Considering the fact that TiVo are now offering full movie downloads that weigh in somewhere between 1-2GB each, having unmetered downloads for the DVR is a must have. I’d say it’s a safe bet we’ll be seeing even more ISPs start to offer unmetered downloads on the TiVo – and other media services – in the coming months.

iPrimus customers get unmetered freedom on their TiVo

iPrimus announced today that it has signed an agreement with Hybrid Television Services (ANZ) Pty Limited, the exclusive licence holder for TiVo in Australia and New Zealand, to offer unmetering to TiVo media devices owned by iPrimus customers. This includes downloads of video content as well as services (like weather and games), software updates and electronic program guide data that are also delivered over the internet.

iPrimus General Manager, Marketing & Products, Andrew Sims said: “Our customers do not need to pay twice for a movie experience on a TiVo – now they can purchase a movie download on a TiVo media device confident that the movie size will not impact their monthly data allowance. This means our customers can use their broadband data allowance for other internet activities without their TiVo usage counting towards their plan’s allowance.

“Over the coming months we will also be retailing TiVo devices to our customers, as well as providing new customers with an option to purchase a TiVo in a bundle which includes an outstanding internet service and of course unmetering to the TiVo is part of the deal. This means that customers can spread the cost of the TiVo across their internet plan,” Sims said.

From June, current iPrimus broadband customers will enjoy unmetered access to content and services on the TiVo device.

iPrimus CEO, Ravi Bhatia said: “We are truly excited to be working with Hybrid TV in providing our customers with quality content-driven broadband services. Our high speed broadband network is ideally suited for fast delivery of content like popular movies on TiVo – at arguably the best prices in Australia today. This is just another example of our pro-activity to meet the changing demands of our customers.”

Robbee Minicola, CEO of Hybrid TV commented: “To have an internet service provider of the calibre of iPrimus join us in providing Australians with the freedom to download content and services into their TiVo without any penalty or impact on monthly download quotas is simply outstanding.

“We know that the switch from analogue to digital TV has many people looking for the right investment to upgrade their old telly. With a TiVo media device delivering all of the Freeview channels in both standard and high definition as well as the ability to download movies and access to services and games – a TiVo becomes far more compelling than your average DVR or even pay TV.”

TiVo joins the growing list of content iPrimus has added to its unmetered data offering over the last six months, which includes the ABC iView service, Lingo, the iPrimus VoIP service and the iPrimus download mirror, with more to be announced over the coming months.

[iPrimus]

One can only hope that the farcical nature of this trial process is because the government is slowly pulling away from the whole idea. Because if this is the best the government can do, we all need to be really, really scared for the future of our freedoms online…

iPrimus to participate in ISP filtering pilot

iPrimus announced today that it will be participating in the Australian Government’s ISP filtering pilot.

iPrimus is among six service providers selected by the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy to participate in the ISP filtering ‘live’ pilot after submitting an expression of interest.

iPrimus’ General Manager of Marketing & Products, Andrew Sims said, “Our customer demographics are well suited to the trial, with a large concentration of families with young children who would welcome the ability to opt-in to a content filtering trial.”

“It will be offered on an opt-in basis and customer participation will be totally voluntary. The ability for the customer to opt-in to the trial provides them ultimate freedom over their internet experience. We expect to gather a lot of interesting data from the trial, especially surrounding how well filtering works in practice and our customers’ responses to it.”

iPrimus will be looking for customers to participate in the trial and will provide feedback on an ongoing basis.

Sims said, “It will be important to receive feedback from our customers on this pilot. Our customers will be notified via email details about the trial including when it will begin, how they can choose to opt-in and where they can post their feedback.”

The trial is expected to begin late April or early May and will run for a period of six weeks.

More information on the iPrimus’ trial, including Frequently Asked Questions will be available at http://www.iprimus.com.au along with instructions on how customers can participate.

[Internode and iPrimus]

The good news is that iPrimus yesterday broke trend with the rest of the mobile broadband providing networks by offering services that shape your data speeds rather than charge you excess, something ADSL has been offering for years.
There are several plans – 6GB for $39.95 over 24 months with a free modem, plus a 12GB option for $79.95. Or you could opt for 1GB for $29.95. If you go over that quota, you’ll be throttled back to 64Kbps speeds (from the usual 3G/HSDPA speeds, which vary between 200Kbps to 3.6Mbps).

The service will run on the back of Optus’s network, but only on the 2100MHz spectrum used in the main cities, not the 900MHz spectrum Optus is currently rolling out across the country.

While it’s still not enough to make you replace your home broadband connection, it’s good to see wireless finally being treated as a potential replacement to the need to be tethered to your phone line or cable.

[iPrimus - Thanks Adam]