eircom broadband and Setanta Sports

SectionF

I see that in order to get Setanta Sports video content online, you have to have an eircom broadband package. (http://sports.eircom.net/sports/setanta/setantaerror.jsp?errCode=200)

It strikes me that this is deeply anti-competitive. Are there any opinions on whether it is legal, or could it be considered a restrictive practice?

MOH

It doesn't seem to be something that Setanta advertise on their own website (unless I'm missing it), more some kind of exclusive special offer thing you get through Eircom. Don't see how it's any different to any exclusive offer you might get with any company.

thefinalstage

SectionF wrote: »

I see that in order to get Setanta Sports video content online, you have to have an eircom broadband package. (http://sports.eircom.net/sports/setanta/setantaerror.jsp?errCode=200)

It strikes me that this is deeply anti-competitive. Are there any opinions on whether it is legal, or could it be considered a restrictive practice?

It is merely a deal that eircom offer as they got permission from Setanta.

BTW: They don't provide the setanta sport service anymore.

Cabaal

SectionF wrote: »

I see that in order to get Setanta Sports video content online, you have to have an eircom broadband package. (http://sports.eircom.net/sports/setanta/setantaerror.jsp?errCode=200)

It strikes me that this is deeply anti-competitive. Are there any opinions on whether it is legal, or could it be considered a restrictive practice?

How is it?
Eircom paid the rights to show it on-line, is no different to Sky Sports having the rights to numnerous matches that no other channels can thus forcing people to buy Sky Sports if they want to watch them

You may not like it but that doesn't make it illegal

http://www.setanta.com/ has a live on demand link on there website for UK Only customers http://www.setanta.com/uk/How-To-Subscribe/Broadband/

SectionF

Cabaal wrote: »

How is it?
Eircom paid the rights to show it on-line, is no different to Sky Sports having the rights to numnerous matches that no other channels can thus forcing people to buy Sky Sports if they want to watch them

You may not like it but that doesn't make it illegal

http://www.setanta.com/ has a live on demand link on there website for UK Only customers http://www.setanta.com/uk/How-To-Subscribe/Broadband/

The difference is that eircom don't own the content, where Sky do.

Setanta is (was?) offering a service but you weren't allowed to buy it unless you changed over to their chums. Imagine that you had to go exclusively via NTL if you wanted to watch BBC.

Probably academic if indeed it has been discontinued, although it was advertised on the eircom site yesterday.

Cabaal

SectionF wrote: »

The difference is that eircom don't own the content, where Sky do.

Setanta is (was?) offering a service but you weren't allowed to buy it unless you changed over to their chums. Imagine that you had to go exclusively via NTL if you wanted to watch BBC.

Probably academic if indeed it has been discontinued, although it was advertised on the eircom site yesterday.

Regardless Eircom still had the rights to the service and may have even provided the required backhaul for it, there's nothing illegal about this.

Of course if you believe that it is illegal in your own mind pursue it and see how far you get, good luck with it