Telstra opens up AFL app to telco rivals

Following a similar deal with the National Rugby League (NRL) last year, Telstra has announced that its 2013 AFL Live Official App will be available to customers on any mobile network, not just on Telstra's network.

The free features of the app include access to live match radio, highlights, scores, stats, and commentary, while for AU$14.99 per month or AU$89.99 per season, users can get access to live video streaming of the AFL (Australian Football League) Premiership season, finals, and the 2013 NAB Cup, as well as the ability to stream the video over wi-fi, rather than the cellular network.

Customers on Telstra will not get charged for data used in the app, and subscriptions can be ported from one device to another.

Telstra's executive director of media, JB Rousselot, said that the wi-fi and porting features were the most-requested features from customers.

"We listened to our customers, and found these are the two features that fans have wanted the most," he said in a statement.

"But by far, the biggest change is the ability for anyone, regardless of their carrier, to access live and exclusive coverage of the 2013 season on their smartphone or tablet."

Opening the app to Optus and Vodafone customers comes after Telstra, the NRL, and the AFL last year teamed up against Optus in a court case over its TV-recording app TV Now. Much of the focus of the case centred on the function of the app that would allow iPhone users to watch recorded broadcasts within 2 minutes of those broadcasts going to air.

The NRL successfully argued that the app was in breach of its copyright, and Optus has subsequently ceased offering TV Now.