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Foxtel Now box dumps Binge & Kayo

Exclusive: Subscribers upset as Foxtel-owned streamers are removed from Foxtel product -just before a huge weekend in Sport.


EXCLUSIVE: From Friday Kayo and Binge apps will no longer be available on the Foxtel Now box, and angry subscribers are taking to social media to vent.

The decision is another step in keeping the Foxtel-owned streaming platforms separate from the Foxtel brand.

A spokesperson told TV Tonight, “We know a small number of customers have chosen to access Kayo and Binge through the Foxtel Now box. We apologise for the inconvenience associated with this change and we a happy to discuss with them with the range of options available through Foxtel Now including the Sport Pack and the mobile access they have through Foxtel GO.”

Since launching, both sports streamer Kayo and entertainment streamer Binge, have been conscious to push products separate from the traditional Foxtel brand. Both have been successful in finding new subscribers at a time when traditional Foxtel has faced cord-cutting.

But the move to uncouple the three may be less convenient for users who traditionally had all three housed in one destination.

The timing is also inconveniently just before AFL, NRL Finals and Bathurst 1000.

“Binge and Kayo content is already available to Foxtel Now customers. For example, the Sport Pack can be added to the Base Pack for a similar price (currently $25/month) to Kayo, and this provides a simpler, all in one place solution for Foxtel Now customers,” a statement read.

“Binge and Kayo remain available on a wide-range of Android TVs, and are also available through the Apple TV, Android TV and Telstra TV boxes. Binge and Kayo subscribers will continue to be able to use Chromecast to watch on their television through their smartphone, tablet or computer.”

8 Responses

  1. It runs Android TV. They don’t actually have the ability to remove the app from your box, all they can do is prevent new installations of the app from the Play Store. So those already using it can continue to do so, and everybody else can just sideload.

    If they decide to do the extra dodgy of rolling out an update that doesn’t come to the box, and then requiring the updated app in order to stream, then everybody would need to sideload the updated app.

    That’s the thing about using an open platform as the basis for your device, you can’t prevent people from using it how they want.

    Still a d*** move though.

  2. I have not had Foxtel for two decades now – After the reasonable introductory rates – I cancelled after four years as they continually kept screwing packages and removing value added. Vote with your feet

  3. Of course they should get rid of the apps. By keeping them there they are losing money as the Foxtel sport package is more expensive that Kayo, and Binge is cheaper than some other entertainment packages. Remember, they are a business, not a charity…

  4. I would suggest it’s better to watch Foxtel’s streaming on an Apple TV 4K, but having said that I’m not sure why Foxtel are bothering marketing their Foxtel Now box anyway, on the surface Foxtel are using recycled content on all their platforms, there’s nothing truly exclusive or original that genuinely separates its streaming business from that offered to traditional Foxtel set top box subscribers.
    Foxtel will have to get their act together sooner or later, big multi-national players like Disney are converting to streaming for all their content, I would say Foxtel will eventually need to do the same.

  5. Love the way Foxtel have worded that with saying the Base Pack is $25 p/m making it sound like the Sports Pack is when it’s $29 p/m: foxtel.com.au/now/support/how-it-works/getting-started/channel-packs.html so they don’t really want to say that price hey. Plus Binge is $14 p/m for 2 screens HD, Kayo $25 p/m for 2 screens, so if you had both on Foxtel Now it would be $54 p/m vs $39 p/m so you’re looking at $15 p/m more on Foxtel Now so no way is it similar at $180 per year dearer. Well unless you have the 4 screen $18 Binge and $35 Kayo however even then for that $1 more you only get the screen the Foxtel Now Box is attached to not 4 like the Apps.

  6. I think it’s woeful and smacks of extreme arrogance especially before the Big Weekend of sports ,they could have waited until the EOM ,no wonder their in the sh***** financially.

  7. My partner got Kayo instead of the NFL game pass this year and to remove the app from the Foxtel Now Box seems stupid. Now we will need to stream from a tablet or investigate whether it’s better to add the Sports pack. I wonder if they’re going to discontinue the box down the track?, because it’s definitely cheaper to buy a chrome-cast.

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