I always suspected that their would be problems with beIN introducing a stand-alone online streaming subscription.
I think what has happened is that beIN have just found out that our government are about to start taxing foreign website owners who stream to NZ subscribers. GST will have to be paid, plus compliance costs etc.
beIN were probably confronted with a lot of red tape and extra costs and thought "stuff it - not worth the extra trouble and expense."
This will hit Netflix subscribers etc. too who can expect to pay significantly more soon.
Also from October 1st when the new tax rules kick in, people using a VPN to subscribe to foreign streaming services will be liable to a $50,000 fine for avoiding paying GST.
The new tax will not apply to beIN supplying online streaming services to Sky subscribers because offshore providers will not be taxed for providing services to NZ-registered businesses (i.e. Sky TV NZ).
Hence beIN have decided to provide the beIN Connect website streaming service to Sky customers only because no GST applies and no tax red tape and compliance costs are involved.
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/gst-online-ser...
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/gst-online-pur...
Overseas online businesses may stop providing services to NZ due to GST (warning last year):
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cf...