4K or Ultra High Definition is a ubiquitous buzz word when it comes to TV and streaming services, and yet Foxtel isn’t its biggest fan. As Australia’s only pay TV provider you’d assume Foxtel would be at the cutting edge of bringing cinema quality into our homes. Alas, this assumption does what assumptions are want to do.
Although Foxtel isn’t leading the charge with 4K content, there are still ways to put your UHD television to good use via the service.
- How to get 4K on Foxtel
- Foxtel 4K Channels
- Foxtel On Demand 4K Content
- Why doesn’t Foxtel have 4K streaming?
How to get 4K on Foxtel
Foxtel has a limited amount of 4K channels available as part of its Pay TV service. These are delivered by satellite, and as such, you'll need to have a satellite Foxtel service to get these. If you're on a cable Foxtel service, you'll need to switch to a satellite service to beam 4K sport into your eyeballs.
In addition, you'll need to have the version iteration of the Foxtel iQ box, iQ4. This is the only box that supports 4K and Ultra HD streaming any preceding iQ boxes will not be able to support Ultra HD content and instead will downscale that content to regular ole HD.
If you’re on a box with a lower IQ then you can upgrade to the iQ4 through your Foxtel account. To do so;
- Login in to My Account
- Go to the My Package tab and click Change my Subscription
- Select Enhance your iQ experience
- Click the + next to Upgrade your Primary Box
- Select the iQ4 and click Upgrade
It’s likely that this upgrade will change your monthly payments and may incur an additional fee. Fee changes will differ depending on your current plan and set-top box.
If you're not already on a satellite Foxtel plan, Foxtel will walk you through the options when request the upgrade.
Note that Foxtel boxes always remain the property of the provider so you will need to return any newer iQ models - namely the iQ3 and iQ4. Any earlier boxes (including Austar boxes, which is a blast from the past) are yours to keep. If you want them that is.
Foxtel 4K Channels
When we say ‘limited content’ we really mean it. There’s only two channels actually showing 4K: Movies Ultra HD and Sports Ultra HD. These are channel 508 and channel 400, respectively.
To access these channels they will need to be part of your package, 4K is available in any of the below packages.
| Package | Price on 12 month contract | Price outside of contract | 4K Movies | 4K Sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Movies HD | $59 per month | $69 per month | Yes | No |
| Sports HD | $59 per month | $74 per month | No | Yes |
| Premium HD | $84 per month | $99 per month | Yes | Yes |
| Platinum Plus | $109 per month | $139 per month | Yes | Yes |
Not all content on these channels is 4K but a collection of it is, the rest will simply be upscaled by your iQ4 set top box. All 4K televisions upscale SD and HD content automatically although the quality is dependent on the processor in your TV. If you’re using Foxtel however, the set-top box will do the upscaling instead of your television.
More on 4K
As you're reading you might find yourself with more questions (and hopefully a few answers as well).
Here's some of our best guides to answer your 4K related questions.
Foxtel 4K On Demand
Foxtel currently doesn’t offer 4K streaming on any of it’s streaming platforms. Neither Kayo, Foxtel Now, nor Binge have any Ultra HD content on demand.
Why doesn’t Foxtel have 4K streaming?
The pay TV giant pins its limited 4K offering on poor internet speeds. According to the Foxtel website, “Ultra HD via streaming requires a consistent, high-speed internet connection but the Ultra HD quality isn’t always guaranteed”.
Netflix says you’ll need a minimum of 25Mbps download speeds in order to consistently stream 4K content, although we've been able to stream 4K content via the service with speeds as low as 10Mbps on ADSL connection. Realistically Foxtel subscribers would only need to be on an NBN 25 plan to enjoy 4K on demand, through Binge, Kayo, or Foxtel Now.
Competing streaming services such as Stan, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and Apple TV+ all offer 4K streaming in Australia.
When it comes to its traditional service pay TV, Foxtel uses satellite to deliver 4K content.
Anula Wiwatowska
Offsite Editorial Lead | Instagram
Related Articles
Find a Better Pay TV Package
Compare options from Foxtel, Fetch TV, Netflix, Stan and more.
