Category: Software

NEW DELHI: : In a move that may push major developments in India in the convergence space, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has forwarded its recommendations on “Improvement in the Effectiveness of National Internet Exchange of India (Nixi)” to the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology.

Nixi was set up by Department of Information Technology, Government of India in 2003.

The main purpose of setting up of Nixi was to ensure that Internet traffic, originating and destined for India, should be routed within India. It has been observed by the Authority that Nixi‘s infrastructure has not been utilized optimally as only 27 ISPs out of 135 operational ISPs have joined Nixi at four nodes.

Various reasons like high cost of leased line to connect to Nixi node, non availability of Nixi nodes at all state capitals, high cost to obtain Autonomous System (AS) number have been indicated for not joining the Nixi.

It is also observed at times that pipe size of ISPs connecting to Nixi is inadequate to cater to the expected internet traffic. Many a time ISPs connected at Nixi are neither announcing nor accepting all the routes.

Since data traffic flow is one way, hop by hop, routed by analysing the destination addresses based on the routes learnt, announcement and acceptance of all routes becomes crucial for effective exchange of the domestic Internet traffic.

Considering these issues impacting effectiveness of Nixi, the Authority has made the recommendations to Ministry of Communication and Information Technology suo moto in accordance with section 11 (a) (iv) of TRAI Act 1997 for effective utilization of Nixi.

Various options of improving effectiveness for exchanging domestic traffic within the country have been explored, which include direct domestic peering of ISPs with International Internet Bandwidth providers.

While finalising the recommendations, the Authority is conscious that many of the stand-alone ISPs have limited resources and therefore recommendations to improve effectiveness of the Nixi should not unduly burden them.

The interests of the Integrated ISPs who are providing International Internet bandwidth have also been protected. A light touch regulatory approach has been adopted and different options to improve effectiveness of Nixi have been recommended.

Major recommendations include that all the ISPs or their upstream providers (ISP who is carrying the traffic to International Internet Bandwidth providers or Nixi) shall either connect to Nixi or with International Internet bandwidth providers through direct peering link. Compulsory announcement and acceptance of all the routes at Nixi nodes have been recommended.

This will facilitate effective exchange of domestic Internet traffic at Nixi without requiring direct connectivity of ISPs at Nixi. Similarly Quality of Service parameters of Nixi nodes has been prescribed to ensure effective functioning of the Nixi.

The initiative will substantially bring down ISP‘s expenditure on domestic bandwidth, which is likely to reduce content download charges resulting in net reduction in Internet and broadband usage charges.

“It is hoped that implementation of these recommendations will enable ISPs to effectively use Nixi platform for exchange of domestic traffic reducing content download charges and encouraging web hosting services in India,” a Trai spokesperson said.

It will also result in better Quality of Service (QoS). Ministry of Communication and Information Technology have to act on the recommendations before the Authority can declare the regulations effective.

MUMBAI: Social networking site MySpace has begun testing a feature. This will allow its users access to news headlines and events.

The system is powered by Newroo, which is also owned by MySpace‘s parent News Corp.

Media reports state that MySpace News is a hybrid between standard news-aggregation sites, like Google News, and a news-rating site such as Digg. Like Google and other news sites, MySpace News brings in content from a variety of news outlets.

But the site also has Digg-like features that allow MySpace users rate stories they see on the site, and share stories with other site users.

On the site, news pages are divided into 25 main themes, such as sports and entertainment. Then they’re further organised into 300 subcategories both big and small, such as USC football. The aggregation process is based on a search algorithm, but users rate individual stories to determine their rank on a page.

Analysts reports further indicate are unsure if MySpace will face potential legal issues because of the web site. MySpace News will search, pull and display headlines from various web sites, which is something Google has had numerous legal challenges with in the way it operates Google News. MySpace has already stated that it is willing to exclude news articles if a publishing company contacts company representatives.

MUMBAI: Multiplatform video content search tool for film TV and digital media professionals Ipex TV has launched. It is based in Canada

At the television trade event MipTV in Cannes, France Ipexco announced a strategic investment by Joseph Haddad Holdings (J2H) in Alternative Media Initiative (AMI), the parent company behind Ipex TV

Ipex TV is a new search and lead generation tool dedicated to the business of film, TV, and digital media. It will focus on business search for multiplatform video-based content.

J2H president Marc Tessier says, “I believe that Ipex TV’s focus on media-rich sales and marketing toolssuch as web-based video trailers and sell sheets, will inevitably widen the sales funnel. It will close the gap between buyer and seller, causing buyers to react more quickly to content opportunities —, not only those buyers attending traditional markets like MipTV, but even those from emerging markets such as mobile devices, VoD.

” By virtue of an increased access to supply, the demand should increase, which is good news for those who control content libraries.”

AMI CEO Paul Allard says, “We are very pleased to be able to attract such senior European players as Marc Tessier and Joseph Haddad into the IPEX TV team. The fast changing business of media sales and distribution requires that we work with the best in the business, and this is who is joining us.’’

MUMBAI: Sri Lankan telecom firm Dialog Telekom in partnership with Turner Broadcasting Systems (TBS) has added channels CNN and Cartoon Network to its mobile TV line up.

Through this strategic partnership, Dialog Telekom subscribers can access CNN’s news stories as they happen directly on their mobile phones or other handheld devices. Subscribers can also enjoy four hours of Cartoon Network’s original properties such as Dexter’s Laboratory, The Powerpuff Girls and Johnny Bravo. This makes Cartoon Network the first animation channel available for streaming in Sri Lanka.

Turner International India VP distribution and business operations (India and South Asia) Siddharth Jain says, “Our partnership with Dialog Telekom Limited reaffirms our commitment to ensure that our content is available across multiple platforms. With technology rapidly changing the traditional means by which users access news & entertainment, it is imperative to be present in all these platforms.

“We continue to pioneer interactive products across the region and this launch further cements Turner’s corporate alliance with Dialog Telekom Limited, one that now encompasses mobile and DTH services”.

To ensure maximum accessibility, Dialog Mobile TV is available on all mobile phones that are GPRS, Edge or 3G supported. Dialog Telekom GM sales and marketing Nushad Perera says, “This will help a wider group of people to access and benefit from this facility. Mobile TV has transformed the way we perceive and use our mobile phones, as it enables customers to watch real time television right in the palm of their hands.

“With the addition of leading brands like CNN and Cartoon Network, our subscribers are assured of receiving nothing but the best in news and entertainment, on the go, anytime and anywhere.”

MUMBAI: Wire & Wireless India Ltd (WWIL) CEO Jagjit Singh Kohli and COO Major General (Retd.) CL Anand were arrested and released on bail today for allegedly not encrypting the digital signals of pay channels under the conditional access system (Cas) regulations.

The case was registered under the jurisdiction of MM Joshi Marg police station in Mumbai and investigated by the social service branch.

Confirming his arrest and subsequent release on bail, Kohli said: “I am surprised that the police have taken such an action against the seniormost executives of the company for a frivolous and unfounded technical complaint. We are fully complying with the provisions of the Cable Act as well as the Cas regulation.”

Multi-system operators (MSOs) operating in the Cas areas are required to encrypt signals so that subscribers can only view and pay for the channels they select.

A source in the cable TV trade says WWIL had not encrypted signals in the past but corrective action has been taken. After the introduction of Cas in the notified areas of Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, some cable operators took time to encrypt signals.

MUMBAI: Consumer electronics major Samsung has announced the launch of three new, premium, advanced series of LCD TVs – Mosel Blaque, Bordeaux Art, Sonoma Trenz – in the Indian market.

The company also announced that Flat Panel TVs would be the growth drivers for its Audio Video business in the country.

Samsung is aiming at a 50 percent market share in the Flat Panel category this year. It has also strengthened its Plasma TV offering by launching four new models, classified under C9 and Q9 series, in the Indian market today.

States Samsung India Dy. managing director R. Zutshi, “Based on our innovative product offerings in the Flat TV and Flat Panel categories, our attractive pricing and our efforts in the direction of enhancing awareness on these categories, we expect to play a leadership role in fuelling the transition from Curved TVs to Flat and Flat Panel TVs in India.”

Samsung India, which commenced manufacturing Flat Panel TVs at its Noida facility in India in June last year, is planning to augment its LCD manufacturing capacity, by commencing the production of LCD TVs at its Chennai facility from August this Year. The LCD TV manufacturing capacity of the Chennai facility will be 0.2 million units per annum.” Flat Panel TVs should contribute 11 percent by volume to our total TV sales this year and we expect this contribution to grow to at least 30percent by the Year 2009″, states Samsung India director sales Pradeep Tognatta. The Flat Panel television market in India is expected to touch 0.4 million units this year.

Samsung also announced the launch of four new, premium HD Plasma televisions in the Indian market. The new, Samsung premium Plasma televisions which are available in C9 and Q9 series boast a combination of filterbright, super black panel and optimal light filter to provide sharp contrast and pure clarity in any lighting conditions.

“We plan to enhance visibility and create awareness for our Flat Panels by setting up LCD Displays at our multibrand counters; Samsung Brand Shops and over 150 Samsung Dream Home RoadShows that we plan to carry out all over the country”, states Zutshi. The Company also plans to tap new, emerging retail formats for its Flat Panel and Digital Media business. In addition to the Flat Panel displays being launched today, the Company also plans to aggressively launch new UltraSlim TM televisions, Digital Still Cameras, Digital Audio players and Digital camcorders in the Indian market in the month of May.

MUMBAI: The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences have announced the winners for the International Interactive Emmy Awards, organized for the second year in a row in Cannes, France in partnership with Reed Midem and hosted by actor Roger Bart (Desperate Housewives, The Producers).

Canada led the evening with Zimmer Twins and ReGenesis Extended Reality Game in a tie for the Interactive Program category and BITE Television winning the Interactive Channel category, while the Interactive TV Service category went to the United Kingdom‘s BBCi.

The Pioneer Prize was presented to BSkyB, for their innovative contributions to the field of interactive television and accepted by Sophie Turner-Laing, managing director, Sky Entertainment.

“We are pleased to be celebrating once again the exciting developments of the international interactive television industry with this new competition,” said Bruce L Paisner, president & CEO of The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

The black-tie ceremony was attended by over 250 international executives from the television, broadband and mobile industries including sponsors: AETN, Deutsche Telekom, Intent Mediaworks, MPS Broadband, Nokia, and Sky.

The 35th International Emmy Awards Gala will be held in New York, 19 November, 2007.

The 2007 International Interactive Emmy Awards Winners

Interactive Program (a tie)

ReGenesis Extended
Reality Game
Xenophile Media
Canada

Zimmer Twins
Zinc Roe Design
Canada

Interactive Channel

BITE Television
BITE Television
Canada

Interactive Channel

BBCi
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
United Kingdom

MUMBAI: ARM announced the appointment of Anil Gupta as managing director, India operations. In this capacity, Gupta will be responsible for the overall growth and operations of the India design center and will take over responsibility from Guru Ganesan, who now moves to a larger role within ARM‘s US operations.

Gupta will also host ARM‘s commercial operations in India, which will continue to be managed by Atul Arora, president, commercial operations.

Gupta, a semiconductor industry vet with experience spanning the US, Japan and India, was most recently the director for design automation and libraries at Infineon India.

NEW DELHI: Significant growth in information technology and IT-enabled services among other fields have contributed to a boom in services exports from the country in recent years.

According to the Economic and Social Survey for 2007 by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, India is now the 18th largest exporter of services in the world, with its share in world exports rising from 0.6% in 1990 to 1.8% in 2004.

The report released here today at a function where Commerce Minister Kamal Nath was present stated that India maintained its growth momentum in 2006 with GDP growing at 9.2% – a higher percentage than the 9% achieved in 2005. UNESCAP Under Secretary General Kim Hak-Su was also present.

While there was some deceleration in agriculture, both industry and services performed well over the year. Strong economic performance has generated growing private sector demand for transport, communications, financial services and trade-related activities. This – together with the rapid increase in spending on public administration, social services, rural extension services and defense – has pushed up the share of services in GDP to 55.1% in 2006. Investment demand is also up – with gross domestic investment increasing from 33.8% of GDP in 2005 to 35.1% in 2006.

The report said India is emerging as a force in manufacturing exports. Until recently, India’s services exports, especially those related to outsourcing and IT, have been a success story. But manufacturing exports have surged, growing 37.3% year-on-year in United States dollar terms between April and September 2006.

MUMBAI: Essel Group promoters have offloaded nine per cent stake in Dish TV to a few institutional investors to raise Rs 4.45 billion (approximately $106 million).

The capital raised will be used to fund the expansion plans of Zee‘s demerged distribution companies, Dish TV and Wire & Wireless India Ltd (WWIL). The bulk of the investments will be towards customer acquisition including the subsidy towards set-top boxes (STBs).

The promoters have placed 38.4 million shares of Dish TV with 6-7 institutional investors. With this, their holding will drop to 58 per cent. Out of the block deals, 85 per cent has been placed with foreign institutional investors.

The placement was done by Enam Securities. “We are happy to have as our shareholders institutional investors who have a long-term perspective about DishTV’s future prospect and growth. With this fund raising, our objective was to provide funds to both Dish TV and WWIL for their expansion plans. Subsequently, both these companies would raise financing through fresh issuance of equity capital,” says Essel Group chairman Subhash Chandra.

Meanwhile, Dish TV ended its maiden trading day down at Rs 102.55 on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) after having opened at Rs 120. The scrip touched a high of Rs 120 and a low of Rs 100 during the day.

Based on the closing price, Dish TV‘s market capitalisation works out to Rs 44 billion ($1 billion). The direct-to-home (DTH) service provider is targeting a subscriber base of 10 million by 2010. The company claims to currently have over 1.9 million subscribers.

Essel Group runs key businesses which include Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited, Zee News Limited, WWIL, Dish TV, news daily DNA and Essel Propack.