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European pay-TV platforms introduce free packages during lockdown

Canal Plus, Telefonica and Orange offer free subscriptions

Canal Plus has been made available for free while France is in lockdown due to coronavirus.

“Canal Plus is free for everyone on all set-top boxes,” Maxime Saada, Canal Plus Group chairman and CEO, said on Twitter. “And for our subscribers, we are opening up the access to all our channels, Cinema, Series, Youth and Documentaries. Take care of yourselves.”

The pay-TV group has distribution deals with Orange, SFR, Bougues, Netflix and Disney Plus, as well as distributing all of beIN Sports’ premium channels. The company is also a major financial backer of films in France.

The country’s cinemas, restaurants and theatres have been closed, while President Emmanuel Macron has told all citizens to stay confined in their homes.

Meanwhile in Spain, Telefonica is granting free access to its Movistar+ Lite pay-TV platform for a month. Orange is making a kids package free for a month, while MásMóvil and Yoigo are offering free Sky TV for three months.

German streaming provider Waipu.tv has also introduced a 33 per cent discount on subscriptions for one year.