Go Fast with G Fast

G Fast is a revolution in telecom field. One magic that it can transform all normal copper wire connections used for voice near FTTH network.

Expanding the film and television industry’s horizon, 23 years and counting

Saicom Trade Fairs & Exhibitions Pvt Ltd is organising the 23rd chapter of the Broadcast India 2013 from October 9 -11, 2013 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon (East), Mumbai. A 2 day Conference  will be held on October 9 and 10, 2013 at the same venue. As an added attraction, this year, Broadcast India along with RED bring you REDucation a workshop focused on hands-on learning with RED Digital Cinema camera packages (DRAGON, EPIC, SCARLET). Learn, shoot and review 4K footage on the big screen each day in the large 200+ sq mt. REDucation theatre.

Broadcast India 2013 is the country’s biggest and the most comprehensive platform for the broadcast, film and entertainment industry which promises to bring to you the very best for all there is to do with Broadcast, Film, Audio, Radio from its content creation to its management and delivery.

TRAI gets serious in Implementing Regulations

It appears that TRAI has finally understood the problems of regulating this 100 million households Cable TV industry. For the first time it has issued a consultation that looks at removing the biggest hurdle in the process of digitization that is, anticompetitive practices of pay TV aggregators. Independent MSOs and LMOs are now very hopeful of surviving in the industry if TRAI implements its proposal. The last date for submission of written comments for this consultation has been postponed to 3rd September. 

Planning for a multiscreen distribution

Digital TV Research Limited forecasts a pay-TV boom over the next few years, predicting that global pay-TV subscriber households will reach nearly 1 billion by 2018, driving investment in multiscreen and over the top (OTT) services and technology.

India is not very far away from realizing the dream of multi screen homes as penetration of digital cable is increasing everyday because of the government’s effort in implementing phased digitization of cable TV by 2014. Already 28 million digital homes are connected in the first two phases in four metros and 38 big cities. As consumer’s spending power increases, their expectations of a high quality of service, good user experience have also increased. New smart devices are increasingly being bought particularly by the youth who are always mobile and carry their world along with them. 

Phase III & IV to be accelerated

Indian economy has gone further down with 4.4% growth in the first quarter. Consumer spending have reduced to a record low. Current  Account Deficit has increased to an alarming  situation. In such a worsening condition broadcasting sector cannot be left untouched.

Inspite of government doing all to lure the investors, conditions in the industry do not augur well for the foreign investors. Every one is on wait and watch mode.

Manipulation is the name of the game

Within a day of TRAI moving to prosecute 17 television channels for non-compliance of the advertisement cap regulation, Broadcasters met TDSAT and got a relief till November 11. In an earlier order passed by TDSAT on August 30, the Tribunal had asked TRAI not to take any “coercive action” against news channels for not implementing the agreed ad restrictions. This was a reaction to TRAI moving a Delhi court recently while issuing notices to 17 channels for not adhering to a 16-minute advertising cap per clock hour for non-news channels and a 20-minute cap for news channels which was part of a phased shift to 10+2 ad cap as agreed by all the broadcasters in a meeting with TRAI on 27 May 2013. In response to the NBA application, the TDSAT chairperson, Justice Aftab Alam, questioned TRAI on why it has initiated prosecution against broadcasters in the Delhi CMM Court for violating regulations, while TDSAT is currently seized of the matter and why TRAI had failed to keep the Tribunal informed before taking such a decision. Justice Alam specifically stated that while the Tribunal may not have the powers to quash the complaints filed by TRAI before the CMM Court, New Delhi, it was within its powers to grant the stay on the amended quality of service (QoS) regulations.

A Pathbreaking Move by TRAI Regulating the TV Channel Distributors/ Aggregators is no easy task

Recent initiative of the sector regulator TRAI in regulating the distribution of TV channels from broadcasters to plateform operators and proposing to control or get rid of the channel aggregators/ distribution agents will change the entire scene of cable industry if implemented in totality.

The proposed amendments will definitely steer the industry to a positive growth required since long so that all stake holders can run their business lawfully, peacefully and profitably. 

FDI Increased for Broadcasting Sector

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has given its Recommendations on 22nd August 2013 on the subject of FDI in broadcasting, recognising the growing convergence between the broadcasting and telecom sectors increasing the FDI cap to 100 % for distribution platforms like DTH, MSO and IPTV, bringing it at par with the telecom sector. The Authority has been broadly guided by the principles of ensuring a level-playing field between competing technologies and maintaining consistency in policy across both sectors. Due to convergence of telecom and broadcasting technologies, telecom as well as broadcasting networks can be used to provide broadcasting carriage services. Ministry of Information & Broadcasting had sent a reference to the Authority dated 12th July 2013, indicating that the Government is re-examining the current FDI policy with a view to easing FDI inflow and liberalising the limits/caps.

Consumer want their Analogue Cable Back

Swaraj Samiti, a consumer organization based in Rajkot, Gujarat has sent a memorandum to the sector regulator TRAI requesting for continuation of analogue cable systems along with digital cable as the law for mandatory digitization as given in Sec. 4A (Substituted by Act 21 of 2011) of The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 (7 of 1995) is inconsistent with

Gujarat Operators Fight for Their Fundamental Rights

On 22nd August a huge gathering of cable operators took place in the city of Rajkot where a very important aspect of Digitisation was discussed at length. Prominent persons present there were Roop Sharma, president, Cable Operators Federation of India, Pramod Pandya, President, Gujarat Cable Operators Association, Dilip Sinh, who hosted the meet, Bharat Bhai, Suresh Trivedi, Bharat Chatpatwala, Dalsukh Bhai, Abdulla Hakani & Ashok Patel (See the picture on top).

September 2013

06/9/13 -- Doordarshan - for the first time will indigenously telecast the show of Zubin Mehta on  live on high definition (HD) across 40 nations from Shalimar Garden on the banks of picturesque Dal Lake