Category: Software

MUMBAI: Zee Americas, the American subsidiary of Zeel, has entered into a long-term distribution agreement with Ethnic Channels Group for Zee Cinema in Canada.

The deal provides Ethnic Channels Group the rights to distribute the service on Cable and Satellite platforms.

Zee Cinema CEO Suresh Bala said, “This is exciting for us in that for the first time ever we are able to focus our marketing and unlock the strength of the Zee Cinema brand in Canada. Ethnic Channels Group is an expert at marketing to ethnic audiences and expects to grow our distribution and our subscription base significantly. Currently Zee Cinema is only available as a linear service, but we expect to work out the details of mobile distribution in the not so distant future.”

Zee Cinema boasts of a library featuring over 5000 hours of movies including movies such as Agneepath, Agent Vinod, Don 2, Desi Boyz and Barfee along with all time hits such as Taare Zameen Par, Rock On, Jab We Met and classics such as Awara, Sholay, Bobby and Padosan.

“We are delighted to partner with the Zee TV Group for the launch of Zee Cinema in Canada. Bollywood today is a global, phenomenon and Zee Cinema is its biggest custodian,” said Ethnic Channels Group co-founder and CEO Slava Levin.

Added Ethnic Channels Group President Hari Srinivas, “Ethnic Channels Group believes in the brand equity of its content partners, and it will be our primary objective to increase this for Zee Cinema in Canada.

MUMBAI: Intelsat 20, satellite designed and built by leading commercial satellite provider Space Systems/Loral, has launched on 2 August and is performing post-launch maneuvers.

The satellite based on the Space Systems/Loral 1300 platform will replace Intelsat 10 and Intelsat 7, and is expected to have a service life of more than 18 years.

Intelsat 20 will provide high-power distribution of video, voice, and data network services in C and Ku-bands across four continents from its orbital slot at 68.5 degrees East longitude.

The Intelsat 20 video neighbourhood provides premium content that is carried by India‘s leading cable MSOs and DTH operators, reaching more than an estimated 90 million pay-TV subscribers across India. It also hosts the largest DTH platform in Africa.

The satellite deployed its solar arrays on schedule following its launch aboard an Ariane 5 launch vehicle provided by Arianespace from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, and has begun firing its main thruster to complete its travel to geostationary orbit.

“The launch of Intelsat 20 is one more testament to the success of our longstanding relationship with Intelsat and our ability to work together as a team,” said Space Systems/Loral president John Celli.

MUMBAI: The Ku-band market will continue to be the main growth engine for the commercial satellite operators who are aggressively targeting new markets such as mobility and other high value services in order to maintain sustained revenue expansion for the coming years, according to a report.

The NSR’s Global Assessment of Satellite Supply & Demand report says that the commercial satellite operators grew capacity leasing revenues by $635 million between 2010 and 2011.

“The Ku-band market will continue to be the main growth engine for the commercial satellite market for the coming ten years”, noted NSR Senior Analyst and the report author Patrick M. French.

“The direct-to-home (DTH) TV market alone could add $1.4 billion in net new revenues by 2021 out of $4.3 billion expected in total for the Ku-band segment. Solid Ku-band revenue gains are also expected from the video distribution, enterprise data, commercial mobility and gov/mil verticals.”

A major finding in the report is that the commercial satellite industry is finally beginning to fully grasp the significance of High Throughput Satellites (HTS) and their potential to drive new market growth in many other market verticals beyond satellite broadband access services.

The report found that all HTS markets combined could add almost $1.9 billion in net new revenues to the industry in the coming ten years, which is the second biggest gain after the Ku-band market.

“The widebeam Ka-band market, especially for the gov/mil segment in the Middle East, is also beginning to get some real traction for the industry even if total revenue growth is expected to be substantially smaller that the Ku-band or HTS side of the business,” added French.

“There should also be continued strong growth in C-band video distribution services driven by expanding carriage of HD and SD channels, plus slow ramp up of 3D and eventually Ultra HD channels.”

The only cloud NSR identified on the horizon was the potential for weakening C-band backhaul demand after 2015 should the industry begin to rapidly migrate to the use of HTS and O3b capacity for data-intensive 3G and 4G backhaul.

MUMBAI: Jain TV Group-owned NSTPL (Noida Software Technology Park Limited) has christened its yet-to-be-launched Headend-In-The-Sky (HITS) platform as Jain HITS.

NSTPL claims to have signed a few broadcasters for content. However when questioned, a top official did not want to disclose the names of the broadcasters, saying that “this was confidential information”.

NSTPL has said that Jain HITS shall follow the logic of “Connect and Collaborate approach”.

The promoters of Jain HITS believe that the achievements of practical energy and technical skills of small and medium size cable operators can be channelised by organising them through the federation of cable operators.

Jain HITS‘ “New Generation Network” and its set-top box (STB) will have special provisions to turn into a hybrid platform providing both broadcasting as well as broadband Internet services.

Hybrid platforms will be able to provide many Value Added Services including Voice Over Internet Protocol and the day is not far that today’s cable operator shall be providing through his local area network triple play services, the company said.

NSTPL already has a multi-year, multi-transponder agreement for C-band capacity on Intelsat 902 at 62 degree East. The company will use the capacity to create a white label, turnkey channel package that can be received and distributed by multiple system and local cable operators throughout the country.

HITS is a New Generation Network (NGN) that consists of Satellite Transponders in the outer space, spectrum on the airwaves, teleport equipped with a dish farm that can downlink all the satellite channels, decrypt each channel, bundle them together, encrypt the aggregated signal in digital form, aggregate multi program streams and uplink to the Satellite in the outer space so that cable operators can receive on a single dish all the 200 to 500 channels.

NSTPL has roped in former Trai chairman Pradip Baijal as a mentor for the HITS project. He will provide leadership on a full-time basis.

It must be noted that WWIL, which had launched its HITS services in 2008, had to suspend its services in 2010 citing lack of clarity in the regulations.

MUMBAI: Ortel Communications, Orissa’s leading multi-system operator (MSO), has abandoned its Rs 1 billion public float plans due to choppy market conditions and is scouting for private equity investment while deciding to do a rights issue to take care of its interim funding needs.

The company has mandated Equirus to find an investor and is looking at raising Rs 1 billion. Equirus had earlier helped Ortel to get private equity fund New Silk Route which had bought 23 per cent stake from the promoters for Rs 600 million and additional equity from Actis to take its total holding to 35 per cent.

Ortel plans to invest Rs 500 million over two years for its digital and new territory expansions. The MSO has cable TV operations in Orissa, Chhatishgarh, parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.

The funding will be through a mix of rights issue and debt. The existing shareholders will be participating in the rights issue. Ortel promoters currently hold 63 per cent stake in the company, after buying out SREI Group’s equity in 2008. New Silk Route has 35 per cent stake and the balance two per cent is with the employees and others.

“We are looking at a rights issue and the two existing shareholders have agreed in principle to subscribe to it. Post the issue, the shareholding will be almost the same. We have a funding requirement of Rs 500 million over 12-24 months depending on our growth and we will do this with debt and the funds that we raise from the rights issue,” Ortel CEO Bibhu Prasad Rath tells Indiantelevision.com without disclosing the size of the rights issue.

The company has parallelly started looking for private equity investment. “We got Sebi clearance for the IPO (initial public offering) last August but have decided to shelve it due to market conditions. We will have to file again as the one-year period is getting over (companies have to tap the market within a year of Sebi clearance or it expires). We will wait until conditions in the market improve before taking any such decision. We have mandated Equirus to find us a private equity investor at the right valuation,” says Rath.

Ortel had filed for an IPO earmarking a funding requirement of Rs 850 million, including a capex plan of Rs 344.30 million on development of its analogue and digital services, Rs 289.04 million towards expansion of network for providing video, data and telephony services and Rs 217.40 million for developing its broadband services.

New Silk Route had expressed intent to fully exit from its investment in Ortel Communications through an offer for sale in the IPO. Sources say the private equity firm had put in Rs 840 million for Ortel’s stake.

Ortel, which offers cable TV, broadband and VoIP services, has a debt of around Rs 1.5 billion. Revenue in FY‘12 stands at Rs 1.25 billion, up 25 per cent over the earlier year, while Ebitda margin is close to 30 per cent. The company incurred a net loss of Rs 150 million in the fiscal.

Ortel requires funds for digitisation and expansion of the network. A dominant player in Orissa, the company is making efforts to penetrate into the neighbouring geographies of Chhatishgarh and parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal where its presence is still thin.

While other MSOs mainly provide their services through the local cable operator (LCO), Ortel follows the last mile ownership model. “We are favourably positioned to implement digitisation because we have the last mile. We have already digitised 15 per cent of our network,” says Rath.

MUMBAI: Times Internet Ltd (TIL) has elevated Gautam Sinha as the chief operating officer.

Sinha was hitherto working as director – technology at Times Group, which he joined in 2007.

He will report to TIL CEO Satyan Gajwani who is replacing Rishi Khiani. Khiani, who had resigned in June, will serve his notice period till 17 August.

Sinha has over 26 years of experience. Prior to joining Times, he was working with CashEdge as chief operating officer / chief technology officer. He has also worked with Sevant, Aspect Telecommunications and DRDO.

MUMBAI: LinkedIn Corporation‘s net profit dipped 37.7 per cent in the second quarter of 2012 to $2.8 million from $4.5 million a year earlier.

Its revenue for the April-June quarter was $228.2 million, an increase of 89 per cent compared to $121 million in the second quarter of 2011.

LinkedIn‘s adjusted EBITDA for the second quarter was $50.4 million, 22 per cent of revenue. It was $26.3 million a year earlier.

The company‘s revenue from the US totaled $147.3 million, and represented 65 per cent of total revenue while revenue from international markets totaled $81 million, and represented 35 per cent of total revenue in the second quarter of 2012.

Revenue from the field sales channel totaled $129.4 million, and represented 57 per cent of total revenue in the second quarter of 2012. Revenue from the online, direct sales channel totaled $98.8 million, and represented 43 per cent of total revenue in the second quarter of 2012.

“LinkedIn had a strong second quarter with all of our key operating and financial metrics showing solid performance,” said Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn. “Our ongoing investment in product innovation drove healthy engagement as measured by unique visiting members and member page views, and our three revenue streams all experienced significant growth.”

Hiring Solutions: Revenue from Hiring Solutions products totaled $121.6 million, an increase of 107 per cent. Hiring Solutions revenue represented 53 per cent of total revenue in the second quarter of 2012, compared to 48 per cent in the second quarter of 2011.

Marketing Solutions: Revenue from Marketing Solutions products totaled $63.1 million, an increase of 64 per cent. Marketing Solutions revenue represented 28 per cent of total revenue in the second quarter of 2012, compared to 32 per cent in the second quarter of 2011.

Premium Subscriptions: Revenue from Premium Subscriptions products totaled $43.5 million, an increase of 82 per cent representing 19 per cent of total revenue in the second quarter of 2012, compared to 20 per cent of revenue in the second quarter of 2011.

MUMBAI: The Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (Casbaa) has appointed Christopher Slaughter as its chief executive officer designate. The incumbent CEO Simon Twiston Davies will continue and work with the new CASBAA management team until 31 December.

Also, John Medeiros will be promoted to the new role of chief policy officer and will become senior government relations advisor to the Casbaa Board. He will report to Casbaa chairman Marcel Fenez.

Casbaa has appointed Jill Grinda as executive vice president focusing on operations and Casbaa‘s advertising initiatives.

Fenez said, “The Board of Directors is delighted with the appointment of Christopher Slaughter and the enhanced roles being taken up by John Medeiros and Jill Grinda. The new team‘s mandate and combined industry experience bring significant additional capacity to Casbaa and the services it provides to its 130 Members.”

Slaughter is a seasoned industry executive, having worked in Asia since 1986. He joins the Casbaa executive team from his role as managing director at production company APV in Hong Kong. He was previously the Asia Pacific head of The Yankee Group, a telecom, media, and technology research company, as well as the Hong Kong and Shanghai bureau chief for CNBC Asia. He has also worked in Taiwan, Singapore, Japan and India and is a fluent Mandarin speaker.

Medeiros has driven Casbaa‘s regulatory agenda over the past seven years. Prior to this he has held senior leadership roles in several US embassies in the region and in Europe.

Grinda, who joined Casbaa as vice president – operations in early 2011, has more than 20 years experience in global media and communications. She was previously responsible for the launch and distribution of several international television channels across Asia.

MUMBAI: The Department of Telecom has selected Times Internet Limited as the auctioneer for 2G spectrum auction process following a bidding process.

Mumbai-based NCDEX Spot Exchange and the Bangalore-based Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation were also in the fray but the two could not qualify the technical bids.

The e-auction will entail inviting applications, resolving queries of potential bidders, finalising eligible bidders, holding public information sessions and a mock auction.

The e-auction of spectrum will be in 1800 MHz and 800 MHz bands. “Online auction is the most transparent method of holding large auctions. As a technology leader, we are excited to facilitate this process,” said TIL CEO Satyan Gajwani.

The empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) is scheduled to meet Tuesday to decide on the auction timeline.

MUMBAI: Sunrise TV, the telecommunications company in Switzerland, has launched channels from Star network that include Star Plus, Star Gold and Vijay TV.

The channels that were launched on Sunrise TV on 19 July, provide subscribers with Tamil, Hindi entertainment and Bollywood channel content with English subtitles.

They are a mix of drama, events, lifestyle shows, celebrity chat shows, religious and cookery shows, music and dance reality series and Bollywood blockbusters.

Star vice president UK and Europe Yeshpal Sharma said “We are pleased with our partnership with Sunrise TV for the launch of Star channels in Switzerland. This reflects our commitment to bring the best of Asian television entertainment toour viewers in Europeand we look forward to a continued relationship with Sunrise.”

Sunrise TV users can subscribe to the Star Pack including Vijay TV, Star Plus, Star Gold at 20 CHF a month.