Australian telecommunications company Telstra released pricing details of its live streaming service for the Australian Football League, the country’s top Aussie rules league, in its latest attempt to counter the threat posed by rival telco Optus.
A season-long subscription to the AFL Live application will cost A$50 (€41/$54), with every AFL match available via a live stream to fans’ iPhone, iPad and Android phone or tablet devices. A monthly subscription will cost A$10 and a single game can be streamed for A$5.
Telstra and the AFL suffered a setback earlier this month when Australia’s Federal Court judged that Optus did not breach copyright laws by allowing subscribers to its TV Now service to watch league matches broadcast on free-to-air television channels on their mobile phones with a short time delay. Unlike Telstra, Optus does not hold any rights for the AFL, and the league has pledged to appeal the judgment.
The West Australian newspaper reported all Optus mobile customers are entitled to 45 minutes of free recording time under the telco’s current pricing plans, but must then pay A$6.99 per month for five hours of recording time, or A$9.99 per month for 20 hours.
Last year, Telstra acquired online streaming rights for the AFL in a five-year deal, from 2012 to 2016, worth A$153 million. Under the terms of the deal, Telstra is also responsible for operating the official websites of the AFL and its clubs.