FetchTV launches 50 World Channels for foreign language speakers

Sydney, 29 November 2010 - FetchTV today announced details of its World Channels packages which will dramatically expand the entertainment options available for foreign language speakers in Australia.

The new World Channels available include:

• Fifteen leading Mandarin channels in The Great Wall TV Package
• Twelve leading Singaporean and Taiwanese Mandarin channels
• Twelve leading Hindi channels
• Eleven leading Pakistani channels.

The new packages will expand the viewing options for the over 220,000 Mandarin speakers; the 230,000 plus Australians of Indian origin; and the up to 35,000 Australians of Pakistani origin.More world channels, including Greek and Italian, will follow in 2011.

Scott Lorson, CEO, Fetchtv said: Multicultural programming is an important part of the FetchTV strategy, which recognises and caters for Australia's diverse range of cultural backgrounds.

The holy grail is getting the right content to the right people at the right price. Adding world channels alongside the extensive English language content, combined with our unique delivery model, means Australia's rich multicultural population can access a huge range of international programming in a way that wasn't possible before.

iiNet's Chief Technology Officer Greg Bader said: We're proud to be the first internet provider in Australia to offer this revolutionary service. Today's announcement is part of iiNet's commitment to adding value for our customers and we look forward to making further announcements on new IPTV content in the future.

FetchTV is available via Australian ISPs and is delivered to the customer's TV via a standard broadband connection and a FetchTV set top box (STB). Programming is available in broadcast quality (including HD where available) and is unmetered, meaning it doesn't count towards internet downloading quotas.

Because FetchTV is delivered over broadband, a satellite dish is not required to receive the packages. This means that the new services can be accessed by a larger proportion of the Hindi, Pakistani and Mandarin speaking communities than can receive existing subscription TV options.

Each world package is available for an additional $19.95, on top of the basic $29.95 a month subscription package which includes:

• Fifteen leading linear subscription channels including:
• CNBC Australia, BBC World News, Fox Sports News; National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo Adventure, Baby TV, Discovery Turbo, Discovery Home & Health, Discovery TLC, Discovery Science, Animal Planet, E! Entertainment Television, MTV Music Television, MTV Classic and MTV Hits
• Six VOD channels:
  • Gekko and HiJinx -children's channels featuring Bob the Builder, The Wiggles, Banana's in Pajamas and more
  • Warner TV - featuring Gossip Girl, The Big Bang Theory and other series
  • Frontiers - science fiction programming including Stargate, Outer Limits and Poltergeist the legacy
  • Profiles and Chronicles -featuring award winning biography and history programs from AETN.
• Five international News channels in English; NDTV 24x7 from India; CCTV News from China; France 24; euronews and Al Jazeera English.
• Movie Box including 30 movies from Roadshow Entertainment, Warner, Disney Media Distribution and MGM available at any time:
  • Movies are refreshed seven each week, with each movie available instantly on-demand for 30 days.
• Access to a pay-per-view library of new-release and classic movies from the main movie studios. PPV movies are priced at $3.95 for a library film, $5.95 for a standard definition film and $6.95 for an HD film.
• Interactive content such as games and applications for Facebook, Wiki, Twitter and more.
• The FetchTV set-top-box provides access t o all available digital free-to air channels. It also contains a digital video recorder with a 1 TB hard disk, three digital tuners (so you can record two and watch a third channel), the ability to pause, rewind and record live TV and true 1080p HD quality.

About FetchTV

FetchTV is an Australian founded and owned business, with backing from the Malaysian based ASTRO ALL ASIA NETWORKS subscription TV group.

FetchTV is a wholesale subscription TV provider to leading Australian ISPs. The fetchtv service is unique in that it provides access to digital free-to-air channels, subscription channels, video on-demand and interactive content via an unmetered broadband connection. Content is delivered to the TV in SD and HD quality, instantly with no downloading delays.

FetchTV Australia is not affiliated with Fetch TV UK of the same name. The technology deployed and business model are substantively different.

About iiNet

iiNet is Australia's second largest DSL Internet Service Provider (ISP) and the leading challenger in the telecommunications market. We employ more than 2000 inquisitive staff across four countries and support over 1.3 million broadband, telephony and Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) services nationwide.

We're a publicly listed company and we maintain our own super-fast broadband network. Our vision is to lead the market with products that harness the potential of the Internet and then differentiate with award-winning customer service.

To achieve this, we employ creative thinkers and true advocates of technology. Our people are a huge part of the iiNet success story, so we've developed a unique and stimulating work culture to ensure they remain engaged and inspired.

A lot has changed since our CEO founded iiNet in a suburban garage back in 1993 and the broadband landscape continues to evolve. What hasn't changed is our passion for the transformative benefits of the Internet and our commitment to helping Australians connect better.