Singtel, Sony Pictures and Warner Bros team up for new Asian OTT

Singtel, Sony Pictures Television and Warner Bros. Entertainment have established HOOQ, a joint venture start-up, to offer a regional over-the-top (OTT) video service in Asia. 

HOOQ will deliver both Hollywood blockbusters and television series, as well as popular local movies and programmes to customers anytime, anywhere by enabling them to stream and download their favourite shows on their device or platform of choice.

HOOQ will be rolled out progressively in the Singtel Group’s Asian footprint, including Indonesia, the Philippines, India and Thailand, from the first quarter of 2015. The Singtel Group provides market access with its customer base of over half a billion mobile customers. HOOQ will also use the Singtel Group’s billing capabilities, a crucial enabler in developing markets where credit card ownership is limited.

It is today a fact that demand for OTT video has been growing and is poised for higher growth in these markets fuelled by better data networks and the growing supply of affordable devices.  Video transmission requires significant internet bandwidth, which greatly affects customer experience. With HOOQ,  key elements of technology, service and content to deliver the full internet experience  are brought to customers.

At launch, HOOQ will have a catalogue of over 10,000 movies and TV series including titles from partners Sony Pictures Television and Warner Bros. Entertainment.