Category: Software

MUMBAI: Zone Mobile, the new mobile division of Zonemedia (formerly known as Zone Vision Networks) has appointed UK mobile media company 3 to distribute Zone Reality’s Mobile TV service.

Zonemedia will provide a supply of regularly refreshed, looped programming which can be accessed by 3 customers. The high-impact segments are being specially edited for mobile viewing and are created from the best of Zone Reality‘s hit shows including Ouch! That Had to Hurt, Moronic 21st Century Idiots, Crash Bang and Beyond Bizarre.

Via distribution on 3, Zone Reality programmes will be available to 3’s 3.75 million customers through single channel sales where customers pay for each channel that they watch, or in a bundled package with a number of other TV channels.

Zone Mobile new media officer Tanya Gugenheim says, “3 are at a significant moment in the history of communications and media. They have created a different type of business by defining a new category which fuses together information, communication and entertainment into a single mobile device. We are really excited to be working with them and getting our innovative and in-demand Zone Reality material out to as wide an audience as possible.”

3 marketing director Graham Oxby says, “We are excited about all of the new developments in the mobile content arena and see the product being offered by Zone Reality as new and appealing for our 3.75 million customers.”

MUMBAI: The GSM Association (GSMA) has announced the six finalists for the first Asia Mobile Innovation Awards, a competition for young, small and start up companies across Asia that are developing technologies, applications and compelling content for the fast moving mobile space.

The six short-listed companies have been selected from more than 70 entries by a panel of judges comprising innovation leaders from mobile operators, vendors and venture capital firms.

The competition will culminate at the 3GSM World Congress Asia in Singapore on 16 October 2006, when a representative from each of the companies nominated will present an ‘elevator pitch‘ style presentation to the judging panel for final selection of the winners. There are two Awards categories – Most Innovative Mobile Application or Content; and Most Innovative Technology Development.

The Innovation forum session will also include presentations and panel discussions on the mobile innovation theme by Smart Communications, Bharti, Ericsson and SpinVox – this year’s winner of the GSMA’s global innovation award.

Each category has three nominations:

Category 1 – Innovative Mobile Application or Content

· GSTL (India) for Geneva NDIS

Geneva NDIS is a disaster information dissemination system that rapidly processes data from emergency information sources and sends it to mobile users as a text message alert or a voice call.

· N2N Consulting for M-Bit Network

M-Bit Network services supports mobile media applications such as mobile music and video, and TV tie-in competitions, making billing easier for operators and enabling end-users to share files, uncover additional content, or create their own for sharing with others.

· Microimage Ltd for localised messaging and content browsing

Microimage claims to have developed the world’s first patented local language messaging and content application, to provide customised local language support for entry-level mobile devices in emerging markets.

Category 2 – Innovative Technology Development

· Open-Plug for ELIPS

Open-Plug for ELIPS claims to be the first open software framework designed for mobile phones, which enables ELIPS-based handsets to be tailored and configured far more quickly according to the requirements of operators.

· Radius ED for Global 1 Number

The Global 1 Number (G1) solution is a simple universal short code that lets mobile users access information from anywhere in the world, via a single secure hub that also handles call-routing, billing and data rights management.

· Dialog-UOM Lab & Microimage for Disaster Early Warning Network (DEWN)

DEWN uses a centralised mobile messaging platform and also device-based technology to disseminate early-warning emergency messages, audio and visual alarms, to warn communities of impending disasters.

The six finalists will also be exhibiting at the 3GSM World Congress Asia, as part of a special feature ‘Innovation Zone’. The two winners will receive an automatic place on the shortlist for the innovation category of the GSMA’s Global Mobile Awards at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona next February.

MUMBAI: The government‘s CAS rollout plan continues apace. All the major MSOs today received “CAS authorisations” from the sector regulator, which clears the way for the public awareness campaigns to kick on the stipulated date of 15 October.

According to IndusInd Media & Communications executive director Ashok Mansukhani, the letters issued by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) are dated 30 September and authorise an MSO to operate in the cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai “in the areas notified under Section 4(a) of the Cable Act 1995 as per 11(2) of the cable rules 1992 as amended in 2006.”

Says Mansukhani, “These letters clear the way for MSOs to seek authorisation from broadcasters to enter into revenue share agreements with broadcasters and operators in terms of the August 24 interconnect regulation and the August 31 tariff order issued by Trai. It also clears the way for us kick off the CAS awareness campaign by the mandated date of 15 October.”

Executives in the Zee Group promoted WWIL (earlier Siticable) also confirmed receiving the CAS authorisation letters.

The CAS awareness campaign will last for a period of 30 days. The general directive also provides for filing of a compliance report immediately after the start as well as the end of the campaign.

Trai had issued a regulation on 23 August specifying standards of quality of service to be observed by the MSOs/ Cable Operators in CAS notified areas of Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata. This regulation had stated that multi system operators permitted to provide cable services in CAS notified areas would be required to conduct a public awareness campaign from a date to be specified by Trai.

Also read:

Trai sets 15 October as date for CAS awareness drive to kick off

MUMBAI: Buena Vista Games, Inc. has Desperate Housewives: The Game is now available at retail stores throughout the United States. Desperate Housewives: The Game is a lifestyle simulation Windows PC game inspired by the Golden Globe-winning ABC-TV series produced by Touchstone Television.

In the game, the player takes on the role of a new housewife who moves to Wisteria Lane and unlocks the delicious scandals hidden in the seemingly “perfect” neighborhood, informs an official release.

“The global popularity and success of ‘Desperate Housewives’ is unsurpassed and provided the perfect inspiration for a Windows PC game that captures the essence of the series,” says Buena Vista Games senior VP Graham Hopper. “For the hours during the week between the Sunday night episode airings, Desperate Housewives: The Game is the ideal way for series fans to stay connected to the experience.”

Desperate Housewives: The Game is a lifestyle simulation game with a 12-episode story. The game enables Windows PC users to customize a housewife and her family. The new housewife will move into a house on Wisteria Lane and uncover secrets from her past through interaction with her neighbors – including both characters from the TV series and all new characters. With a script from series writer Scott Sanford Tobis, the game is a new narrative that incorporates both drama and dark humor – a combination of characteristics familiar to fans of the show, the release adds.

Developed by Liquid Entertainment, Desperate Housewives: The Game is rated T for Teen by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and has a suggested retail price of $19.99.

Unless pricing was elastic, it was a non-sustainable business model not just for the pay channels but for the cable service providers as well, was the view expressed by Raghav Sahgal, CBO, Converse. Speakiing during the morning keynote, John Malone-controlled Liberty Media board member Shane O‘Neill suggested that a better formula for the government to consider might be that the baseline or lifeline service (basic tier?) be given maximum spread while the rest should be left to the market to determine.

Interestingly, that was the sentiment off the Orissa-based MSO Ortel Communications‘ Jagi Mangat Panda as well. Said Panda, “CAS is important and necessary. But the regulator entering into pricing issues is unviable for long.” Mandate CAS but stay away from pricing, she offered. Panda also spoke of the need for a level playing field on issues like foreign investment similar to what the telcos enjoyed for all players in the broadcasty sector.

ADAPT OR PERISH:

Speaking on the issue of the shift to digital, HSBC Securities‘ Sandeep Pahwa pointed out that “consolidation and building of scale is important but not a necessary recipe for success.” The ability to innovate according to the dynamics as determined by Indian situation was the critical factor, according to Pahwa. “Adapt or perish. The mantra is continual innovation,” Pahwa said.

Another point that came through in the discussions was that in the move towards digital delivery, the real battle in the short to mid term would be between cable and DTH. “IPTV is a real challenge in an emerging market like India,” said Comverse CBO Raghav Sahgal.

According to Pahwa, DTH will compete on reach (cable dark areas in particular) and service. However, where cable service providers have got it right, there is a clear advantage in their favour.

WWIL‘s JS Kohli said, “CAS is the trigger that will actually facilitate the move towards convergence.”

Tata Sky‘s Vikram Kaushik said while in the medium term quality of service would be the key differentiator that DTH offered, going forward, once transponder limitations haad been overcome some element of exclusivity would come into play. 80 per cent of programming will be across platform and 15 per cent will be exclusive, Kaushik said.

Speaking on the content provider‘s side Star India‘s Paritosh Joshi said, “Star‘s content for the mass audiences will remain the primary focus. We will look for opportunities – mobile in particular is something we‘re particularly gung ho about. That‘s something we‘re already actively looking at.”

“A marginal higher value consumer may exist and these we will address,” Joshi said.

Speaking about the impact CAS would have Hathway MSO‘s K Jayaraman said, “CAS is going to be painful in terms of investments required. If the first phase of CAS goes well then the funding is going to be a challenge.”

Incable‘s Ashok Mansukhani offered, “We need to put in a lot of money to upgrade ourselves as well as LCOs. We believe in 100 per cent transparency.”

On the scope for IPTV, Tandberg Television‘s Alan Delaney said, “There is plenty of space in the market for everybody.”

Bharti Televentures‘ Sriram TV was clear that staying out of content creation was the way to go for telcos. Said Sriram, “Focus on what you‘re best at. Bharti has taken its learnings from the experiences of Singtel / Vodafone in the UK as examples of networks that went into too many areas and lived to regret the decision. Network convergence, device convergence and industry convergence is what we are looking at. Bharti has content tie-ups with all the pay channels.”

HFCL‘s Surendra Lunia, however, said, “We will evaluate according to opportunity.”

Another problem for broadband is that technical skill sets need to be sorted out before value added services can be rolled out, said Jayaraman. This statement coming from the head of a cable MSO who has 100,000 registered users reflects on the difficulties that lie ahead for introduction of IPTV in particular.

However, Mansukhani was more optimistic on that front: “It is a dynamic growth oriented business. Broadband adding significantly in the next three years.”

MUMBAI: Acting on expected lines, broadcasters have finally taken legal recourse against the Rs 5 tariff that the sector regulator had set as the price for accessing pay channels in a CAS regime.

Three separate petitions filed against the order of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) by Set Discovery Ltd, ESPN Star Sports (ESS) and ESPN Software India came up for hearing this morning before the apeals tribunal.
However, the Telecom Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT), which heard the case today, issued no directive to stay Trai‘s order.

A point of note is that of the three petitions that came up for hearing today, two of them were moved commonly by ESS and ESPN Software.

TDSAT has set the matter for further argument and a possible order on 13 November. The pay broadcasters have challenged the two Trai notifications dated 24 August (on carriage fee) and 31 August (channel pricing).

The channels have also challenged the revenue sharing model designed for industry stakeholders by Trai. The sector regulator had specified in the notification that the revenue generated from pay channels leaves the broadcaster with 45 per cent, while the multi system operators (MSOs) stays on with 30 per cent and the cable operators get 25 per cent.

Interestingly, the two major MSOs; Hathway and Hinduja-owned IndusInd Media and Communications have intervened in the appeal in support of Trai‘s decision on the CAS pricing.

For the record, the 24 August notification had mentioned that the carriage fee is to be retained fully by MSOs and can operate throughout a CAS area without any restriction on area of operation.

Subsequently, SitiCable Networks Ltd (now renamed WWIL) has also filed a petition at the tribunal appealing that the MSO must have a share in the basic tier services fee, which according to Trai notification must be retained fully by local cable operators.

Earlier this year, a division bench of the Delhi High Court had passed an order directing the implementation of CAS with effect from 31 December in the south zones of the three metros; Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata.

MUMBAI: Mobile data services are the next wave of growth for the mobile communications industry amid the increasingly saturated subscriber base.

While messaging will continue to be the main revenue contributor in most emerging and developing mobile data markets, much of the growth potential also lies in premium content. Greater 3G (third generation) coverage and deployment, expanding regional subscriber base, declining cost of advanced multimedia handsets, and the race to secure a continuous stream of content through partnerships are likely to drive growth of mobile data revenues.

New analysis from global growth consulting company, Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific Premium Content Market, reveals that the market – covering 13 major Asia-Pac economies – earned revenues of $9.4 billion in 2005 and is estimated to reach $32.9 billion by end-2011.

Frost & Sullivan industry manager Janice Chong says, “Subscribers in most Asia-Pac countries have strong preference for local content, which creates the impetus for the fast-growing mobile content market. The pace of 3G adoption, to a certain extent, influences the development of premium content applications by providing greater bandwidth and faster data transmission.”

The Asia Pacific mobile data market is forecast to grow at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 17.9 percent between 2005 and 2011. Messaging revenues still constitute the majority of operator-generated data revenues. In 2005, messaging accounted for approximately 39.6 percent of total operators’ data revenues (excluding revenue share of third-party content providers).

The total premium content market, which includes both operator and third-party content provider revenues, held 29.5 percent of total mobile data revenues in 2005, and is expected to register a CAGR of 23.2 percent from 2005 to 2011.

In certain Asia Pacific countries, the revenue share ratio skews in favour of mobile operators. As a result, content providers receive a small revenue split. Moreover, content providers are required to pay hefty royalties for applications to music label companies and associations. These factors have in some ways hindered the growth of the premium content industry in selected countries. While the revenue share model employed in Japan, South Korea and China may seem relatively favourable to content providers, similar business models may not apply to other countries across the region.

Chong adds, “In markets such as Indonesia and the Philippines, mobile operators typically retain 60 to 70 per cent of the revenue from sale of content, while content providers receive the remaining smaller portion.

“Content providers in such countries believe that they deserve a larger revenue share considering that the cost of content development is entirely borne by them.”

This however is inherently characteristic in markets outside of Japan and South Korea, primarily due to the high use of SMS (short messaging services) based applications which contribute to low data traffic usage. The lack of a satisfactory level of revenue from data traffic usage would mean that operators will tend to seek a higher revenue share from content downloads to compensate for the low data traffic revenue.

ABC Entertainment VP digital media Alexis Rapo says, “We are adding a significant amount of unique content, especially video, to ABC.com to make it the primary destination for fans of our programming.”

“We have increased the amount of short-form video content including, trailers and originals, by 330 per cent from last season. We are seeing success already — on the premiere day for Dancing with the Stars. 60 per cent of the video viewed on the site was for that show alone.”

Fresh to ABC.com this year are new sites for five returning series The Bachelor, Dancing with the Stars, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Greys Anatomy and Lost. There are also sites for four new series The Knights of Prosperity, The Nine, Six Degrees and Ugly Betty. Additional content includes blogs, podcasts, behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with the cast and producers.

Dancing with the Stars gets a new website design with enhanced features and content. There is original online video content backstage interviews, dancer/celebrity spotlights, rehearsals. There is also an online voting component, a mobile SMS campaign, an online dancing game and blogs.

Greys Anatomy has weekly podcasts with producers, weekly blogs from show writers, exclusive online behind-the-scenes features.

For Lost ABC will be coming out with a new website design with many interactive features created for fans, as well as new viewers, including The Lost Theories Board, Lost Connections backstory feature Weekly podcasts and video podcasts with producers

In an industry first, Fox Interactive Media is leveraging both national and local online distribution channels to sustain enthusiasm for fall primetime programming while the network broadcasts Major League Baseball play-offs and the World Series games.

Consumers can access previously-aired episodes from Fox’s shows like Bones, Prison Break and Standoff. Additional episodes of these and other Fox shows will be made available throughout October and November.

On-air promotions during Major League Baseball broadcasts will push viewers to the sites to catch up on their favourite Fox shows through Fox on Demand.

Fox president of entertainment Peter Liguori says, “We are fortunate to have partners like Fox Interactive Media and our Fox Stations Group making our entertainment programming available to viewers, while we turn over much of prime time to Fox Sports and post-season baseball.

“MySpace provides tremendous exposure to our key demos and our O&O’s speak to local viewers and loyal fans of FOX in a very targeted way.”

The launch of ad-supported streaming of FOX programming will support several strategic objectives, including building audiences during breaks in regular programming by utilizing an alternative distribution channel; demonstrating the value of online promotions to stations and advertisers; and allowing parallel entertainment offerings to grow audiences simultaneously.

Fox Entertainment Group president, digital media Peter Levinsohn says, “Offering free access to Fox programming online during the MLB primetime take-over demonstrates the tremendous value that may be realized through a smart digital distribution strategy for premium content.”

“The FIM network of sites and particularly MySpace, combined with our local television sites, provide the optimal platform for maintaining momentum with our existing audience and also attracting new viewers.”

The portal will provide content and entertainment services through online, mobile, emerging, and traditional distribution channels, as per an official release.

In terms of content, SaffronConnect.com will include a range from established bands to upcoming artists, major music labels to independent producers. The ‘Desi’ or South Asian market includes the residents of India, Pakistan, Tibet, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, as well as the non-resident community who live around the world, the release adds.