TRAI Releases Recommendation On Provision Of IPTV Services

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released the recommendation on provisioning of IPTV services on 4 January 2008. IPTV is a new method of delivering and viewing television programs using an IP network and high speed broadband technology. It is fast becoming a popular value added service in many countries. The fast development in telecom technologies, enormous capabilities of IP platform and increasing digitalization in broadcasting sector is driving services like Internet Protocol TV (IPTV).The issue of provisioning of IPTV services was discussed in detail in TRAI's Position paper released on 6th September, 2007 and in the subsequent draft recommendation released on 28th November, 2007. 

February 2008

Friday, February 1, 2008 -- After meeting some journalists and news editors of News X channel complaining against the management and its source of funding, the PIB released a statement by the I&B Minister Mr. PR Dasmunshi showing concern about the incident referring the matter to the finance ministry.

Digitalization On The Go

These are interesting times in the industry. In every segment there is hectic activity and an increasing sense of competition giving rise to new strategies, innovations and technology upgrades. Digital is the buzz word everywhere. Existing DTH players are facing the heat of technology changes from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4. The new players are adopting MPEG-4 to provide more number of channels and better services including HDTV. Also, there is a race amongst the existing players to grab the viewers before the new ones catch them. Rates have been cut down to half and free subscriptions are being doled out. 

Ground networks of Cable Operators are being upgraded to digital. With IPTV permitted to the registered Cable Operators without any license, they have more options for their upgrades now. HITS may further accelerate the digital process in the Cable TV industry. At present only WWIL will go in for HITS as they already have a license. Others are likely to wait and watch to see how the market reacts to HITS. Definitely, there will be many issues to be resolved in the earlier days of implementation. 

January 2008

Tuesday, January 1, 2008 -- The first foreign language and additionally an international TV channel not operated by the state-run CCTV, was launched in China's economic hub, Shanghai. The name of the channel is International Channel Shanghai (ICS) and is run by the Shanghai Media Group (SMG).

2008, An Year of Hopes

The year 2008 starts with great hopes. If 2007 was the year of regulations, 2008 will be an year of implementation of new technologies. We saw the launch of Digital Cable with CAS, Mobile TV, IPTV and WiMax trials in the year 2007, the year of Broadband. The start was lackluster but it generated a lot of interest and hopes for the New Year. The real reason behind the hesitant start is the fear of competition in the age of convergence. Both, the broadcasting sector as well as the telecom sector are wary of each other taking the lead in the converged environment. Where as the telecom sector comprising of the giant companies with international reach could dare to venture into new fields without even the regulations in place(like in IPTV, Mobile TV and WiMax), the fragmented broadcasting sector was too much confused by the sudden spurt of regulations to do something out of the way. Sometimes, I feel the regulations have a smothering effect and curb creativity. 

Too much control is also not good like we saw in the case of CAS in cable networks. We made it look like the Mount Everest where very few climbers would reach. The real proliferation of convergence will come not by creating a competition between Telcos and Cable Networks but by amalgamation of the two. Unfortunately, neither TRAI nor the cash rich Telcos think of this. The result is none of them have reached anywhere. 

The new year definitely brings hopes. In spite of the I&B Minister, Sh. Priyaranjan Dasmunsi stating that the big corporates are holding back the Broadcasting Bill, he is hopeful of a content regulation in the new year. 

We are hopeful of TRAI succeeding in bringing the Non-CAS areas under some kind of regulatory control in spite of resistance from the broadcasters. 

We are hopeful of DTH companies introducing MPEG-4 based transmission and initiating HDTV service, the future of television. 

We are hopeful of telcos finding a solution to ride on the lastmile of 75 million Cable TV connections to supply broadband triple play services to the masses. 

We are helpful of at least 100 new channel launches to carry the channel count to 400. 

At Cable Quest, we are hopeful of presenting you the best and the most authentic industry journal in a new avtar to keep you readers abreast with the latest in technologies and the global market. We appreciate the involvement of our readers in updating us on their needs and hopes and thank them a ton for the feedback. It is this regular interaction that keeps us miles ahead of the competition. 

Cable Quest team thanks all readers for their support and wishes a great, happy and hopeful New Year for their personal as well as career life. 

—— Lt. Col. (Retd.) K K Sharma

Editor

Source: http://cablequest.org/articles/editorials/item/1820-2008,-an-year-of-hopes.html

Source: http://cablequest.org/articles/editorials/item/1820-2008,-an-year-of-hopes.html

2008, An Year of Hopes

The year 2008 starts with great hopes. If 2007 was the year of regulations, 2008 will be an year of implementation of new technologies. We saw the launch of Digital Cable with CAS, Mobile TV, IPTV and WiMax trials in the year 2007, the year of Broadband. The start was lackluster but it generated a lot of interest and hopes for the New Year. The real reason behind the hesitant start is the fear of competition in the age of convergence. Both, the broadcasting sector as well as the telecom sector are wary of each other taking the lead in the converged environment. Where as the telecom sector comprising of the giant companies with international reach could dare to venture into new fields without even the regulations in place(like in IPTV, Mobile TV and WiMax), the fragmented broadcasting sector was too much confused by the sudden spurt of regulations to do something out of the way. Sometimes, I feel the regulations have a smothering effect and curb creativity. 

Too much control is also not good like we saw in the case of CAS in cable networks. We made it look like the Mount Everest where very few climbers would reach. The real proliferation of convergence will come not by creating a competition between Telcos and Cable Networks but by amalgamation of the two. Unfortunately, neither TRAI nor the cash rich Telcos think of this. The result is none of them have reached anywhere. 

The new year definitely brings hopes. In spite of the I&B Minister, Sh. Priyaranjan Dasmunsi stating that the big corporates are holding back the Broadcasting Bill, he is hopeful of a content regulation in the new year. 

We are hopeful of TRAI succeeding in bringing the Non-CAS areas under some kind of regulatory control in spite of resistance from the broadcasters. 

We are hopeful of DTH companies introducing MPEG-4 based transmission and initiating HDTV service, the future of television. 

We are hopeful of telcos finding a solution to ride on the lastmile of 75 million Cable TV connections to supply broadband triple play services to the masses. 

We are helpful of at least 100 new channel launches to carry the channel count to 400. 

At Cable Quest, we are hopeful of presenting you the best and the most authentic industry journal in a new avtar to keep you readers abreast with the latest in technologies and the global market. We appreciate the involvement of our readers in updating us on their needs and hopes and thank them a ton for the feedback. It is this regular interaction that keeps us miles ahead of the competition. 

Cable Quest team thanks all readers for their support and wishes a great, happy and hopeful New Year for their personal as well as career life. 

—— Lt. Col. (Retd.) K K Sharma

Editor

Source: http://cablequest.org/articles/editorials/item/1820-2008,-an-year-of-hopes.html

Source: http://cablequest.org/articles/editorials/item/1820-2008,-an-year-of-hopes.html

Will HITS be a Hit?

One after the other, what we are being bombarded by is – ‘Technology’. And, one after the other, the Government is encouraging these technologies. Latest hype in the broadcasting world is about Headend-in-the-Sky (HITS) - a technology of broadcasting numerous channels from a single satellite system after aggregating them on ground from different satellites. On 17th October, 2007 Telecom Regulatory Authority of India recommended the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to implement HITS in India and also make an increase in the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limit for HITS from 49% to 74%. HITS would bring in digitalisation. Though, digitalization is advantageous to the subscribers in terms of quality, number of channels, more features etc., but the need of such technology by the masses at this moment is questionable.