By Boon Chan

SINGAPORE Telecoms on Wednesday announced a deal with three major studios - Disney-ABC International Television, Twentieth Century Fox and Warner Bros International Television Distribution - that will enable its mio TV fans here to watch their favourite shows within 24 hours after they have aired in the United States.

When the fall season of American TV shows unfolds in September, the new Season Pass on-demand service will screen more than 50 titles including hits such as medical drama Grey's Anatomy, sci-fi mystery Lost, thriller Prison Break and quirky newcomer Pushing Daisies.

Although mio TV will enjoy a five to six-month window of exclusive access to these TV shows, the content will be available to other platforms later.

SingTel said it is the first IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) operator in the world to offer such a volume of top US series within a day of their US telecast on a subscription-based model.

'This agreement comes at a great time as we are celebrating mio TV's first anniversary. Our subscribers will now have more exciting channels and programmes to look forward to,' said Mr Allen Lew, SingTel's CEO Singapore on Wednesday.

'Consumers are getting increasingly demanding. They want to get the latest TV hits ahead of anyone else and mio TV is filling this gap with this latest offering. We see this as the next big wave of content consumption in Singapore.'

Added Mr Rob Gilby, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Disney-ABC International Television (Asia Pacific): Singapore fans will be the first in Asia to get their must-watch shows like Lost and Grey's Anatomy so close to the US air date.

"At Disney-ABC we understand that consumers want convenience and flexibility to watch their favourite shows when and how they want. By partnering with a new media pioneer such as SingTel's mio TV, we keep viewers needs front-and-centre."

SingTel has 45,000 mio TV customers as at end June.

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