High-definition coverage of the Olympics on HD5 free for cable TV customers with HD set-top box
‘Live’ streaming of six Olympic TV channels on mobile free for StarHub Mobile post-paid customers
Singapore, 17 July 2008 – With less than a month to go before the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games kicks off on 8 August 2008, StarHub unveiled goodies of olympic proportions for its customers! The info-communications provider is set to break new ground in the local arena of sports broadcasting by offering viewers in Singapore unprecedented Olympic Games coverage across its cable TV and mobile platforms.
StarHub will offer Beijing 2008 Olympic Games coverage across six dedicated cable TV channels - OLYMPICS 1 to 6 (Channels 601 to 606). All Olympic channels will run daily from as early as 8am, and will carry ‘live’ and delayed programming till midnight. The channels are made available free to StarHub’s cable TV customers with a HubStation, digital or High Definition (HD) set-top box.
The six Olympic channels will telecast a variety of sports, including the complete coverage of all football matches, athletic and swimming events. StarHub will also air selected sports involving the participation of Singapore’s Olympic contingent.
Mr Adit Harinasuta, StarHub's Head of Services and Solutions reiterated StarHub’s commitment to offer viewers the most comprehensive selection of sports content on local television. He said, “The Olympic Games is the world’s most compelling sporting event that inspires and unifies audiences worldwide. As Singapore’s leading sports content provider, StarHub shares our local viewers’ passion for sports. We want viewers to be able to truly experience the games and immerse themselves in it, even from the comfort of their homes. We are proud to set new standards of Olympics broadcasting with six free TV channels dedicated to the games – a first ever for StarHub and for Singapore.”
Also for the first time ever, StarHub will offer HD coverage of the Olympics via MediaCorp’s HD5 (Channel 300), which will be available at no extra cost from 28 July 2008 to all cable TV customers with an HD-ready TV set and StarHub’s HD set-top box.
StarHub’s cable TV customers with the analogue set-top box will be able to access ‘live’ coverage of selected Olympic events, including the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games opening and closing ceremonies, on StarHub’s Preview Channel (Channel 01).
To meet the viewing needs of sports fans on-the-go, StarHub will make available for free, a ‘live’ stream of each of the six Olympic TV channels on its mobile platform to all StarHub Mobile post-paid customers with any 3G or 3.5G (i.e. HSPA-capable) handset. Customers may access these six channels via the MobileTV Xtra site on StarHub’s Gee! portal from 6 August 2008. MobileTV Xtra is a value-added service, and users will not incur data access charges when viewing the ‘live’ streaming of the Olympic Games on their mobile phones, as customers can view and surf sites on StarHub’s Gee! portal for free.
StarHub will also introduce a new mobile TV client application that will be available for download on selected handsets from 6 August 2008 to enhance the viewing experience for customers accessing the Olympic channels on their mobile phones. The new application not only enables viewers to switch seamlessly and effortlessly between mobile TV channels, it also offers an Electronic Programme Guide, whereby users may select their preferred channels via the Guide interface. Customers may download this application from StarHub’s MobileTV Xtra site in the Gee! portal. Alternatively, they may send an SMS with the keyword “LIVETV” to 6757. StarHub will reply with a link for users to download the application.
Mr Harinasuta said, “We are thrilled to be the first in Singapore to offer sports fans exciting Olympic Games action ‘live’ on their mobile phones. Streaming ‘live’ sports content on mobile is not new to StarHub. Our mobile customers have been able to receive coverage of the Barclays Premier League and the recently concluded UEFA Euro football tournament ‘live’ on their mobile phones. We are dedicated to consistently achieve even more for our customers. At StarHub, we celebrate Freedom, and we want to empower sports fans with the freedom to get their fix of sporting action on-the-go, wherever they are.”
The telecast of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games will commence on StarHub Digital Cable from 6 August 2008, starting with the preliminary rounds of Men’s and Women’s football. StarHub will also air an uninterrupted telecast of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony ‘live’ on 8 August 2008 at 8pm. The Closing Ceremony will be aired on 24 August 2008 at 8pm.
For updated telecast schedules, viewers may refer to the On-screen TV Guide or StarHub’s Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Online Programme Guide from 1 August 2008 onwards.
