Asian Netflix rival launches Singapore SVOD

PCCW’s premium Viu OTT service has rolled out in Singapore, in association with local telco Singtel.

Viu is run by Hong Kong based telco PCCW and has set out to rival Netflix in the OTT space y offering a line-up of content sourced from within Asia, rather than Hollywood.

As with other Viu rollouts, Singtel customers will be offered a freemium ad-supported service and a premium paid-for option. The free version was already available with the premium one now also live, allowing unlimited downloads and ad-free streaming.

The premium Viu service costs S$6.98 (US$5.68), or S$4.98 for Singtel customers as part of a promotional bundle.

Since launching last October in its domestic market, Viu has rolled out in Indonesia and Malaysia.

PCCW said that in Hong Kong there have been 1.6 million downloads of the Viu app, and 500,000 in Singapore. It added that active users average 1.82 hours of viewing time on the mobile app.

“By sharing the same vision to bring the most compelling content to viewers anytime, anywhere on any mobile device, Viu and Singtel are strategically aligned to focus on adapting to meet the needs of today’s viewers,” said Janice Lee, managing director of PCCW Media.

“Eighty-six-per-cent of Singapore netizens regularly stream or download video content, of which 60% are watching dramas. These numbers show the immense potential in the OTT video streaming market where we are spearheading change in the way consumers engage with and consume digital content.”