Unmetered TiVo downloads extend to iPrimus

Stephen Withers
Tuesday, 12 May 2009 11:16

Opinion and Analysis

Part of the deal is that iPrimus will act as a TiVo retailer. "This means that customers can spread the cost of the TiVo across their internet plan," said Sims.

Arrangements between ISPs and media companies - providers such as iiNet, Internode and iPrimus already have 'free download' arrangements with the ABC's iView and Apple's iTunes Store - seem increasingly likely as online media use becomes part of everyday life for a growing proportion of Australians.

iiNet is reportedly in negotiations with Hybrid Television Services.

The two largest ISPs in Australia (Telstra and Optus, though some reports describe iiNet as the second largest) both offer pay TV services, which might rule out any suggestion of providing unmetered downloads from external providers.

This is especially true of Telstra, which for several years seen itself as a media company as well as a telco. Since it already offers unmetered downloads from its own movie and music services, why would it want to reach any accommodation with rivals?

The more content other ISPs can offer with no carriage charges, the more attractive their offerings become. There is a lot to be said for a level playing field that allows consumers to make completely independent choices of Internet provider and content supplier, but a lot of people would probably be happy with unmetered arrangements with a restricted set of suppliers.

If Telstra hadn't started the idea of unmetered downloads from its own online stores for BigPond customers, perhaps the industry wouldn't have got into this growing mess of bilateral deals.