Foxtel is set to come under intense scrutiny when it reports fourth-quarter results next month amid evidence that a considerable number of its customers has abandoned its drama and movie packs – some of them in favour of new, cheaper streaming services led by Netflix.

The cable and satellite TV monopoly, which is owned by News Corp and Telstra, has experienced significant "spin-down" – customers cherry-picking channels and cutting their bills – since it changed its pricing model in November. Sources are divided on whether the negative reaction has been comfortably within the anticipated range.

Would a cut to licence fees save commercial networks? Credit:Viki Lascaris

Despite this, Foxtel is expected to have grown its subscriber base rapidly in the period to June 30, helped by chief executive Richard Freudenstein's decision to slash the price of its basic service from $49 to $25 and give households more chances to select which channels they want to receive.

The company, which makes about $1 billion in underlying profit – more than the three metropolitan commercial free-to-air network owners combined – is also expected to report record low churn (the percentage of customers defecting).