According to a statement on du's website, the provider has said they are temporarily unable to show beIN Sports channels and packages. It said, "We are working with our partner to restore broadcasting beIN Sports channels." Moreover, customers of the network will not be charged for the period the channels are not available.
beIN Sports is a global network of sports channels owned and operated by beIN Media Group, a spinoff of Al Jazeera Media Network. A du spokesperson refused to provide further details on the matter and said information about a sports package broadcasting the World Cup will be revealed in some days.
A spokesperson for Etisalat also explained that there is still no confirmation on which premium packages will offer the World Cup, or how much they will cost.
Du has however recommended to its customers that they can watch beIN Sports channels online or subscribe to beIN CONNECT. The statement carried an additional disclaimer which said, "Please note, we cannot comment on the quality and pricing of third-party products. The service is owned and managed by beIN. You may visit their website for further details."
Football fans have taken to social media to express their annoyance over the channel being suddenly pulled down, especially this close to the World Cup in Russia.
@Dubaisteaklover said, "I do hope that you have suspended payments for Bein sports whilst it isn't provided? Not fair to charge people for a service that isn't functioning."
dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com