Elisa refuses contract cancellations despite MTV channels going dark

Finnish telecom operator Elisa will not allow customers to terminate fixed-term contracts after MTV’s channels disappeared from its cable TV and streaming services, the company announced on Wednesday.

MTV3, Sub, and Ava—all free-to-air channels operated by media company MTV—were removed from Elisa’s cable TV and Elisa Viihde streaming platform starting Wednesday. The blackout affects hundreds of thousands of subscribers.

Elisa’s business director Sami Aalto confirmed that the loss of MTV’s channels does not constitute grounds for contract termination, even for customers with long-term agreements. “Although MTV has terminated its distribution agreements with us, this does not affect the validity of Elisa Viihde or cable TV contracts in a way that would justify cancellations,” Aalto stated.

The company’s service terms explicitly allow for changes in content and features, Aalto noted. Many Elisa contracts, particularly those tied to housing associations, bundle cable TV with internet and other services under multi-year agreements. “Modifying these would require careful planning by property managers,” he added.

MTV’s withdrawal comes at an inconvenient time for ice hockey fans, as the IIHF World Championship begins Friday. Elisa announced it would offer affected customers free access to the channels via its Elisa Viihde app for one month. While alternative streaming methods exist, most require payment and may prove difficult for elderly users.

Aalto said Elisa remains open to restoring the channels immediately if a new distribution deal with MTV is reached. Negotiations have dragged on for months. “We have provided these channels to MTV at no cost and without extra charges to customers. We believe this was a working model and hope to return to it as soon as possible,” he said.