Singtel group of telcos to grow gaming, e-sports ecosystem in South-east Asia, Australia and India

MAINBOARD-LISTED telco Singtel has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with its wholly owned subsidiary Optus and its regional associates - Airtel, AIS, Globe and Telkomsel - to grow the gaming and e-sports ecosystem in South-east Asia, Australia and India.

The MOU was signed at the PVP Esports Championship held from Oct 5-7. The championship, in its inaugural year, is Singtel's multi-title and regional e-sports league.

This will see the six telcos in the Singtel group cooperate across the gaming space, including scaling up e-sports, content creation and distribution, and collaboration with the broader gaming ecosystem.

In a statement on Sunday, Singtel said that they "intend to work together to develop solutions and services for gamers and fans in the region", which would include providing access to "high-quality local, regional and global e-sports competitions, as well as original content and exclusive programming".

Said Arthur Lang, chief executive officer of Singtel's International Group: "Gaming is part of a digital world without borders, where fast network speeds, connectivity and local market knowledge are critical. It is a natural and perfect fit for Singtel and our partners. We are committed to working as a group to better serve the gamers in our networks, and in the region.

"We hope to play a major regional role as an enabler of e-sports, to collectively grow the gaming ecosystem, and give gamers the support and recognition they deserve."

Singtel last traded at S$3.21 on Friday.