a small silver lining, Foxtel Now streaming will still be available as an alternative to traditional subscriptions.
This announcement follows on the heels of another pricing update to Kayo’s flagship plan, which will increase to $40 per month starting March 4.
