Singapore’s 139-year-old telecom has plans for millennials

Arthur Lang, chief executive officer of the international group at Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. (Singtel), poses for a photograph in Singapore, on Friday, July 6, 2018. Singtel, Southeast Asia’s largest telecom services provider, will start a regional competitive gaming league as part of its diversification into e-sports and digital content. Photographer: Nicky Loh/Bloomberg

Singapore Telecommunications Ltd was around back when the telegraph was still cool. Now the 139-year-old company is experimenting with videogames as a way to raise its profile with millennials. 

The telecom giant yesterday announced it plans to start a competitive gaming league this year and will eventually sponsor its own team. eSports may already be big business in markets ranging from the US to China, but it’s going to be bigger. Goldman Sachs Group Inc estimates global sales will reach US$3bil (RM12.08bil) annually by 2022, with an audience that rivals the current viewership of the National Football League in the US.