IPTV - THE NEXT BIG THING

Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) is rapidly becoming reality. According to California-based analyst firm Infonetics Research, revenues will soar to more than $44 billion in 2009 and 53 million households worldwide will be watching TV via broadband. IPTV will revolutionize the content delivery model. Personal Video Recorders (PVRs) are already an indication of the transformation. Consumers no longer have to view content at set times as dictated by the networks or subscribe to 120 channels in order to gain access to a few that they really wish to watch. The ability to skip through commercials spells the end for so-called prime time advertising. IPTV will change things dramatically and consumers will be able to view anything at any time in high definition (HD) quality.

HITS IN THE FIRING LINE

Last month, TRAI sent their recommendations on HITS to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Perhaps, the pace of reaching these recommendations was made the shortest, just two months and twenty days for reasons best known to TRAI. Sending these recommendations in such a hurry, making HITS as another competing technology baffles many experts in the Industry. The very purpose of HITS as its name suggests, is to act as a satellite based head-end to the Cable Operators on the ground rather than be a stand alone technology for television delivery that needs to have a level playing field with DTH, as suggested by TRAI.

HITS IN THE FIRING LINE

Last month, TRAI sent their recommendations on HITS to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Perhaps, the pace of reaching these recommendations was made the shortest, just two months and twenty days for reasons best known to TRAI. Sending these recommendations in such a hurry, making HITS as another competing technology baffles many experts in the Industry. The very purpose of HITS as its name suggests, is to act as a satellite based head-end to the Cable Operators on the ground rather than be a stand alone technology for television delivery that needs to have a level playing field with DTH, as suggested by TRAI.

DTH on ‘C-Band’

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has sent its recommendations to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting on certain issues relating to Direct to Home (DTH) service last month. A consultation process was earlier initiated by the Authority by issue of a Consultation Paper on “Issues Relating to DTH” on March 2, 2007. The consultation paper covered interconnection issues, quality of service issues and other regulatory issues relating to DTH services. The Authority subsequently held an open house discussion in Bhubaneswar on May 18, 2007 on the subject. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had also sought recommendations of the Authority on Technical Interoperability of Set-top Boxes (STB) as well as to examine the possibility of allowing DTH operators to provide signals to cable operators in KU-Band. Accordingly, the Authority has communicated its recommendations as follows:

WAR CLOUDS ON THE DTH HORIZON

Last monthTata Sky, the much hyped DTH venture of Tatas and Star TV redueced their hardware price to half i.e Rs 1499 from the earlier Rs3000/- . People in the industry feel that it was a reaction to Dish TV’s restructured prices to a level of Rs 3150 to Rs 4990 for its various packages a little while ago.

Even the services are being enhanced with value additions. Dish TV has announced mobile antennas and VGA set-top-boxes for PC, whereas TataSky has announced the launch of Digital Video Recorders(DVR). In fact, battle clouds are gathering on the DTH front before just the launch of Big TV, DTH venture of Reliance. Big TV has already announced having ordered 2 million set-top-boxes and plans to provide 1000 STBs to Reliance employees all over the country for the initial seeding. In the DTH market, considering the situation on the ground where already three players are in action, this is not a mean task.

HITS IN THE FIRING LINE

Last month, TRAI sent their recommendations on HITS to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Perhaps, the pace of reaching these recommendations was made the shortest, just two months and twenty days for reasons best known to TRAI. Sending these recommendations in such a hurry, making HITS as another competing technology baffles many experts in the Industry. The very purpose of HITS as its name suggests, is to act as a satellite based head-end to the Cable Operators on the ground rather than be a stand alone technology for television delivery that needs to have a level playing field with DTH, as suggested by TRAI.

IPTV-THE NEXT BIG THING

By Col K K Sharma 

Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) is rapidly becoming reality. According to California-based analyst firm Infonetics Research, revenues will soar to more than $44 billion in 2009 and 53 million households worldwide will be watching TV via broadband. IPTV will revolutionize the content delivery model. Personal Video Recorders (PVRs) are already an indication of the transformation. Consumers no longer have to view content at set times as dictated by the networks or subscribe to 120 channels in order to gain access to a few that they really wish to watch. The ability to skip through commercials spells the end for so-called prime time advertising. IPTV will change things dramatically and consumers will be able to view anything at any time in high definition (HD) quality.