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{{Short description|Defunct Australian telecommunication company}}
{{Use Australian English|date=April 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2014}}
{{Infobox company
|name               = Austar Communications
|logo               = Austar logo.svg
|logo_size          = 200px
|former_name        = Community Entertainment Television
|type               = [[Public company|Public]]
|traded_as          = {{ASX|AUN}}
|industry           = [[Telecommunications]]
|predecessor        = 
|foundation         = 1995
|defunct            = {{end date|2012|5|24|df=y}}
|successor          = [[Foxtel]]
|location_city      = [[Sydney]]
|location_country   = Australia
|key_people         = {{ubl|John Porter ([[Chief Executive Officer|CEO]])|Mike Fries ([[Chairman]])}}
|products           = {{hlist|[[Direct broadcast satellite]]|cable television|[[internet access]]|mobile phone}}
|revenue            = $711 million
|revenue_year       = 2010
|num_employees      = 
|num_employees_year = 
|homepage           = [https://web.archive.org/web/20120107113700/http://www.austar.com.au/tv austar.com.au]}}

'''Austar''' was an Australian [[telecommunications]] company founded in 1995 as Community Entertainment Television (CETV). Its main business activity was [[pay television|subscription television]]. It was also involved with [[internet access]] and [[Mobile phone|mobile phones]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brewster |first=Deborah |date=1997-11-03 |title=Pay TV Goes Bush |page=40 |work=[[The Australian]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Lipari |first=Kathy |date=1996-09-10 |title=Pay-TV – a new Austar is born. |page=23 |work=[[Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|Daily Telegraph]] |location=Sydney}}</ref>

Austar's television subscriber base grew to 747,148 (on 30 June 2010), making it the largest subscription television operator in urban and rural Australia.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Andrew |date=2011-01-10 |title=Difference Between Foxtel and Austar |url=https://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-foxtel-and-austar/ |access-date=2023-04-10 |website=Difference Between |language=en-US}}</ref> Austar provided subscription television services to 2.4 million homes, a third of all homes in Australia, primarily using [[digital satellite technology]]. Austar also operated a digital cable network in [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]].

[[Foxtel]] acquired Austar in 2012.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kermond |first=Clare |date=2012-05-25 |title=Foxtel-Austar merger finalised |work=[[Sydney Morning Herald]] |url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/foxtel-austar-merger-finalised-20120524-1z7uf.html |url-status=live |access-date=2019-06-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423034528/https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/foxtel-austar-merger-finalised-20120524-1z7uf.html |archive-date=2021-04-23}}</ref> After the acquisition, Foxtel progressively merged all operations into the national system. Starting mid- to late 2013, Foxtel transitioned all accounts to Foxtel and removed the MyStar-related online services, which was the last step in the merge. In November 2013, the Foxtel IQ units were made available with satellite connections for those who wished to replace their MyStar units. The current Foxtel moniker took over all Austar branding in 2014, completing the transition. Austar provided services to [[Sega Channel]] in Australia in partnership with [[Namco Bandai Partners]], a joint venture between [[Sega]], [[Ozisoft]], and Foxtel.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}

==Foxtel takeover==
On 11 July 2011, Austar announced that it had entered into definitive transaction agreements with [[Liberty Global]], (LGI) and Foxtel to acquire Austar under a [[scheme of arrangement]].<ref name="Foxtel Takeover">{{Cite web |title=About the Foxtel Proposal |url=http://www.austarunited.com.au/foxtel/about |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321002350/http://www.austarunited.com.au/foxtel/about |archive-date=2012-03-21 |access-date=2012-04-23 |website=Austar United}}</ref> This takeover involved a minority shareholder approval on 30 March 2012,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=2012-03-30 |title=Austar shareholders approve Foxtel takeover |url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2012/03/austar-shareholders-approve-foxtel-takeover.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414131400/http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2012/03/austar-shareholders-approve-foxtel-takeover.html |archive-date=2012-04-14 |access-date=2012-04-23 |website=[[TV Tonight]]}}</ref> the approval of the [[Australian Competition & Consumer Commission]] on 10 April 2012,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=2012-04-10 |title=ACCC Approve Foxtel/Austar merger |url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2012/04/accc-approves-foxtel-austar-merger.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120413012309/http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2012/04/accc-approves-foxtel-austar-merger.html |archive-date=2012-04-13 |access-date=2012-04-23 |website=[[TV Tonight]]}}</ref> and had approval from a Second Court Hearing.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=AUSTAR welcomes court approval for Foxtel transaction |date=2012-04-13 |publisher=Austar United |url=http://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20120413/pdf/425lrnzwssmkh4.pdf |access-date=2012-04-23 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130611165544/http://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20120413/pdf/425lrnzwssmkh4.pdf |archive-date=2013-06-11}}</ref> The Austar shares were suspended on the [[Australian Securities Exchange]] (ASX) as of 16 April 2012,<ref name="ASX Shares Suspended">{{Cite web |date=2012-12-16 |title=Suspension from official quotation |url=http://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20120416/pdf/425mqdll2rg1ng.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130611165544/http://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20120413/pdf/425lrnzwssmkh4.pdf |archive-date=2013-06-11 |access-date=23 April 2012 |website=[[Australian Securities Exchange]]}}</ref> and were delisted from the ASX on 27 April 2012.<ref name="Foxtel Takeover" /> The takeover was completed on 24 May 2012.<ref name="Foxtel-Austar Merger Complete">{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=2012-05-24 |title=Foxtel completes Austar merger |url=http://tvtonight.com.au/2012/05/foxtel-completes-austar-merger.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120525155638/http://tvtonight.com.au/2012/05/foxtel-completes-austar-merger.html |archive-date=2012-05-25 |access-date=2012-05-24 |website=[[TV Tonight]]}}</ref>

==Subscription television (Austar Television/Austar Digital)==
{{advert|date=December 2018}}
{{see also|Foxtel#Channels}}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="float:right; text-align:center; margin-left:1em;"
|+ Subscription Growth<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our History |url=http://www.austarunited.com.au/aboutus/history.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081122135556/http://www.austarunited.com.au/aboutus/history.asp |archive-date=2008-11-22 |website=AUSTAR United}}</ref>
! style="background:#e8f4f8;" | Year
! style="background:#e8f4f8;" | Subscribers
|-
| 1998 || 300,000
|-
| 2000 || 400,000
|-
| 2004 || 443,000
|-
| 2005 || 500,000+
|-
| 2006 || 600,000+
|-
| 2007 || 658,087
|-
| 2008{{ref|table1|a}} || 713,000
|-
| June 2010<ref>{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=2010-07-30 |title=Austar profit tumbles |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2010/07/austar-profit-tumbles.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423054543/https://tvtonight.com.au/2010/07/austar-profit-tumbles.html |archive-date=2021-04-23 |access-date=2020-12-14 |website=[[TV Tonight]]}}</ref>|| 747,148
|-
| 2011<ref>{{Cite news |date=2012-02-23 |title=Austar subscribers drop as profit rises |work=[[Sydney Morning Herald]] |agency=AAP |url=http://www.smh.com.au/business/earnings-season/austar-subscribers-drop-as-profit-rises-20120223-1tp87.html |access-date=2013-01-14}}</ref> || 755,374 
|}
Austar's main business was subscription television, serving customers outside of the major metro areas. It took programming from both Foxtel and [[Optus]] services, and operated on a digital platform.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}

Austar Television was available in 2.4 million homes in regional areas of [[New South Wales]], [[Victoria, Australia|Victoria]], [[Queensland]] and [[South Australia]] and all areas of [[Tasmania]] and the [[Northern Territory]]. Subscriber numbers to Austar Television were second behind Foxtel. Delivery methods include utilising the Optus C-Class Satellite [[Optus C1]] and a [[Digital cable|digital cable network]] in [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}

===On Demand (Featured) ===

Austar featured On Demand, used to deliver Austar shows on-demand to MyStar each week to those with a MyStar subscription. It has since been replaced by Foxtel On Demand.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}

===Austar AnyWhere===

Austar AnyWhere was Austar's online TV service, which allowed customers to watch or download full-length programs online. Austar Anywhere closed on 30 June 2013.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}

[[File:Austar MyStar Front.jpg|thumb|400px|right|MyStar PVR]]

===The ''MyStar'' personal digital recorder===
MyStar was launched to existing subscribers in late 2007, with a general launch to both new and existing customers in February 2008.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=MyStar revolutionises regional Australian TV |date=2008-02-08 |publisher=Austar United |url=http://www.austarunited.com.au/press_view.asp?id=330 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719063925/http://www.austarunited.com.au/press_view.asp?id=330 |archive-date=2008-07-19}}</ref>

The last MyStar was the model T500. It was a four-tuner [[set-top box]] equipped with two satellite tuners and two terrestrial tuners available both for viewing and recording standard definition digital [[free-to-air]] services including full [[electronic program guide]] data for [[Seven Network]], [[WIN Television]], [[Prime Television]] and [[Network Ten]]. ([[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC]], [[Special Broadcasting Service|SBS]] and [[ABC2]] continue to be provided via satellite). However, only two tuners can be used because the processor is not capable of handling all four tuners at once.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}

It featured a 160 GB [[hard drive]], with 120 GB user accessible. It could record 60 hours of content. Because it is equipped with [[Macrovision]] [[copy protection]], content saved to the MyStar cannot be transferred to other media (such as VHS or DVD) without the use of something such as a video stabiliser. It had support for [[time shifting]] for up to one hour.<ref name="mystarusermanual">[http://www.austar.com.au/mystar/mystar_um.zip] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090913012503/http://www.austar.com.au/mystar/mystar_um.zip|date=13 September 2009}}</ref>

Support for [[Dolby Digital]] Surround Sound was available on selected programming when connected to appropriate equipment, however the Mystar box wouldn't control the volume when using optical or coax, the volume had to be controlled by the device it was plugged into. It also had support for [[Closed Captioning]] and four different aspect ratios ([[Pan and scan|4:3 Cropped]], 16:9 [[Letterboxing (filming)|Letterbox]], 16:9 [[Pillarbox|Postcard]] and [[16:9 aspect ratio|16:9 Widescreen]]). Both of these features were accessible through the remote's coloured buttons.<ref name="mystarusermanual" />

It supported additional outputs not found in some of the standard decoders, such as [[component video]], as well as both [[coaxial]] and [[Optical fiber cable|optical]] digital audio outputs. Support for [[Composite Video]], [[S-Video]] and [[Radio frequency|RF]] out were also available. It also had [[USB]] and [[Ethernet]] ports, but they didn't have a clear function as yet, and were likely to be used for updating the decoder.<ref name="mystarusermanual" />

The MyStar Remote is similar to the standard Austar Digital remote, but it had the addition of buttons specific to recording and playing back video. It shared an almost identical design to the [[Foxtel iQ#Foxtel iQ|Foxtel iQ]] remote, with the exception that it has an Austar button instead of a Foxtel button, and there was no AV button.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}

[[File:Mystar remote.JPG|thumb|Austar MyStar Remote Control (Manufactured by Philips)]]

The next generation of MyStar, called MyStar HD, was launched on 15 November 2009, with installations beginning the following day. It had many advantages over its predecessor, most notably support for 1080i, HD programming. It included a 320 GB hard disk, a doubling over the 160 GB found in the original MyStar. Only 160 GB of this was available for recordings and other user-selected content, with the other 160 GB being reserved for OnDemand content, which was launched in early 2010. MyStar HD also included an HDMI output, allowing HD content to be viewed in its native resolution. It had a model number of T600 and also a T601.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}

Austar planned to use MyStar HD as its cornerstone set-top box, with true video-on-demand launched in 2010, and more access to web content becoming available after that time, building up to a complete interface redesign for its set-top boxes in late 2011 or early 2012. Since the Foxtel acquisition, these plans have changed. The plan was originally to upgrade MyStar and phase it out in 2014, however, in 2013, Foxtel decided to convert their IQHD units to satellite connections and made them available to "Austar" customers in November 2013. Foxtel had no plans to force current MyStar subscribers to replace their unit. If they don't wish, however, they are offering upgrades to customers who wish to take advantage before the IQ3 launch in 2015.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}

===Mystar criticism===
MyStar had ongoing technical issues which have plagued the system since release; however, Austar have said that "they have a huge team of people that will actively jump onto any issues as soon as they are reported to the call centre". Some of the numerous bugs included the MyStar box regularly causing the screen to black out, recordings to fail, and the screen to freeze. The box has also been reported to automatically switch itself off and on.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.standard.net.au/news/local/news/general/costly-star-fails-to-shine-service-full-of-bugs/1322990.aspx |title=Costly Star fails to shine: Service full of bugs |last=Johnson |first=Alex |publisher=The Standard |date=2 October 2008 |access-date=14 December 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120717124904/http://warrnambool.yourguide.com.au/news/local/news/general/costly-star-fails-to-shine-service-full-of-bugs/1322990.aspx |archive-date=17 July 2012}}</ref>

==Austar Mobile (mobile telephony)==
Established in 2000, Austar Mobile offered mobile services via resale agreements with Optus [GSM] mobile network. After the closure of Telstra's CDMA network, Austar mobile would only offer services through Optus. Austarmobile, on 31 December 2009, had 19,970 customers.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}

==Dial-up internet (Austarnet)==
In August 2011, Austarnet announced its exit from the Internet business and indicated that services would be discontinued on 30 September 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.austar.com.au/tv/support/austarnet-closure.aspx |title=Closure of the AUSTARnet service |publisher=AUSTAR |access-date=14 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111031203225/http://www.austar.com.au/tv/support/austarnet-closure.aspx |archive-date=31 October 2011}}</ref>

==Broadband internet (Austar Broadband)==
Established in 2006, Austar Broadband operated as a trial network in [[Wagga Wagga]]<ref>Austar United Press Release: http://www.austarunited.com.au/pdf/06-06-08%20AUSTAR%20Broadband%20launch%20release%20-%20final.pdf</ref> and  [[Tamworth, New South Wales]].<ref>Austar United Press Release: http://www.austarunited.com.au/pdf/06-11-28%20AUSTAR%20broadband%20arrives%20in%20Tamworth.pdf</ref>

===Austar/Unwired Alliance===
In 2005, Austar United and wireless internet provider [[Unwired]] announced a deal to swap spectrum under either company's control to allow for interoperable wireless broadband services across the country. In 2006, Austar United and Unwired together with [[TPG Telecom|Soul Converged Telecommunications]] formed AUSAlliance for the purposes of obtaining funding from the Australian Government's Broadband Connect Infrastructure Program and rolling out a regional broadband network.<ref>Austar United Press Release: http://www.austarunited.com.au/pdf/06-03-29%20AUSTAR%20_%20Soul%20partner%20for%20regional%20b'dband%20network.pdf</ref>

===Austar/Opel agreement===
In 2008, Austar entered into an agreement to sell its 2.5 & 3.5 GHz spectrum licences to the OPEL consortium (Optus & Elders) for A$65 million and enter into a wholesale agreement with Optus for the resale of products operated by the OPEL consortium.<ref name="opelsale">[http://www.austarunited.com.au/pdf/08-01-07%20%20AUSTAR%20spectrum%20FINAL%20website.pdf Austar United Press Release] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719064013/http://www.austarunited.com.au/pdf/08-01-07%20%20AUSTAR%20spectrum%20FINAL%20website.pdf |date=19 July 2008 }}</ref> The sale was contingent on the OPEL network rollout, so was cancelled upon the cancellation of the OPEL network by the Australian Government.{{fact|date=March 2023}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Television|Australia}}
*[[Subscription television in Australia]]

==Notes==
:1. {{note|Table1|a|At 30 September 2008}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.austar.com.au/ Austar webpage] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100605122428/http://www.austar.com.au/ |date=5 June 2010 }}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080211101942/http://www.austarbroadband.com.au/ Austar Broadband]
*[http://www.austarunited.com.au/ Austar United webpage]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100525140806/http://www.austar.com.au/mystar/ MyStar webpage]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20111031203225/http://www.austar.com.au/tv/support/austarnet-closure.aspx Austarnet Closure]

{{Subscription television channels in Australia}}
{{CATV Africa, Asia, Middle East and Oceania}}

[[Category:Australian companies established in 1995]]
[[Category:Australian companies disestablished in 2012]]
[[Category:Direct broadcast satellite services]]
[[Category:Australian subscription television services]]
[[Category:Defunct telecommunications companies of Australia]]
[[Category:Companies based in Sydney]]
[[Category:Telecommunications companies established in 1995]]
[[Category:Telecommunications companies disestablished in 2012]]
[[Category:Companies formerly listed on the Australian Securities Exchange]]
[[Category:2012 mergers and acquisitions]]
[[Category:Foxtel]]