Foxtel has sold 15,000 of its new Foxtel HD+ subscriptions and its iQ2 next-generation set-top boxes even before its official launch, due this Sunday, June 22. The launch marks the start of the Australian pay-TV provider’s first high definition offering. The iQ2 has three tuners, a 320GB disk drive and a broadband connection. A marketing campaign, titled “Wonders will never cease” will mark the launch of the service, as will a high definition broadcast of a World Cup soccer qualifying match, Australia vs China.

There are five HD channels available at launch: BBC HD, Discovery HD, National Geographic Channel HD, Fox Sports HD and ESPN HD. A Foxtel Box Office HD On Demand service will also be available, with Foxtel downloading movies on to all subscribers’ iQ2 set-tops which subs then pay to access.

Foxtel’s iQ2 set-top and the high definition channel package has been available to exsiting subscribers for a few weeks. Chief executive Kim Williams said that the 15,000 subscribers that have already chosen the service repreesnted “extremely strong take up”.

High definition broadcasting has been available in Australia since 2001, free-to-air on the country’s digital-terrestrial platform, so penetration of HD Ready sets is high and awareness of high definition broadcasting is also likely to be at good levels. Until recently, however, only simulcasts of the analogue channels were allowed in HD. That changed late last year with all three of the commercial terrestrial networks (Seven, Nine and Ten) now offering stand-alone HD channels on DTT.

But Foxtel’s service comes at a fairly hefty price. Subscribers must pay an initial A$200 to get the new box, then another A$10 a month for the iQ2 PVR subscription. As well as paying for their regular standard definition package, if subs want to watch HD channels, they must pay either A$10 a month for the sport package (HD Sport) or the documentary/drama package (HD Explore) or A$15 a month for the HD Complete package, which includes all the linear programming. The HD programming is only available if subs also take a higher tier standard-def package.

Foxtel’s preferred option for their subscribers, however, is to pay A$131 a month for everything the operator has to offer, including two Foxtel Box Office movies per billing cycle.

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