Off the back of its massive deal as the exclusive streaming partner for the English Premier League in Australia, the CEO of Optus has pledged to boost the streaming capabilities of the company’s broadband network to enable HD and even 4K streams possible.
Speaking to the Fairfax following a results briefing, Optus CEO Allen Lew spoke of the job required to make the company’s broadband network faster for streaming.
He said that in the wake of the EPL deal, Optus would have to upgrade its network to support delivery of “multiple live games in high-definition”, adding that they’re “even talking about 4K,” given that the games are shot in the ultra-high definition format from the UK.
Customers will likely have to upgrade their plans to get HD and 4K streaming capabilities, of which pricing will likely come later.
Lew stressed that the upgrade will focus on the core Optus network that links customers, rather than do a full overhaul of a mobile or broadband network.
Obviously, this will probably have massive follow-on effects for frustrated Optus customers looking to stream more Netflix, Stan and Presto in Australia. [Fairfax]