The Big Match just got a whole lot smaller

NEWS Hutchinson 3G is expected to announce a multi-million pound deal with the football Premier League later today that will see it broadcast footage from matches on its next-generation mobile phones. The deal would cover the three seasons, commencing this August and running to July 2004. This is despite the fact that the operator's service is unlikely to be up and running until the start of the 2002 season. According to the Financial Times, the deal will cover UK rights, but may be extended to offer international coverage. The deal is estimated to be worth somewhere in the region of £50m.