Fifa warns it will revoke Thailand’s World Cup broadcast rights over encryption failures
Fifa has threatened to revoke Thailand’s right to broadcast the final World Cup matches after it found the country’s transmission access was “also being used in other countries”, the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) said on Wednesday.
Fifa’s warning prompted SAT to immediately notify the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, urging the telecom watchdog to ensure all parties involved in the broadcasting of the World Cup 2022 finals – being held in Qatar until December 18 – strictly abide by Fifa’s broadcasting transmission encryption standard.
SAT governor Kongsak Yodmanee said on Wednesday that these parties are five multiplexer DTTs, Thaicom, and all companies providing set-top box (STB) services.
Fifa has asked the broadcasters to strictly encrypt its over-the-air transmissions at least to the minimum standards of “Biss CA Director” or “Power/u”, said Kongsak.
Furthermore, Thaicom and the providers of STB services cannot use the Biss 1 Simultcrypt as they are now doing, he added.
“Failure to comply with these rules will result in Thailand’s broadcasting rights being forfeited,” Kongsak added.
