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SINGAPORE: While the rules will not change overnight, cable television subscribers grousing about the hassle of having two set-top boxes to get their football fix may be assured to know the Government is looking at the feasibility of a universal set-top box.
Discontent has been simmering since SingTel wrested English Premier League broadcast rights from StarHub last month.
Football fans will have to get SingTel's mio TV set-top box in order to tune in to the EPL next season, after the telco rejected StarHub chief executive Terry Clontz's idea of carrying SingTel's EPL content for free.
Acting Minister for Information, Communication and the Arts Lui Tuck Yew offered a glimmer of hope yesterday when he said: "By the third quarter of next year, we should be far, far clearer as to what the possibility is of (a common set-top box that is also under the Next Generation Interactive Multimedia, Applications and Services programme).
"But even before that, the suggestion by Terry Clontz to carry the EPL that is won by SingTel on StarHub is something that is worth looking into."
Adding that "you can be sure we are looking at it on a more broad-based level", Mr Lui was of the view that cross-streaming - if it happens at all - should not apply only to specific content, or to a single telco.
"We ought to do so for all programmes because there really shouldn't be anything that is so special about soccer," said Mr Lui, who was addressing a question from the audience at his Aljunied-Hougang division ministerial visit yesterday.
Dimming hopes of a quick fix, however, he added that the Government recognises the "sanctity of commercial transactions", and would give enough notice before the rules change.
When contacted, StarHub's head of corporate communications and investor relations Jeannie Ong said: "As we have stated, we do believe the best direction for Singapore is a universal set-top device connected to the new national broadband network ...
"If the Government chooses that path, we would be pleased to work with the Government to address any short term measures needed to make the transition as smooth as possible."
Meanwhile, SingTel's reply did not differ from its original stance. "We note the comments raised by the Minister. SingTel has always been focused on customer convenience and choice.
In fact, when we decided to enter the pay TV market in 2007 and offer Singaporeans a real choice, we had to invest in and develop our own pay TV network.
Given the investment in SingTel's mio TV and the features and functionality that it provides, we will use our own network to deliver our pay TV content and services to our customers," a spokesperson said.
- TODAY/sc
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