Orcon offers free YouTube; open to deal with Sky TV

State-owned ISP Orcon has kicked off a promo that lets its customers watch as much YouTube as they like, without it counting toward their monthly data cap.

The catch: the deal only lasts until the end of January.

So it’s all a bit blah.

Yet Orcon does already offer zero-rated data for a number of sites, including TVNZ.co.nz - home of a lot of video content. Streamed music from George FM, and mail traffic through Orcon’s servers, are also uncapped.

And last week, Sky TV boss John Fellet told NBR he was happy to offer a reanimated IPTV service - the only hold up was finding an ISP willing to offer unmetered data.

Sky TV’s marketing partner, Vodafone, is not up for it. Chief executive Russell Stanners said he does not believe in IPTV (that is, movies and TV shows delivered on-demand via the internet) or unmetered data.

Telecom is in the unmetered data camp. Chief executive of retail Alan Gourdie told NBR that locally cached content costs “almost nothing” to deliver. Yet Telecom Broadband is already spoken for with its exclusive TiVo relationship.

But Orcon is the champion of unmetered data.

So how about, Keallhauled asked Orcon head of brand Duncan Blair. Why not hook-up with the ready and waiting Sky TV?

“Orcon is the pioneer of zero rating data, and we’re open to discussions with anyone who wants to do it,” replied Mr Blair.

So:

Sky TV, met Orcon. Orcon, met Sky TV.

Get it on.

One issue is that Orcon, although our fourth largest ISP, has a modest customer base of around 150,000 - or in rough terms about 10% of the retail broadband market. Telecom Broadband enjoys 57%.

Again, this isn’t necessarily a handicap. Sky TV chief executive John Fellet has indicated to NBR that any IPTV would be non-exclusive. And a hook-up with Orcon could be just the way to get the ball rolling.