Viu launches premium subscription with Singtel

Viu has launched a premium subscription service with Singtel where viewers can download unlimited content. Viu premium subscribers also get to watch the latest Korean dramas and variety shows from the Big 4 Korean broadcasters and Japanese dramas with content and very limited ads.Meanwhile, Viu freemium users will continue to have access to Viu’s huge catalogue of Asian content for free. Users can access Viu on multi-screens when streaming.Initially launched as a freemium OTT service last October, Viu has seen tremendous growth in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, India and Indonesia. According to Google Play Developer Console and iTunes Connect, in Hong Kong, Viu app downloads already surpassed 1.6 million while in Singapore, it has recorded over 500,000 downloads in the short span of four months following its January launch.Meanwhile, Viu is well-supported by a host of advertisers in the region including leading brands such as P&G, Nestle, Kao, Wyneth, Samsung, LG, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, KFC, Fedex, Ikea, Expedia, Emirates and more. More importantly, users are actively engaged, averaging 1.82 hours of viewing time daily on the mobile app.Janice Lee, managing director of PCCW Media said, “This strategic tie-up between Viu and Singtel is a win-win for consumers as they can enjoy the best Asian entertainment content at the most competitive offering across the best network in Singapore. With the rise of digital content, we are seeing a rapid shift in the way media content is being consumed, especially by millennials.”Lee added 86% 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.In order to assure viewers of a stable viewing experience, Viu has forged strategic telco partnerships with networks such as CSL in Hong Kong, Singtel in Singapore, Telekom Malaysia Berhad, Maxis, Digi and U Mobile in Malaysia as well as Telkom Indonesia in Indonesia.Lee said, “The strategic partnerships we have built with top broadcasters and leading telcos all over Asia to deliver the best Asian content at the fastest speeds on quality networks has enabled Viu’s growing success. The recent airing of Descendants of the Sun has shown us that what consumers want today is fast, convenient access to digital content, and Viu was able to cater to that mass demand by being the first platform with such a large library of authorized Korean content where fans could catch it in Singapore.”