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Sky faces EU competition objections over geoblocking
2015-07-23 14:48:00| Telecompaper Headlines
(Telecompaper) The European Commission has accused UK pay-TV provider Sky and major US studios of anti-competitive behaviour for blocking access to Sky services in the rest of Europe. The EC sent a statement of objections to Sky and the studios Disney, NBCUniversal, Paramount Pictures, Sony, Twentieth Century Fox and Warner Bros, outlining its concerns about clauses in their content licensing deals that prohibit EU consumers located elsewhere to access, via satellite or online, Sky's pay-TV services available in the UK and Ireland. The case represents a clear test of the EC's plans to end so-called geoblocking, where content is limited to specific countries, and reform EU copyright law to allow for cross-border, multi-country distribution of audio and video content. Sky and the studios will have the chance to respond to the EC's allegations before the Commission decides to bring formal charges of competition violations.
Tags: competition
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Category:Telecommunications