beIN SPORTS CONNECT

If a product’s FAQ page lists more than a dozen ways to troubleshoot a particular problem, that might say something about the occurrence of the problem as it relates to the usability of the product.

When it comes to streaming issues that users may encounter with beIN SPORTS CONNECT, a free app for beIN SPORTS TV subscribers, the product’s FAQ page recommends everything from lowering the resolution on your device to moving closer to the router to checking what other people using the same internet connection may be streaming on their smartphones or laptops. These steps may be intended to help users but they nonetheless suggest that streaming issues are probable. They also stand in stark contrast to how the app is marketed in terms of ease of use. For example, the app claims on a webpage:

Watch all the live action beIN SPORTS has to offer wherever you are and on any device exclusively on beIN SPORTS CONNECT.

If you have to move closer to the router or to another internet cafe where hipsters aren’t hogging the WiFi, it’s a little misleading to say you can stream sports on the app “wherever you are.”

TINA.org looked into the marketing of beIN SPORTS CONNECT after a reader said the app does not support content streaming at all. Despite its high rating, we found similar consumer complaints in the iTunes app store. One from September reads in part:

If you want to see a game, don’t rely on this app working for you. You will always get a technical difficulty message. Always. It’s a shame as La Liga (a professional soccer league in Spain) is my favorite league, however at this point I hope someone else buys the media rights in the US, even if it means paying an extra $4.99/month to see the games.

TINA.org reached out to the company for comment. Check back for updates.

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