Australian public-service broadcaster SBS has struck a deal to continue to simulcast coverage of 2018 Fifa World Cup matches until the end of the tournament after extending an agreement with telco Optus.
Optus, which has exclusive rights in Australia to the majority of matches from the ongoing national team football tournament, agreed the deal after the telco’s subscribers complained about the subscription-streaming service’s connection issues, dropouts and other faults.
An initial 48-hour simulcast deal covering the fifth and sixth days of the competition was extended until the end of the group stage, but the arrangement has now been prolonged up to and including the final on July 15.
Optus chief executive Allen Lew, who offered “an unreserved apology to those customers that have been let down” earlier in the tournament, said: “We had technical issues with the Optus Sport service over the first weekend of the tournament but we are confident that these issues have now been addressed.”
SBS had free-to-air rights for all of Australia’s matches at the tournament, as well as selected games from the group and knockout stages, both semi-finals and the final. Australia has been knocked out of the tournament at the group stage.
Optus, which claims to have fixed the streaming issue, has opened up its app and streaming services for free through to August 31, with subscribers who have already paid for the service receiving full refunds.