Ofcom to Launch Investigation after BT Complain About Sky Sports TV Supply

UK telecoms regulator Ofcom will start an investigation into BSkyB regarding the supply of its sports channels to their rivals.

The investigation comes after a complaint by BT who have launched their own sport channel and look set to seriously challenge Sky’s dominance in the UK pay-TV sports market.

Ofcom will investigate the terms set out by Sky when offering Sky Sports 1 and 2 for BT to then offer though YouView.

BT say Sky are making the channels available on condition that BT make theirs available on Sky, buy something they say is ‘unreasonable.’

A BT statement read: “We are pleased Ofcom has decided to open an investigation as we believe Sky has behaved in an unreasonable and discriminatory manner.

“This is because they have refused to provide Sky Sports 1 and 2 to BT on YouView on fair terms whilst providing them to other pay-TV retailers such as TalkTalk.”

Complaint has no merit says Sky

However Sky have described BT’s complaint as to ‘be entirely without merit’ and added they would ‘look forward to engaging constructively with Oficam.’

BT has the rights to 38 Premier League football matches in the coming season and has made their channels free to customers on BT broadband.

They also have the rights to football in Germany, buy France, Italy and Brazil, as well as Aviva Premiership Rugby and many other sports.