The Italian unit of UK-based telco Vodafone has signed a content partnership with Mediaset’s pay-TV arm, the companies said in a statement.The offer bundles voice and data services with Mediaset Premium’s exclusive content such as live Champions…
The Italian unit of UK-based telco Vodafone has signed a content partnership with Mediaset’s pay-TV arm, the companies said in a statement.
The offer bundles voice and data services with Mediaset Premium’s exclusive content such as live Champions League soccer matches, movies and TV series, with content distributed via Vodafone Italy’s 4G network.
Mediaset is also expected to announce a commercial deal with Telecom Italia in the coming weeks, similar to the one the incumbent signed with Sky Italia in April, in a bid to diversify its offering by expanding into the pay-TV segment. That content is distributed via fibre and ADSL.
Commenting on the Sky deal, TI CEO Patuano said at the time: “Today, in Italy, with Sky, we are starting a new collaboration model between telco and media companies that allows us to go to the market with a fully convergent offer.”
The sudden surge in media-telco partnerships is likely to have been prompted by Netflix’s imminent Italian launch, scheduled for October.
French media group Vivendi, which has recently become TI’s largest shareholder with a 14.9% stake, aims to transform the Rome-based telco into a content distribution platform for its subsidiaries Universal Music Group and pay-TV operator Canal Plus.
In recent months, rumours emerged that Vivendi was pushing for a merger between TI and Mediaset.
Analysts believe that Mediaset could be a good strategic option for Vivendi, which is reviewing pay-TV targets, having nearly exited telecoms investments in France, Brazil and Morocco, with a view to focusing on media and content.
A tie-up with Mediaset, which also operates leading Spanish TV network Mediaset Espana, would give the French group a chance to expand into the Italian and Spanish content sectors.
However, a potential deal would likely face intense regulatory and political scrutiny.
