Category: Software

MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has directed multi-system operators (MSOs) to start trial runs on homes where they have seeded the digital set-top boxes (STBs) for conditional access system (Cas).

“We have reports of 10 MSOs having conducted the trials for testing out their digital systems under Cas. The deadline starts from today. We want to be sure that there are no glitches in implementation of CAS and the transition is smooth,” said Trai chairman Nripendra Misra while addressing a consumer forum meet today in Mumbai.

The progress is satisfactory and let there be no doubt in the minds of stakeholders that CAS is going to be implemented on the due date, he added. “Digitisation is a way forward and consumers falling under the Cas notified areas should start ordering for STBs from now so that there is no crowding towards the end.”

With effect from 1 January, pay channels in the notified areas of South Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata can be viewed only through the STBs.

The cable and broadcast regulator will encourage various modes of digitalisation, Misra said. “We want to discuss on the road ahead for digitalisation. Besides mandated CAS, we are looking at voluntary spread of digitalisation across all technologies. We will be having a serious of discussions from 27 January-June.”

Clarifying on the issue of taxes, Misra said it did not fall under the purview of Trai. “VAT will be on the deposits and rental schemes of the STBs,” he added.

MUMBAI: Global revenue from online video sales, rentals or subscriptions will total just $298 million this year, but will grow to nearly $1.5 billion by the end of 2007.

A report from research firm Strategy Analytics states that With more than 100 million TV shows, movies and other programs downloaded, 2006 will be remembered as the year in which online sales of prerecorded video finally became a real business.

Kicked off by a strong push from Apple Computer and other media companies, online video sales will be driven by a fast-growing broadband audience seeking new ways to find, watch and pay for video.

TUsing demand elasticity analysis and feedback from 1,700 broadband users, Strategy Analytics projects that by 2010 global revenue will surge to $5.9 billion, accounting for eight percent of total home video industry revenues. Regions covered in this global forecast report include Asia Pacific, Central and Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and North America.

Companies covered in this report include ABC, Amazon, AOL, Apple, BitTorrent, British Telecom, Channel 4, CinemaNow, Deutsche Telekom, Glowria, Google, Guba, LOVEFiLM, Microsoft, MovieLink, Telecom Italia, Telefonica, Starz Entertainment, Viacom, Wal-Mart, the Walt Disney and YouTube.

MUMBAI: CrickeM, which positions itself as the World‘s first social video network for Cricket has been launched.

A community network that is intended to motivate people to watch, share opinions, special moments and videos on Cricket, CrickeM is a place for people to engage in new ways with video by sharing, commenting on, and viewing videos CrickeM is a way to meet Cricket lovers, reconnect with old friends, share your experiences, upload video, discuss & debate, rate and predict. The registration is free for all.

CrickeM co-founder Sashi Chimala says, “The YouTube of India in the making, CrickeM will be a platform for the Maniacs of Cricket. CrickeM gives a new channel to express and find public opinion on Cricket. It complements the current available channels like News Papers and TV.

“It is a participative channel where anyone with a PC or a Mobile can now express and share their opinions with the rest of the world. Have an advice to India‘s captain. Say it on CrickeM TV. People have always had something to say. Now there is a way to say it through www.crickem.com.

“We have already had a warm and overwhelming response of over 3000 requests for the registration invites. We look forward to atleast ONE million videos being uploaded before the first ball is bowled at the World cup. Reliance is our official broadband sponsor for the launch”.

On registration, an invite is sent from the site and the network grows by a personal invitation from existing members.

With three different distinct sections like the Clubs, Videos, Blogs, the site has everything that one would look for in a network site. People can share important experiences in cricket as and where they happen—breaking news can be uploaded immediately from the net or from a mobile, cricket fans can share footage, gully cricket, quirky videos, serious content can be captured and viewed across the globe instantly. The site will soon be accessible through mobile phones.

MUMBAI: NATPE Mobile++ organisers have secured three digital and interactive media executives as keynote speakers for the third annual NATPE Mobile++ event, which will kick off NATPE‘s conference and exhibition on 15 January 2007.

Endemol UK director interactive media Peter Cowley; CBC Corporation vice president wireless Cyriac Roeding and FMX FremantleMedia chief creative officer Gary Carter will participate.

In an interview format hosted by Paidcontent.org publisher and editor Rafat Ali, Peter Cowley‘s opening keynote will discuss Endemol‘s mobile, gaming and interactive broadcast activities for a number of its properties, including Deal or No Deal, Get Close to the Sugar Babies and Big Brother. Cowley will also speak about the UK ?15 million digital investment fund they have set up to develop new opportunities in digital media, asserts an official release.

Billed as the most valuable thirty minutes you could spend all year, Cyriac Roeding‘s keynote session will address the next generation of media and the newly expanded media model: the convergence of Hollywood and Silicon Valley; the next generation of content; how traditional media platforms become interactive assets and how advertising needs to quickly follow this trend.

Digital veteran and visionary Gary Carter‘s closing keynote will reveal the biggest business opportunities and pitfalls in the digital industry. Carter will share his perspective on the most lucrative opportunities in the media space.

NATPE Mobile++‘s line-up of guest speakers also includes: BET EVP and COO BET Interactive Scott Mills; Microsoft VP corporate media content and partner strategy group Blair Westlake; CBS EVP chief of research David Poltrack; Amp‘d Mobile founder and CEO Peter Adderton; Americas VP integrated fremantle licensing worldwide marketing and interactive Keith Hindle; QuickPlay Media CCO and co-founder Raja Khanna; Fox Sports Interactive senior VP business development Jon Smelzer; Sprint senior manager consumer communications partner development Howard Coonley and Mobile content consultant Graeme Ferguson

MUMBAI: Mobile communications service provider Nokia has announced a tie up between its sub multimedia brand Nokia Nseries and the Indian Music Industry (IMI) for a music offering Legends of India. This will be preloaded into the Nseries music edition devices (Nokia N91, N73 and N70).

100 digital rights management *DRM(compliant songs will be provided of over 10 music greats including Jagjit Singh. The genres range from film music to ghazals, devotional songs and remixes. Nokia India di4rector multimedia Vineet Taneja says, “The new initiative will enable us to deliver a premium music experience to our consumers. Music forms a core part of Nokia Nseries‘ value proposition and consumers can now listen to their favourite artistes on the go anywhere at the click of a button.

“We are confident that our new initiative will contribute towards promoting he music eco-system at large and help the music industry regularise the distribution of legal music content. Mobile music is expected to breathe new life into the country‘s music industry, which has shrunk from Rs. 1400 crore to Rs.1000 crore in the last four years. Globally mobile music is 10 times larger than iTunes and four times bigger than gaming.”

Nokia Nseries devices comply with the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) 2.0 DRM Standard and as a part of Nokia Nseries mobile strategy to safeguard the interests of consumers and the industry at large. Nokia Nseries has entered into agreements with d8iffernt firms to provide music solutions on its music devices. OMA 2.0 the firm says is customisable, allowing rights and usage rules to vary based on the content owners requirements.

Artists present on the album include Jagjit Singh, Asha Bhosle, Lata Mangeshkar, A.R. Rehman, R.D.Burman. IMI chairman Subroto Chatopadhyay says, “We are pleased to partner with Nokia Nseries and would like to thank them for coming forward with this value proposition for the Indian music industry. Music piracy is a growing menace in most markets including India and has grown at an alarming 5rate of 58 per cent in 2005. Our partnership with Nokia Nseries will go a long way in creating a new revenue stream for the industry at large as well as helping curb illegal distribution of music content.”

Tips, SaReGama India, and Universal Music and the record firms that have associated themselves in the deal. Taneja adds, “Music on the move plays a key role in enhancing a consumers mobile exoperi9ence and we have endeavoured to offer customers a superior music experience. For instance every Nokia Nseries multimedia device incorporates a music player, high memory capacity and an FM radio. All Nokia Nseries support a wide range of digital music formats including MP3, M4A, AAC and WMA. This allows consumers to interact with their favourite radio station using visual radio.

“With Nokia Nseries users can instantly find and purchase music over the air and download it on their devices from various music stores. They can also simply drag and drop their personal music collections from the computer to their Nokia Nseries device. They can also synchronise their recent music purchases with their computer.”

He adds that WiFi enabled Nokia Nseries devices also extend podcasting applications. This allows users to find, subscribe to and download podcasts over the air. For the uninitiated podcasts are digital audio files that can be downloaded and played on mobile devices and computers. Nokia has collaborated with Bose, JBL and Sennheiser for an optimised music experience. Next year Nokia globally will launch the Nokia music experience. This will give consumers devices, applications and the possibility to purchase music in one place.

Taneja adds that Nokia has partnered with HP, Hutch and Radio Mirchi to provide visual radio. He says that globally mobile music will provide a more effective marketing channel than the traditional physical distribution of CD singles. However innovative distribution models are needed to accelerate consumer adoption. The US of course is one of the biggest markets for digital music services with over 18 per cent of fans willing to pay $15 for downloads.

Mobile music is expected to generate revenues of $ 6 billion this year globally. 29 per cent of US consumers own portable music players and 16 per cent are willing to purchase online music. Mobile music is expected to contribute 23 per cent of the Indian music industry‘s revenues by 2010. Right now traditional channels contribute 92 per cent to the Indian music industry‘s revenues. Today ringtones form a large chink of the mobile music market. There are 70,000-80,000 ringtone downloads each day.

Music companies pocket 25 per cent of the revenue that each download generates. 45 per cent goes to the mobile operator. 15 per cent goes to the government. Three per cent goes to the creators of the ringtones. 12 per cent goes to the mobile service providers. Young, single male consumers use digital music the most.

NEW DELHI: The controversy over Cas (conditional access system) does not seem to end. If the broadcasters have taken shelter in the various legal courts, consumers expressed heat over the issue of taxes at a forum meeting today with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai).

The broadcast and cable regulator clarified that value added tax (VAT) would have to be paid on the deposit and rental schemes for the set-top boxes (STBs) under Cas. Also, the entertainment tax would have to be paid per TV set.

This caused a heated discussion at the Trai consumer meeting held today, according to sources. Trai officials also admitted that the issue had come up, adding that clarifications have been sought, without wanting to say anything further.

In a CAS regime, multi-system operators (MSOs) will have to offer consumers digital STBs at a deposit of Rs 999 or Rs 250 on a monthly rental of either Rs 30 or Rs 45. VAT will have to be added to this.

The entertainment tax would have to be paid per TV set and not per household, Trai also clarified.

The meeting saw a lot of dust being kicked up by consumers and lasted for all of two-and-half hours, members who attended the meeting said.

When asked of this, Trai Advisor (Broadcasting) Rakesh Kakkar told indiantelevision.com: “The issue had come up today.” He refused to comment further on the issue.

MUMBAI: UK pubcaster the BBC has started a small closed technical trial to test some of the technologies around Push-VoD to digital video recorders in the UK.

Working in partnership with Cabot Communications Ltd, the BBC has developed an advanced interactive application that allows viewers to catch up from 50 hours of automatically-recorded content each week.

The trial will comprise 300 participants from in and around the London area and run for approximately three months. The objective of the trial is to test the technologies around off-air capture and navigation in order to deliver broadcaster selected content onto a PVR, record, store and replay rich interactive applications and create a video rich navigation.

During the trial, the digital video recorder (DVR) will store up to 100 hours of TV programmes each week: 50 hours of BBC programmes will be automatically recorded and stored onto the DVR hard drive after broadcast on a seven-day rolling basis, and up to 50 hours can be personally recorded by the triallist.

Recorded programmes will be accessible through a bespoke navigation. The future aspiration of the BBCi Push-VoD application is to enable consumers to create their own personal packages of content, for example an entertainment or sports specific package.

BBCi controller Rahul Chakkara said, “As we move further into an on-demand world, where viewers are looking for more opportunities to take control of their viewing schedules, it is imperative that the BBC is at the forefront of exploring new technologies to meet their needs.

“We are delighted to be working in partnership with Cabot Communications on Push-VoD initially via DTT, and to explore the ways in which MHEG and DVR technology can be used to meet audiences‘ changing needs.”

MUMBAI: The direct-to-home (DTH) space is set to get more crowded in India with the telecom majors planning to join the fray in addition to their IPTV gameplan.

Bharti Group is the latest player to have shown interest to enter an arena which will be occupied by Kalanithi Maran‘s Sun Direct and Anil Ambani‘s Reliance Group next year along with the existing DTH operators Dish TV, Tata Sky and Doordarshan‘s DD Direct Plus.

“We are looking at DTH and are rolling out IPTV,” Bharti Enterprises Ltd chairman Sunil Mittal tells Indiantelevision.com.

Bharti, it is reliably learnt, had preliminary discussions with Indian Space Research Orgainsation (ISRO) officials. With several players interested to kick off DTH operations, Isro is finding it a challenge to meet the growing demand for Ku-band transponders.

Sun, for instance, has had to wait after the unfortunate failure of the GSLV-F02 launch rocket carrying the Insat-4C communication satellite in July this year. Maran had booked seven high-power Ku-band transponders in this satellite, out of which six would have been used for DTH and one for digital satellite news gathering.

Bharati, however, has not yet applied for a DTH licence. “We are still evaluating. We haven‘t yet applied for a licence,” says Mittal.

Though telecom companies in India have chalked out ambitious triple play plans, they have not yet managed to sort out the technical issues. Last mile access to customer homes has also remained a big hurdle and private telcos, who have built a strong mobile phone business, have even looked at striking alliances with local cable operators. On the content front, there is no regulatory clarity yet for IPTV rights.

Bharati, for instance, had conducted test trials with UTStarcom as the digital service provider for IPTV, but later made it open for other vendors as well. A leading mobile service provider, Bharti‘s (like the other private telcos) progress on fixed telephone connections has been slow. With an eye to increase this base and raise ARPUs (average revenue per user) by delivering video content into consumer homes, the company has taken several steps for IPTV rollout including setting up a digital headend in Gurgaon on the outskirts of Delhi.

“With IPTV still to kick off, some telcos feel DTH offers good opportunity and synergy,” says a trade analyst.

Reliance, thus, is launching DTH under the Bluemagic brand and has roped in former Dish TV CEO Sunil Khanna to head the operations.

The formula now being worked upon by the telcos is obviously to have a DTH footprint as well as IPTV which would give them access to homes for delivering video content.

MUMBAI: Netherlands has pulled the plug on transmission of free to air analogue television, becoming the first nation switching completely to digital signals.

Former Dutch telecommunications monopoly KPN has licenced the former bandwidth used by analogue through 2017.

KPN carried the cost of building the digital network and will continue to broadcast three state-supported channels and several regional public broadcasters.

In return, KPN will use the remaining available capacity to carry a package of pay-television channels.

MUMBAI: South Korea expects to have 21 million users of mobile TV by 2012, based mostly on free-to-air terrestrial DMB, followed by a slowly growing base of satellite DMB users.

“There are 2.5 million users of mobile TV in South Korea today. TU started its service in May 2005, and will have 1 million users by the end of 2006. It expects to hit 2.2 million users by the end of 2007, at which point it expects to break even,” added Suh.

TU believes it can hit 6.6 million users by 2010 and generate $1.1 billion in revenue. That breaks down to about $14 per month in average revenue per user.

Research firm Parks Associates recently estimated the United States would have more than 15 million users of mobile TV by 2010, generating $1.6 billion in revenue.