ROMA – The Antitrust Authority gives the green light to the agreement between Tim and Dazn on football. The commitments that the two companies assume, therefore, have convinced the guarantor of competition a not to decide on urgent measures in its precautionary measure opened in July.
The commitments avoid “possible discrimination in the use of the Dazn service” to the detriment of those who “use Internet connection services other than Tim’s”. Furthermore, from August 1st, “it will be possible to have Dazn contents with TIMVision without having to sign up for a subscription with Tim”.
“In addition to maintaining full freedom in applying discounts and promotions, Dazn is committed to providing services for viewing the DTT of games in case of connection problems “. Dazn therefore “will prepare a solution from back–up in digital terrestrial (ie, one channel) “in particular for users who live in the “white areas of the country” where access to the broadband or ultra–wide is limited.
FOLLOW THE TITLE TELECOM ITALIA
An alternative decoder
In these white areas – where it is difficult to subscribe to broadband or ultra-broadband – Dazn will offer its own decoder for paid viewing via digital terrestrial (machine with a “hardware similar to that dthe decoder TIMVision“, ma without the customizations of Tim e without l’app TIMVision precaricata “).
Attention. This Dazn decoder – in the field in the white areas – would allow the vision of only one channel. And so, in the case of several matches played at the same time, “just a meeting would be available on digital terrestrial “.
Initially, Tim herself will supply the decoders to Dazn so that she can give them to customers in the white areas. Tim will supply Dazn with decoders from August 10 at least until December 2022. The shortage of chips on the world market makes it impossible for the moment to purchase decoders from large international manufacturers.
“Dazn, holder of the rights to view all Serie A matches“- 7 exclusively at each shift -” also guaranteed the use of the service to all users who have the Dazn app “regardless of their operator”, through technical interconnection initiatives with network operators “thanks to strong” infrastructure investments “.
Dazn already has its own intelligent infrastructure (renamed Edge) which should guarantee an adequate vision even for those who are not Tim customers. As soon as it is technically possible, Dazn will implement a signal distribution technique (multicast) to further guarantee operators other than Tim.
Tim itself is willing to open its CDN networks to competing operators (decisive for streaming viewing to be at least acceptable).
DOWNLOAD THE PROVISION OF THE ANTITRUST
What changes from September 1st
From the Antitrust provision, it can be deduced that Dazn was already free to promote and sell football “through authorized third parties” such as “Amazon, Apple and Google”. Now the companies (Tim and Dazn) correct and supplement their contract. Therefore Tim will be able to sell the TIMVIsion service, the TIMVIsion decoder and the football of Dazn also to customers of other telecommunication operators.
Customers of other operators will be able to take TIMVision and matches without having to purchase Tim’s web connection as well. They will therefore keep the web subscription with the other operator (such as WindTre, Vodafone, Fastweb).
From 1 August 2021, customers of other operators will be able to have TIMVision and football by obtaining a TIM sim, which however will only be one “service tool” (we will receive it to see, but without becoming a Tim customer for this).
From 1 September 2021, athletes will be able to “subscribe to the TIM package Vision with content football and sport through the TIM website. Once done the subscription online, the customer will be able to go to the Tim stores for pick up the Set Top Box (the decoder) and activate the offer, without having to buy a sim of Tim”.
Advertising
The availability of the TIMVIsion and football decoder package – for all customers of other operators – “will be appropriately highlighted on the Tim site and in the main advertisements. Page web for activations will report the option of purchase of the package via a button (like the options for i Tim customers). By clicking on this button, the person concerned will be informed of the modalities from activation of the offer described above “.
The Antitrust writes again: “A bytire since October 31, Tim customers and customers who do not have access fixed and / or mobile with Tim will purchase TIMVision services with content football and sports in the same way, without need to go anywhere sale of Tim “.
No to the package
In areas where it maintains a dominant position, therefore in most of the country, Tim undertakes not to sell a single package (a bundle), including both the connection to the Network and football. Specifically:
– a person will be free to buy the games without necessarily buying the Tim connection as well;
– a person who has both will remain free to give up one service (the connection) while keeping the other (the Serie A vision).
No damage
“The Antitrust therefore closed the precautionary procedure, believing that the initiatives and amendments to the agreement by Tim and Dazn are currently capable of preventing serious and irreparable damage to competition from being produced. the Authority deems the measures adequate to ensure, in view of the start of the Serie A championship, that final consumers have the freedom to choose between the various alternatives available and can ensure the best quality of service “.
.