Category: Software

MUMBAI: The increasing popularity of direct-to-home (DTH) satellite television and the growing demand for High Definition (HD) broadcast content across Asia-Pacific are driving the demand for satellite capacity in the region.

With the number of satellite TV channels offered by DTH platforms in Southeast Asia projected to reach 1,600 by 2016, global satellite operator SES with a fleet of 50 geostationary satellites is ramping up investment activities in Asia-Pacific to meet the increasing demand for satellite capacity.

SES‘ current committed investment in Asia includes SES-8, which is due to launch in the first quarter of 2013. The satellite will deliver vital expansion capacity to thriving Asian video neighbourhoods in South Asia and Indochina. SES-8 will be the first geostationary satellite launched by SpaceX on a Falcon 9 rocket.

Additionally, SES is looking for further growth opportunities and sees the potential to invest in one to two additional satellites to deliver increased satellite capacity and coverage in Asia-Pacific beyond 2014.

The new satellites will help fuel the growth in the pay TV markets and the maritime industry in the region.

SES senior VP, Commercial, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East Deepak Mathur said, “SES has experienced considerable growth in the emerging markets of Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Africa in the past year, which contributed 24 per cent of total revenue in 2011. By making these substantial investments to meet demand for satellite capacity in Asia-Pacific, we hope to grow with our customers and continue to be the partner of choice for broadcasters, governments, businesses and communities here”.

NEW DELHI: Private operators will have to wait for some more time to introduce mobile television in the country as the decision to restrict the requirement of spectrum for various broadcasting services within 585-646 MHz has further complicated its introduction.

The Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on vacation of spectrum took this decision in its meeting held on 5 March 2012.

Information and Broadcasting Ministry sources told indiantelevision.com that in the light of this decision, the feasibility of introduction of Mobile TV has been jeopardised.

Earlier, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India had in its recommendations on Issues Relating to Mobile Television Service on 23 January 2008 made recommendations for introduction of Mobile TV services by private operators. Although the Information and Broadcasting Ministry was in agreement with majority of recommendations, the draft policy on Mobile TV has not been prepared due to non-availably of adequate spectrum in the UHF Band V (585-698 MHz).

50 MHz of broadcasting spectrum allocated to Defence

The Ministry had projected the requirement of spectrum for Doordarshan (585-646 MHz) and Mobile TV (96 MHz beyond 646 MHz) in UHF Band V. But Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing (WPC) said it had already decided to allocate frequency band 625-675 MHz – a total of 50 MHz – to Defence within 585-695 MHz, though it had been allocated to broadcasting services.

This allocation to Defence disturbs the entire band as requirement spectrum for DD and Mobile TV is to be met within 585-698 MHz, as recommended by Trai and National Frequency Allocation Plan (NFAP) 2011.

The Ministry had, therefore, suggested that even if Defence has to be given spectrum, it should be towards one end of 585-698 MHz – beyond 646 MHz – so that broadcasting spectrum remains contiguous. Accordingly, the Department of Telecom and the WPC had been requested to talk to Defence about relocation of Defence spectrum to 646-698 MHz (a total of 52 MHz), but no reply has been received so far.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology has been informed by the I&B Ministry that the draft Policy of Mobile Television has been put on hold due to non-availability of adequate spectrum in the VHF band V(585-698 MHz) and in view of this the Ministry may have to examine the feasibility of introducing mobile TV services.

Parliamentary Committee questions allocation to Defence

The Committee in its report says it fails to see why the frequency band 625-675 MHz was allocated to Defence when the I& B Ministry had already communicated to WPC about their projection requirement of spectrum for DD (585-646 MHz) and mobile TV (96 MHz) as 646-742 MHZ.

I&B rapped for failure to negotiate

The Committee said it was “extremely disappointed to note that Ministry has not handled the issue of spectrum allocation with concerned authorities timely and with requisite attention which has led to such a stalemate in the issue”.

In view of the decision of the EGoM, the Committee “has no choice but to advise the Ministry to review the spectrum availability and take up the matter suitably with the concerned authorities so that the launching of mobile television is not put into cold storage and the country does not lag behind in this area.”

MUMBAI: As part of its fleet expansion program, the Asia Satellite Telecommunications (AsiaSat) has entered into a contract with International Launch Services (ILS) to launch ILS Proton service from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, beginning early 2014.

ILS is a US-Russian joint venture with exclusive rights to the worldwide sale of commercial Proton rocket launch services from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

The service is contracted for launching one of AsiaSat’s future satellites, AsiaSat 6, AsiaSat 8 or AsiaSat 9, a replacement satellite to be procured for AsiaSat 4. The launch contract includes an option for AsiaSat to order one additional launch service from ILS for any of its upcoming three satellites.

ILS President Frank McKenna said, “The successful launches of AsiaSat 5 in 2009 and AsiaSat 7 in 2011 enabled the timely expansion of AsiaSat’s service offerings across the Asia-Pacific region. We are honored to play a key role in AsiaSat’s growth over the years and fully support AsiaSat’s fleet expansion program.”

MUMBAI: Snapdeal.com, India‘s leading e-commerce company, has launched an exclusive and licensed range of Spiderman action toys and remote controlled vehicles, based upon the theme of the forthcoming Hollywood blockbuster “The Amazing Spiderman”.

The entire range is being offered exclusively only on Snapdeal.com in India.Price range starts from Rs 399 onwards and ranges up to Rs 7499.

Snapdeal has been expanding the category of Kids and Electronic Toys, and now has a wide collection of not only exclusive toys from these renowned franchises, but also in Indoor Games & Puzzles, Soft toys, Collectible toys, Educational products and Kids accessories.

NEW DELHI: Local operators in Chennai have admitted that only 2.5 per cent set-top boxes have been seeded in the southern metropolis.

The Thamizhaga Cable TV Operators General Welfare Association (TCOA) said the poor could not invest huge amounts of money in purchasing STBs and these should be subsidized for those below the poverty line. To start with, the holders of Antyodaya Anna Yojana Scheme ration cards should get these subsidies.

Digitisation would also deprive the poor from viewing TV, since the subscription charges are being multiplied. Hence the government should subsidise 50 per cent on subscription charges to the poor homes.

MUMBAI: BBC has launched Live Restart, which enables audiences to rewind and restart live TV on BBC iPlayer without waiting for the programme to end.

The aim of Live Restart is to ensure that audiences never miss a moment of their favourite BBC TV programmes on their PC. With one click, viewers can either restart the live programme they are currently watching, or scroll back to watch programmes from the previous two hours.

A first in the UK, this new feature builds on BBC iPlayer’s strategy of moving beyond catch-up and make watching live content even better online. With live requests making up over 22 per cent of total BBC iPlayer requests on the PC in April 2012, an increase of 18 per cent on April 2011, the BBC is seeing significant growth in demand for live content on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer head Dave Price said, “We all know how frustrating it is when you’re stuck in a traffic jam, or delayed on the tube, missing the critical start of your favourite BBC programme. Live Restart solves this by giving audiences control. With one simple click of a button viewers can skip back to the beginning of a live programme, ensuring they never miss a moment of their favourite BBC programmes.”

Later this year, the BBC will bring Live Restart to BBC iPlayer on mobiles, tablets and internet connected TVs, making it even better to watch live TV programmes online on the devices audiences use, when and where they want to.

Launched on December 2007 as a simple catch-up website, BBC iPlayer has helped push TV on demand by offering audiences the opportunity to watch selected TV programmes for up to seven days after broadcast. BBC iPlayer has since evolved, adding more TV programmes; including entire series and films, radio programmes, live TV channels & radio station, programme downloads for offline viewing and personalisation features such as Favourites and recommendations.

Variants of BBC iPlayer optimised for over 500 mobiles, tablets and connected TVs are also available, allowing audiences to catch-up or watch live wherever they are and on whatever device – offering access on the move over 3G and WiFi , or simple & convenient access via broadband on the living room TV.

MUMBAI: Low cost and viewing flexibility give over-the-top (OTT) service Netflix an advantage over pay-TV VoD and premium broadcast TV in the US, according to a new study from Parks Associates on consumer video viewing.

The study, ‘Choosing Content: Viewing Video‘, found Netflix Watch Instantly rate higher in customer satisfaction than premium broadcast TV. Netflix also topped pay-TV VOD in terms of cost.

Parks Associates director research Brett Sappington said, “Consumers can pay for a month of Netflix for about the same amount as for two pay-TV VOD movies. Parks Associates research shows consumers know the quality of the OTT service is not comparable to pay-TV quality, but the cost-benefit comparison is enough to affect their purchase decisions.”

Netflix also influences the decision processes of pay-TV consumers, raising the possibility of Watch Instantly cannibalizing pay-TV offerings. Parks Associates research found that 16 per cent of US broadband consumers, when watching movies on VOD, consider instead using an online subscription service as an alternative. Similarly, 17 per cent of those watching TV programs on a premium channel like HBO consider using Netflix instead.

Parks Associates director, consumer analytics John Barrett said, “Netflix is competitive against VOD and premium channels because it has a decisive edge in cost. Its greatest weakness is picture quality, but there are times when the consumer will sacrifice quality for other considerations. Pay-TV providers should emphasize their inherent advantages in content and picture quality but also need to develop alternative services that counter Netflix‘s advantages in cost and flexibility.”

Pay-TV providers worldwide have adopted their own OTT services to combat independent services such as Netflix, but consumer awareness is low and few providers offer subscription OTT services.

Comcast offers an OTT subscription service exclusively to its pay-TV subscribers, and Dish Network offers an online service to its subscribers via Blockbuster. Verizon and Redbox are partnering to offer an over-the-top service later this year.

NEW DELHI: Asus, the consumer notebook vendor and maker of motherboards, is making its presence in the exhibition at the BYOC gaming event beginning here today.

The three-day BYOC is a well established gaming event for avid computer gamers in India. Till date, BYOC has 16 successful events to its credit. BYOC or ‘Bring Your Own Computer‘ is a competitive gaming tournament where gamers bring their own computers & consoles to connect on a single network (LAN) and play multi-player games.

It is an enormous LAN party with activities like Modding, over-clocking etc. BYOC acts as a perfect ground for gamers of all ages to connect socialise and have fun. Winners can claim up to Rs 100,000 as prize money apart from other prizes and goodies.

“We are a leading international brand embodying the strength, mastering technological innovation and design perfection for the ultimate life-enhancing and computing experience. Our stall at the exhibition will feature our enhanced standard of the notebook with the recently launched G75VW successor of the Asus‘s 3D G74sx and the Automobili Lamborghini VX7. It will also feature our entertainment series N55 & N56 multimedia notebooks. Asus N55 fuses classical and modern design which creates a unique mood of sophisticated elegance and modernity, featuring piano-gloss covers and polished metal frames. N56 promises exquisite design and top performance. Our association with BYOC further reflects our commitment towards providing a great experience for professional gamers in India,” said Asus India managing director, Systems Business Group Alex Huang.

The Asus gaming laptop G74SX with Intel centrino2 Intel Core i7 processor comes with a full resolution gaming and high definition multimedia compacted down in to a notebook that allows gamers to dominate the competition while on the go. The G75 is the Ultimate Fighting Machine with Intel 3rd generation Core i7 processors and the latest NVIDIA enthusiast-level graphics; it has a superior ergonomic design for effortless gaming.

NEW DELHI: The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal has held Star Den, MSM Discovery and Zee Turner guilty of letting their signals be distributed illegally by a Punjab-based leading multiple system operator (MSO) in Himachal Pradesh without getting necessary approvals.

Tdsat chairperson S B Sinha and member P K Rastogi said the three “shall also pay a sum of Rs 25,000 each to the petitioner”, the MSOs of Himachal Pradesh – Solan Sat TV, Solan Communications, and Bridge View Broadband Network.

“Having regard to the fact that the witness of Fastway has resorted to suppressio veri and has not answered a large number of questions and thus taking that fact into consideration, we are of the opinion, an exemplary cost of Rs 100,000 should be imposed on it,” the Tribunal said.

Tdsat in its judgment also asked the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to probe, if possible, the three firms’ role since it felt that the MSO Fastway could not have become a dominant player in the state with 65 per cent market share in the state without their “connivance”.

“We are sending a copy of this order to the regulator (Trai) only for the purpose of considering that whether it is possible for them to enquire as to how the Respondent No.4 (Fastway), which is said to be dominating the field of broadcasting and cable services in Punjab, had been permitted with the connivance of the broadcasters to sneak in Himachal Pradesh to start its services without entering into any proper subscription agreement with the Broadcaster and by the process acquired 65 per cent of the market,” said the tribunal. “It appears Fastway had been able to acquire the market by reason of adopting a wrongful method for the purpose of frustrating any competition amongst the service providers which was the objective of the Parliament as also of the Regulator.

The tribunal will also send copies of its findings to the Post Master of Shimla and Solan which are statutorily authorised to issue licence to cable operator and the District Magistrate of Shimla and Solan “for appropriate action on their part” against Fastway Transmissions. “We have no doubt in our mind that the concerned Post Masters would take appropriate action as is permissible in law. The learned authorized officer may also consider the desirability of taking such action against the Respondent as is permissible in law.”

“To us, it appears that Fastway had been able to acquire the market by reason of adopting a wrongful method for the purpose of frustrating any competition amongst the service providers…,” the tribunal observed.

The MSOs had also requested the tribunal to direct Fastway not to illegally encroach upon their authorised areas and submitted CDs and its brochure as evidence.

Star Den is a 50:50 joint venture between the broadcasting houses Star India and Den Networks for distribution of their TV channels.

Zee-Turner is a 76:24 joint venture between Zee Entertainment and Turner India. Now Star Den and Zee Turner have floated a joint venture, Media ProEnterprise.

MSM Discovery is a 74:26 joint venture between Multi Screen Media (Sony group) and Discovery Communications for distributing their channels.

MUMBAI: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry’s decision to defer the date of cable digital addressable systems (DAS) to 1 November in the first phase covering four metros has given the stakeholders time to get organised. But it comes with a note of caution: the industry should not be allowed to dawdle and lose the momentum.

IndiaCast group CEO Anuj Gandhi believes the stakeholders should be able to get better organised. “Interconnect agreements are crucial to set the ball rolling. But the goodpart is that this will be monitored by the government. The important thing to observe is whether the time given is enough for Chennai to get its house in order,” he says.

According to You Broadband MD & CEO EVS Chakravarthy, the buildup to digitisation over the last four months has been positive. “With the four-month extension, the deadline is achievable but it is important to keep the momentum going.The set-top box (STB) supply mismatch was an overblown issue. The real problem was with the ability of some MSOs to raise capital. They will now have more time to arrange for capital to fund the first phase of digitisation,” he avers.

Will the delay in inking revenue share and content deals with local cable operators (LCOs) and broadcasters be a serious roadblock? Chakravarthy believes the interconnect agreements are easier to deal with. “The bigger problem at hand is deployment of STBs. That is where the focus should be as the other things settle down,” he says.

So is the deadline feasible? “We are fine with the new deadline. The industry across a wider spectrum, though,
 would have been more comfortable with a six-month extension to 1 January,” remarks Digicable MD & CEO Jagjit Singh Kohli.

Cable Operators Federation of India (COFI) president Roop Sharma, however, does not think that the 1 November deadline is achievable. “We will continue to protest as we want the deadline to be pushed to 1 January. The government also should start a massive consumer awareness campaign as they have pressed for digitisation so that they can collect more taxes while also yielding to the demands of the broadcasters,” she says.

The cable TV fraternity has some voices that speak against the government‘s decision to extend the deadline. All India Aavishkaar Dish Antenna Sangh president AK Rastogi believes that this will have a negative impact on the consumers who, in any case, do not want to be forced into digital television.

“Now LCOs will have to explain to their consumers that their would be no further extension. They will also have to explain why the government delayed the deadline. It will be difficult to seed the boxes. A better strategy would have been for the government to stick to the deadline and switch off signals for a day or two so that consumers become aware that they will have to buy boxes to view television content,” he observes.

Some media analysts, however, feel that this move would have backfired. “There would have been a backlash against digitisation. It would be better to give time and have a smooth transition,” they say.

Rastogi thinks the government should do more than just extend the deadline. “It (Government) should come out with a roadmap on
interconnect agreements between the MSOs and the broadcasters and the MSOs and the LCOs. The major problem will always be in seeding the boxes,” he points out.

Rastogi blames the government and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) for making the issues more complex. “By having Chennai and Kolkata along with Delhi and Mumbai in the first phase, it would in any case have been a herculean task. The state governments of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu gave different signals as Kolkata and Chennai were not ready. This affected the Delhi and Mumbai operators as well. On top of that, Trai’s tariff order made it mandatory for cable TV networks to create a capacity for carrying 500 channels which further complicated the whole digitisation process,” he elaborates.

Ravi Singh, who runs a cable network in the Ghatkopar area of Mumbai as a joint venture partner with Den, believes the speed of STB deployment will slacken after the grant of a four-month extension and the confidence levels in government‘s political will to press for digitisation will fall. “There will be doubts raised now on whether there will a further extension. Some MSOs who wanted to delay it will surely get more breathing space. Still, the uncertainty will dampen investments,” he adds.

Singh wants the interconnect agreements to be ready by 30 September so that the whole thrust in October will be on deploying the boxes. “The consumers will want to know the packages that are on offer and the price they have to pay for them. That is the only way we can sell the boxes in a big way,” he points out.

The DTH industry is worried that the digitisation process could go awry. Tata Sky CEO and DTH Operators Association of India president Harit Nagpal admits that the extension is a major setback for the DTH industry, which had invested a great deal in terms of STB inventory and installer manpower to cater to the expected demand on the cutover date.

“It is difficult to understand what different is being planned in the next three months that was not in the last six which would not lead to another postponement in October. Moreover, November hosts Diwali and could turn out to be an unwise cutover timeline since it is the peak month for broadcasters for ad revenues and the migrant installer community goes back to their hometowns,” he rues.