An Indian app has apologised for the “poor quality” of its broadcast of the World Cup opener between Qatar and Ecuador on Sunday which was branded as “pathetic” by angry viewers.
Reliance Jio, which is owned by Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, won the rights to stream the World Cup in India and made the game available for free on its Jio Cinema app and website.
Fans complained on social media that the picture quality and constant buffering made the game, in which Ecuador beat the tournament hosts 2-0 at the Al Bayt Stadium, unwatchable at times.
Journalist Samarth Goyal tweeted: “Wow #JioCinema you guys should have tested your servers before putting in your bid for broadcasting #FIFAWorldCup in India. Pathetic service.”
Other fans complained that they had paid for rival streaming service Voot thinking it would show the World Cup. “Rs 600 for a #Voot subscription, only for the service to de-list the tournament after showing its listings for months,” wrote Chetan Nayak on Twitter. “Meanwhile, #JioCinema has the most horrible live telecast experience ever. Am I the only one who feels cheated?”
Jio Cinema was quick to apologise. “We are continuously working to give you a great experience. Please upgrade your app to the latest version to enjoy #FIFAWorldCupQatar2022. Apologies for any inconvenience,” the company tweeted.
