The Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) has issued a direction ordering SingTel’s mio TV to cross-carry all live matches from the upcoming three seasons of the Barclays Premier League (BPL) with rival operator StarHub, starting from 2013/2014 to 2015/2016. SingNet Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of SingTel, has since informed the Minister for Communications and Information of its intention to appeal against the Direction issued by the MDA.

The Minister for Communications and Information will give due consideration to SingNet’s appeal and hear representations from both SingNet and MDA before making a final decision on the appeal. 

This decision comes six months after SingTel’s mio TV secured the rights on a non-exclusive basis in October  2012, which industry observers TV ASIA Plus spoke to believe might be “exclusive in disguise”.

Below is a statement from Ms Jeannie Ong, Head of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations, StarHub, on the latest cross-carriage direction:

“We welcome the decision of the MDA to make the BPL subject to the cross-carriage measure. Singapore viewers are the biggest beneficiaries of this decision and we are excited to be able to bring the BPL to our customers on our reliable network once again.”