ITV

Tag: BeoutQ

  • Arabsat denies giving signal to BeoutQ, demands apology from FIFA

    Arabsat denies giving signal to BeoutQ, demands apology from FIFA

    MUMBAI: A few days ago FIFA accused the Saudi Arabia’s satellite operator Arabsat of being involved in the act of transmitting pirated signals of the World Cup to BeoutQ. Arabsat president and CEO Khalid Balkheyour has strongly denied the involvement. Instead, Arabsat is demanding an apology from FIFA for its allegation.

    In a letter it wrote to the body on 15 July, it said that seven independent satellite communications experts confirm that its satellite frequencies had not been used by BeoutQ. Balkheyour said, “Arabsat has always been confident that our satellite network has not been used by BeoutQ.”

    “Nevertheless, we undertook a very costly investigation to eliminate any doubts and to provide evidence to share with FIFA and the world. Arabsat has been deeply offended and harmed by beIN’s and FIFA’s attacks,” he declared. “Now that FIFA has been proven wrong, it should apologise for making such offensive statements” he added.

    BeoutQ users point their dishes to 26 degrees East, which either means an Arabsat slot, or its neighbour (at 25.5 deg East) Eutelsat 25B and its spacecraft partner Es’Hail 1. FIFA claims that BeoutQ was operating on Arabsat frequency 12341 MHz (and normally home to MBC ‘Pro Sports’ transmissions) for several World Cup matches and also 11996 MHz.

    The experts showed that that frequency carried no video content at all dates and times mentioned by FIFA. Arabsat’s expert also added that blocking the frequency had no effect on BeoutQ’s pirate World Cup broadcasts, and that only legitimate broadcasts (e.g., BBC, Sky News and CNBC) were available on that. Saudi Arabia denies BeoutQ as an entity of the country.

    BeoutQ users need to buy a dedicated ‘DreamBox’ satellite decoder receiver (for about 430 Saudi Riyals-[€98.60]). The marketing offer promises that buyers will also receive all of MBC’s (legitimate) sports channels and tournaments like Champions League, Premier League, Fifa World Cup’18, La Liga, Bundes Liga and many more.

  • FIFA legal action against BeoutQ for WC piracy

    FIFA legal action against BeoutQ for WC piracy

    MUMBAI: FIFA will be taking legal action against Saudi Arabia-based BeoutQ, a pirated TV service operating in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), which continues its illegal piracy of 2018 FIFA World Cup broadcasts, according to an official statement, carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

    This will be the first time where FIFA has recognised Saudi Arabia’s role in the service. FIFA has urged the authorities of Saudi Arabia and of the different countries where these illegal activities have been observed to support it in the fight against piracy.

    Saudi Arabia has consistently denied its involvement with BeoutQ and the country’s media ministry released a statement last week condemning suggestions that it has been complicit in the operation of the service. However, BeoutQ broadcasts from a Riyadh-based Arabsat satellite.

    According to FIFA’s official statement, “It is observed that the pirate entity named ‘beoutQ’ continues to use illegally the 2018 FIFA World Cup broadcast signal. Accordingly, FIFA has engaged counsel to take legal action in Saudi Arabia and is working alongside other sports rights owners that have also been affected to protect its interest.”

    Although FIFA has now acknowledged the Arab nation’s contribution to BeoutQ, it has also called on other countries to join the fight against piracy. One of the biggest victims of BeoutQ has been Qatar-back broadcasting giant BeIN Sports, which has had its World Cup feeds stolen throughout the tournament.

    Last week, tennis governing bodies also issued a joint statement condemning BeoutQ’s pirated coverage of major tennis tournaments across the MENA region over the past year.

  • NBCUniversal accuses BeoutQ of illegal streaming of FIFA World Cup in MENA

    NBCUniversal accuses BeoutQ of illegal streaming of FIFA World Cup in MENA

    MUMBAI: NBCUniversal, an American multi-national media conglomerate owned by Comcast, has accused a pirated streaming service called BeoutQ in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) for illegally broadcasting the FIFA 2018 World Cup matches.

    NBC’s Telemundo unit, which holds the Spanish-language rights to the 2018 World Cup in the US, said that it is working closely with FIFA to protect its rights.

    BeoutQ claims to be backed by Colombian, Cuban and Middle Eastern investors.  

    “We take intellectual property infringement seriously,” NBC said, according to a statement in Rapid TV News. The company also added that it is working closely with FIFA, international soccer’s governing body, to protect its rights.”

    Telemundo is not the first to complain. Qatari sports network beIN, a major rights holder in the Middle East and North Africa, has for months accused BeoutQ of copying its streams in Saudi Arabia.

    The pirated channel has emerged as a result of the year-long poltical dispute in four countries – Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and UAE.

    As Egypt is playing in the World Cup for the first time since 1990, it has asked FIFA to allow them to broadcast games.

    The World Cup is the most-watched sporting event in the world, and its rights, generally sold by region or by country, are among the most valuable in sports.

    NBCUniversal has paid about $600 million for the American Spanish-language rights for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.

    Also Read :

    Sony partners with Markscan to tackle illegal streaming during FIFA World Cup

    Disney makes $70.3 billion counterbid for Twenty-First Century Fox