TrueVisions' Subscribers Outraged As TV Screens Goes Blank During EURO 2012

[JayBangkok]

Just to add my twopence worth on Thaiexpat TV... I'm subscribed, software only, working like a charm. I'm planning to use it on a month by month basis for now but very impressed with the streaming quality and consistency.

Also customer service very good, what with replies on here and quick response to tickets raised on the website. Nice one guys, a refreshing change from True, long may you stay in business!

Role on HD content, a few more channels and I may have to kiss True goodbye altogether, at least until Premiership starts up again!

What ISP do you use and what speed?

I've tried on 3x different ISPs now, working well on all 3.

TOT fiber 20/2 (actually 20-30mb DL domestic but only c.1mb international)

3BB Business 8/1 (actually only getting c.6mb DL domestic but strangely c.2mb international, quicker than TOT fiber!)

3BB Home 4 (actually getting 6mb, same as the Business line with similar international speeds!) This is the cheapo 590 bt a month package and it's great, but it's a brand new line/ junction box so I expect varies depending where you are and how many people you are "sharing" with down your street...

As it's based on local servers (this is the key point) most ISPs should be good, domestic DL speeds are usually fine, it's when you go international they drop right off...

Many thanks for the info

[volk666]

Just to add my twopence worth on Thaiexpat TV... I'm subscribed, software only, working like a charm. I'm planning to use it on a month by month basis for now but very impressed with the streaming quality and consistency.

Also customer service very good, what with replies on here and quick response to tickets raised on the website. Nice one guys, a refreshing change from True, long may you stay in business!

Role on HD content, a few more channels and I may have to kiss True goodbye altogether, at least until Premiership starts up again!

Or until someone sues this outfit for streaming content they have no rights to.

And it seems we are getting Euros on True after all...

And most of the other stuff is free, in HD if you want, on Piratebay/theBox anyway, especially upcoming US channels.

I always wonder why someone doesn't setup usenet servers here instead. Why mess up with all those 8,000 baht boxes, proprietary software that works only on Windows, streaming, streaming +6, streaming +10 etc? Just set a usenet farm and let people download whatever they want to watch in whatever format on whatever platform.

Edited June 8, 2012 by volk666

[MrRed]

This is the statement from NBTC

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission has ordered TrueVisions to let its subscribers view the European football championship on free-TV channels via their set-top boxes.

TrueVisions is duty bound to broadcast normal, over-the-air TV programmes without interruption under its terms of service and subscription advertisements, the NBTC's broadcasting committee said.

The committee held a five-hour meeting yesterday with representatives from local TV operators and TrueVisions to resolve the dispute between the cable operator and GMM Grammy, the Euro 2012 broadcast rights holder.

"It's the duty of TrueVisions to comply with its terms of service to its customers by broadcasting normal free-TV programmes continuously," said Col Natee Sukolrat, chairman of the NBTC broadcasting committee.

The ruling came only a day before Euro 2012 kicks off. TrueVisions subscribers had expressed concern about whether they would be able to watch the matches, which will run from today until July 1.

GMM Grammy, which holds the broadcast rights for Thailand from the Union of European Football Associations (Uefa), is promoting the matches through its satellite TV channel, which requires viewers to buy a dedicated 1,590-baht set-top box. Grammy has also leased airtime on channels 3, 5, and 9 to broadcast the football matches on a revenue-sharing basis.

Grammy had previously said that TrueVisions, which did not enter into a broadcasting agreement with the company, has no right to air the matches for its subscribers and would have to black out all matches during game time.

Alternatively, viewers may see the games through Grammy's partners on channels 3, 5 or 9 via a conventional antenna.

Col Natee said TrueVisions subscribers could file complaints against TrueVisions if they are unable to see the matches on free TV stations. TrueVisions could also face fines ranging from 50,000 baht to 5 million baht a day if the firm is found guilty of violating the 2008 Broadcasting and Television Business Act, he added.

Grammy meanwhile says it is bound by its contract with Uefa.

"We have to strictly comply with all conditions and rules under the agreement. Otherwise we might breach those rights," Thana Thienachariya, chief executive of GMM Z, the satellite TV arm of GMM Grammy, said.

TrueVisions meanwhile insists that its advertising and contracts with its subscribers are legitimate.

Sompan Charumilinda, the executive vice-chairman of TrueVisions, said its contracts for its Gold and Platinum packages specifically state that free-TV broadcasting _ channels 3, 5, 7, 9 and Thai PBS _ was not TrueVisions' own content or channels.

"If the Euro football matches are aired on the three free-TV channels of 3, 5 and 9, we should get the signals as well. We won't hold talks with GMM Grammy, the official broadcast rights holder, to pay any fee," Mr Sompan said.

Edited June 8, 2012 by MrRed

[reenatinnakor]

This is the statement from NBTC

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission has ordered TrueVisions to let its subscribers view the European football championship on free-TV channels via their set-top boxes.

TrueVisions is duty bound to broadcast normal, over-the-air TV programmes without interruption under its terms of service and subscription advertisements, the NBTC's broadcasting committee said.

The committee held a five-hour meeting yesterday with representatives from local TV operators and TrueVisions to resolve the dispute between the cable operator and GMM Grammy, the Euro 2012 broadcast rights holder.

"It's the duty of TrueVisions to comply with its terms of service to its customers by broadcasting normal free-TV programmes continuously," said Col Natee Sukolrat, chairman of the NBTC broadcasting committee.

The ruling came only a day before Euro 2012 kicks off. TrueVisions subscribers had expressed concern about whether they would be able to watch the matches, which will run from today until July 1.

GMM Grammy, which holds the broadcast rights for Thailand from the Union of European Football Associations (Uefa), is promoting the matches through its satellite TV channel, which requires viewers to buy a dedicated 1,590-baht set-top box. Grammy has also leased airtime on channels 3, 5, and 9 to broadcast the football matches on a revenue-sharing basis.

Grammy had previously said that TrueVisions, which did not enter into a broadcasting agreement with the company, has no right to air the matches for its subscribers and would have to black out all matches during game time.

Alternatively, viewers may see the games through Grammy's partners on channels 3, 5 or 9 via a conventional antenna.

Col Natee said TrueVisions subscribers could file complaints against TrueVisions if they are unable to see the matches on free TV stations. TrueVisions could also face fines ranging from 50,000 baht to 5 million baht a day if the firm is found guilty of violating the 2008 Broadcasting and Television Business Act, he added.

Grammy meanwhile says it is bound by its contract with Uefa.

"We have to strictly comply with all conditions and rules under the agreement. Otherwise we might breach those rights," Thana Thienachariya, chief executive of GMM Z, the satellite TV arm of GMM Grammy, said.

TrueVisions meanwhile insists that its advertising and contracts with its subscribers are legitimate.

Sompan Charumilinda, the executive vice-chairman of TrueVisions, said its contracts for its Gold and Platinum packages specifically state that free-TV broadcasting _ channels 3, 5, 7, 9 and Thai PBS _ was not TrueVisions' own content or channels.

"If the Euro football matches are aired on the three free-TV channels of 3, 5 and 9, we should get the signals as well. We won't hold talks with GMM Grammy, the official broadcast rights holder, to pay any fee," Mr Sompan said.

Thanks for this post! It doesn't say anything though, must be politicians that wrote it. So does that mean we will be able to watch tonight's Poland Greece game via the True box or not?!! Or we just have to wait til 10pm to find out? I have a CRT set ready in the spare room with a good picture on Ch3 if I get a blank screen.

I don't know why everyone hates True?? this is the 1st time I have encountered an issue after subscribing for 4 years. If I need to watch EPL, La Liga, the 4 tennis majors and the Rugby tournaments are people trying to tell me there's a cheaper alternative? I am also in the countryside....on a crappy TOT satellite dish internet with 100kb download even tho I pay 2600 per month for 1mb. I don't see many alternatives for the many people in the countryside like me. Apart from fly to HK and Japan...which is what I do alot of anyway.

[george]

This topic continues here:

TrueVisions subscribers can watch Euro 2012 matches

Full story:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/561164-truevisions-subscribers-can-watch-euro-2012-matches/