ITV

Tag: IPTV

  • Cisco to help Portuguese telecom service provider for convergence of IPTV

    Cisco to help Portuguese telecom service provider for convergence of IPTV

    NEW DELHI: Cisco is to join Portuguese telecom service provider NOS for convergence of Internet Protocol (IP) video services and broadband.

     

    Cisco will provide IP-delivered video services of NOS that offers mobile and 4G networks, covering more than 90 per cent of the Portuguese population, and free internet at more than 600,000 hotspots in Portugal and 12 million across the world.

     

    Cisco in a statement said its technology will enable the Portuguese mobile service provider to offer video and broadband (DOCSIS) services over a single access infrastructure. The strategy will be enabling optimised network usage and reduced operational expenses. Cisco does not share specific details on reduction in Opex.

     

    By combining delivery of video and broadband services with the Cisco Converged Cable Access Platform (CCAP), NOS can manage its infrastructure to address varying demands on its digital video and IP traffic. Moreover, Cisco said its Evolved Services Platform will support NOS to provide software orchestration that manages the capacity migration from video into DOCSIS on the Cisco CCAP platform.

     

    Cisco said its CCAP will provide operational simplicity, service velocity and scalability for NOS cable business.

     

    The deployment includes the Cisco Universal Broadband Router uBR10K, 3G60, RF Gateway 10 and DS384 line cards, Cisco said.

     

    CTO of NOS Miguel Veiga Martins said: “By converging IP delivered video services and broadband access network, we can invest the right capacity in the right places at the right time. Cisco’s CCAP solution has proven to provide us with the operational efficiency that we need to ensure that we can continue to offer innovative experiences to our subscribers.” 

     

  • Digital TV Research forecasts North America to add five million Pay-TV subs by 2020

    Digital TV Research forecasts North America to add five million Pay-TV subs by 2020

    MUMBAI: Digital TV penetration reached 94.2 per cent at the end of 2013, and will increase to 100 per cent by 2017 is the forecast that has been made by Digital TV Research. Of the 17 million digital homes to be added between 2013 and 2020, 5.5 million will come from cable, 5.9 million from IPTV, 4.6 million from DTT and 0.9 million from satellite TV added the research.

     

    Despite a small decline in 2013, the number of pay-TV subscribers in North America is expected to witness a spike, with Digital TV in North America forecasted to make five million additions by 2020.

     

    However, pay-TV penetration is expected to drop from 87 per cent in 2010 to 83.8 per cent by 2020, as pay-TV penetration has peaked in Canada and US subscribers fell slightly in 2013; most of the pay-TV subscriber losses over the last few years have been analogue cable subs. With 18.39 million analogue cable subscribers still prevalent at the end of 2010, the number is expected to fall to 3.75 million by the end of this year.

     

    According to the study, satellite TV is expected to overtake cable to become the largest pay-TV platform revenue generator in 2015. However, satellite TV revenues will increase by only $1.2 billion between 2013 and 2020, to $42.8 billion. Cable revenues will fall by nearly $13 billion in the same period (dropping by $2.5 billion this year alone) the study added.

  • Govt says TV industry to be Rs 50,140 crore in 2014

    Govt says TV industry to be Rs 50,140 crore in 2014

    NEW DELHI: With the general elections coming closer, the government is ensuring that the public becomes aware of the good work it has done in the 10 years of its regime. One of the departments flaunting its feat is the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) that issued a statement today which claimed a paradigm shift in information dissemination and policy measures which has led to a vibrant information order in the last ten years.

     

    The Ministry says that with the growth of television channels from 130 in 2004 to 788 in 2014, India has become the third largest TV market with close to 154 million TV households, next to China and the United States. At the same time, the size of the TV industry has witnessed an exponential growth as well. The value of the TV industry is valued at Rs 50,140 crore in 2014 from Rs 18,300 crore in 2006.

     

    MIB says that the initiatives undertaken by it enabled the discourse of ‘India Story’ to be disseminated across different platforms. It also aimed at providing quality information to the masses, thereby ensuring that the inclusive growth perspective is spread. 

     

    The Ministry also claims to have pursued policies in order to utilise the benefits of technology and ensure that a framework is built enabling growth and change for the broadcasting landscape in the country. It says that the digitisation process has brought transparency in the system with 30 million STBs being installed in the first two phases.

     

    Some of the highlights of the decade have been the implementation of various guidelines including policy guidelines for uplinking and downlinking of TV channels (amended in 2011), policy guidelines for HITS broadcasting services (2009), policy guidelines for IPTV (2008), Revision of FDI Policy in five segments of broadcasting sector (2012), policy guidelines for TV rating agencies in India (2014) and policy guidelines on direct to home services (2001).

    In the film sector, the panel under the Chairmanship of Punjab and Haryana High Court retired Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal examined issues of certification under the Cinematograph Act 1952. The Committee reviewed major areas of concern pertaining to Advisory Panels; Guidelines for certification and issues such as portrayal of women, obscenity and communal disharmony; Classification of Films; Treatment of Piracy; Jurisdiction of the Appellate Tribunal; Review of the provisions of the Cinematograph Act, 1952.The committee has recently submitted its report which is being reviewed by the Ministry. 

    One of the key highlights of the film sector has been the National Museum of Indian Cinema (NMIC) showcasing India’s rich film heritage over the past 100 years. The Museum is situated in the 6,000 square-foot Gulshan Mahal – a heritage building. The museum is a ready-reckoner of the history of Indian cinema showcasing technological aspects of production and screening of films, as well as its social aspects during the past 100 years. Through its interactive galleries, it traces the evolution of celluloid from the Lumiere Brothers, Raja Harishchandra onwards, and showcases Indian cinema in three stages – silent era, golden era and the modern era.

  • Eutelsat KabelKiosk selects HTTV middleware to deploy HbbTV IPTV

    Eutelsat KabelKiosk selects HTTV middleware to deploy HbbTV IPTV

    MUMBAI: HTTV has announced that httvLink, its HbbTV open-middleware for connected TV STBs, has been selected by Eutelsat KabelKiosk to power its new wholesale HbbTV IPTV offering. This will be the first time worldwide, that HbbTV will be deployed on IPTV networks.

    KabelKiosk is the leading provider of ready to use TV products and services in Europe for network operators. It is operated by Eutelsat Germany, a 100 per cent subsidiary of Eutelsat S.A, one of the worldwide leading satellite operators.

    KabelKiosk will use HbbTV 1.5 compliant httvLink middleware and IP STB’s from leading Korean manufacturer, Kaon Media, for its new HbbTV IPTV offering. It will enable IPTV Network Operators (IPNO) such as cities carrier or local communities to provide advanced connected TV set top boxes to more than five million German households. These IPNO would be able to operate pay TV networks under their own brands by using KabelKiosk’s infrastructure and content.

    Eutelsat KabelKiosk will make the content available on HbbTV STBs as well as on iOS, Android smartphone, tablets, PCs and Mac.

    “HTTV is proud to have been selected by a leading provider such as KabelKiosk for this first HbbTV IPTV network wholesale offer” said HTTVCEO Regis Saint Girons in a release.  “This demonstrates that HbbTV is a flexible and powerful standard not only for free to air but also for PayTV and IPTV networks,” he added.

    “Our KabelKiosk platform is the engine of innovation in the German speaking cable and IP network markets. Therefore working with httv, one of the true digital TV software innovators, is a perfect match. Its leading position on HbbTV middleware has made it the natural choice to contribute to our new offer and to consolidate our technological leadership”, said Eutelsat Germany managing director Martina Rutenbeck.

  • TRAI issues supplementary consultation paper on DTH licensing

    TRAI issues supplementary consultation paper on DTH licensing

    MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued a supplementary consultation paper on issues related to new DTH licences late 14 November evening.

    This follows up the consultation paper it had issued on 1 October on issue/extension of DTH licences at the behest of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B).

    The new consultation paper seeks to get the views of industry stakeholders on the comprehensive review of the provisions in the existing DTH guidelines it is seeking to undertake.

    Among those are:

    Cross-holdings and control between a DTH licencee, broadcasting entities and TV channel distribution entities.

     
    It is seeking to modify clause 1.4 of the DTH guidelines from “The licencee shall not allow broadcasting companies and/or cable network companies to collectively hold 20 per cent of the total paid up equity in its company at any time during the licence period” to “the licencee shall not allow any entity controlling broadcasting and/or any TV channel distribution operator to control it…”

    Clause 1.5 is proposed to be changed from “The licencee company  not to hold or own more than 20 per cent equity share in a broadcasting and/or cable networking company”  to “any entity controlling the licencee should not control any broadcasting and/or any TV channel distribution operator.”

    The term TV channel distribution operator covers operators of cable TV, DTH, HITS, and IPTV.
    The consultation paper has defined what “control” can mean:

    *A company owns 20 per cent of another firm directly or indirectly though associate companies, subsidiaries and/or relatives

    * De jure control through having not less than 50 per cent of voting rights in second company; appointing 50 per cent of the members of the board of directors; controlling the management of affairs through decision-making in strategic affairs of the second company and appointment of key personnel.

    * Exercises de facto control by being a party to agreements, contracts or understandings…that enable it to control business decisions in the second company.

    The TRAI has said that if one were to go with this definition of control, then amendments will have to be made to laws relating to cable TV operators, broadcasters, HITS operators and some DTH operators will have to be given time to comply with the new provisions.
    Interoperability of DTH STBs

    The TRAI has stated that Clause 7.1 of the guidelines is open to interpretation. It states: “The open architecture (non-proprietary) set top box which will ensure technical compatibility and effective interoperability amongst different DTH providers shall have such specifications as laid down by the government from time to time.”

     
    It has emphasised that this could be modified to put the onus on the Bureau of Indian Standards and the government shall ensure that “the BIS specifications are based on open architecture and should incorporate the latest technological developments with respect to interoperability of DTH STBs taking into account its practicality as well as international experience.”

    Additionally, it states that “the BIS specifications should clearly specify the contours of interoperability between the STBs based on different technological standards.”

    Finally, it has pointed out that the licence conditions should be amended to mandate compliance to BIS specifications for the STB to be offered to all new subscribers within a suitable period of say six months.”

    Licence Fee:

    It has recommended that the licence fee and the definition of adjusted gross revenues (AGR) for the DTH sector be aligned with that specified in the Unified Licence. And that the licence fee may be charged at eight per cent of AGR. The AGR could be calculated “by excluding service tax on provision of service tax and sales tax actually paid to the government if gross revenue had included components of sales tax and service tax.”

    Under the current guidelines, DTH licencees have to pay an initial non-refundable entry fee of Rs 10 crore before the issue of the letter of intent by the licensor, and an annual fee of 10 per cent of its gross revenue in the particular financial year after the issue of the wireless operational licence by the WPC. The TRAI had in 2004 recommended that this be reduced by two per cent on AGR, and later to six per cent of gross revenues in 2008.

    Migration Fee:

    It has recommended an imposition of an entry fee on existing and new DTH operators moving to the unified licence regime. Existing operators should be given a rebate commensurate to the value of the licence for the remaining licence period, and that may be termed as the migration fee. The rebate could be calculated.

    The TRAI has asked stakeholders to give their views on the recommendations issued today by 25 November. Stakeholders also have to give their recommendations on the consultation paper dated 1 October 2013.

  • Sony Entertainment takes HD route in the US

    Sony Entertainment takes HD route in the US

    MUMBAI: From now on, viewers in America can enjoy their favorite SET (Sony Entertainment Television) Asia programmes including some of the popular shows like Kaun Banega Crorepati, Sanjeev Kapoor Ke Kitchen Khiladi, Bharat Ka Veer Putra – Maharana and the World Television Premier blockbusters in high definition (HD).

    Recently, the network — part of Multi Screen Media (MSM) — announced that it had made its HD feed available on direct to home platform Dish and the IPTV service Dishworld. While most Indian channels are already available as a part of several packages on Dish and DishWorld, the only ones that also have a HD version are Zee TV, Star India Plus and Willow Cricket. Amongst the GECs, the only one which is yet to get its HD channels running in the US is Colors.

    Talking about the development, SVP of International Business, head of North America Jaideep Janakiram said in a press release: “Sony Entertainment Network has always embraced excellence in content and quality, going HD is another step in that direction. SET Asia will continue to keep its viewers in the entertainment forefront, and I am sure that our consumers will enjoy the enhanced viewer experience.”

    Industry sources say that the HD offerings by Indian GECs have not found too many takers as yet in the US and that it is still at a very nascent stage there and it would require some time to grow. “But it would reap benefits,” says IndiaCast group COO Gaurav Gandhi, who believes that the US is probably the most lucrative amongst international markets for Indian broadcasters. “The Indian TV networks have been earning a lot from the American market, especially with popular channels like Star, Zee, Colors and Sony,” says Gandhi.

    Indian channels are classified in the south Asian bouquet provided by Dish in the US. And they are available in various packages, according to its website. At the top of the heap is the Mega Pack, which offers blockbuster movies, music videos, action-packed thrillers, the biggest reality shows, sitcoms, family drama, up-to the minute news and current affairs, and lifestyle at $54.99 per month.

    “Hindi Mega Pack is the No 1 choice for Hindi Television Entertainment in the US and is sure to enthrall every member of the family…with no activation fee and free standard installation,” writes Dish on its website.

    The two platforms have many more interesting packages on offer that clubs some of the popular channels. Interestingly, DishWorld offers an exclusive “Sony Package” at $ 14.95 per month that has on offer all the four channels — Sony HD, SET MAX, SAB and Sony Mix. Besides, the package also includes “13 great English International channels” for free including Eurochannel, Euronews, Trace Urban, Blue Ocean Network, Baby TV, Ebru TV, LUXE TV, France 24 (English), Fashion TV, Zoom, NDTV 24/7, RT and Bloomberg.

    Dish too has special packages. A package that clubs Zee and Sony is available at $ 24.99 per month and includes Zee TV and Sony Entertainment Televison Asia, both HD and standard definition. The package in its programming also includes game shows, live concerts and talk shows daily news feeds, music videos and more.

    Another package, available at the same price, has Sony Entertainment Television Asia and Aapka Colors and the programming includes fresh new shows, dramas and serials, news and movies from Bollywood, the biggest reality shows and a lot of other things.

    Other packages in which Sony Entertainment Television Asia is available are Hindi: Premium at $44.99, Hindi: Super at $39.99 and Hindi Elite at $34.99 per month each.

    Interestingly, SET Asia HD will be available on both Dish platforms at no additional cost to subscribers. Satellite customers can just tune in on HD channel 9663; subscribers who do not have an HD receiver can only access SET Asia in standard definition on channel 695.

    Dish director of programming, Sruta Vootukuru said: “DISH is the leading provider of HD international content to viewers in the US, and we are pleased to add SET Asia HD to this impressive lineup. We remain committed to offering the best programming options to our nation’s South Asian communities interested in high-definition entertainment from their home countries.”

  • Greymatter to debut at MIPCOM 2013

    Greymatter to debut at MIPCOM 2013

    Greymatter Entertainment – a 360 degree media company offering end-to-end creative solutions and production services for broadcast, celluloid and digital platforms – is debuting at this year’s MIPCOM with a host of new and innovative formats.

    For a company which produces content across genres, including reality, music, travel, lifestyle, game show and documentary, participating in the world’s largest content market is possibly a natural next step. Says Greymatter Entertainment owner Rahul Sarangi, “MIPCOM helps you network with global content buyers. The market is also a platform for companies with new formats.”

    We believe most of our formats are very differentiated yet palatable to the global audience, says Rahul Sarangi

    So what’s on offer at the fest? “We will launch a factual documentary titled ‘Tribes of the World’, an award winning show ‘Bikini Café’, a never-seen before music reality format named ‘Remix’ and a series about unconditional love christened ‘Thanks Maa’,” Sarangi answers.

    For the uninitiated, Tribes of the World is a factual documentary which explores the unexplored and unseen faces of tribal India. Bikini Café is about testing one’s entrepreneurial skills of owning a shack while Thanks Maa gives mothers a chance to relive their dreams.

    Elaborating on his plans, Sarangi says: “We are looking at co-producing interesting formats/content under the genres we specialise. As far as selling is concerned, one of our music formats ‘Remix’ has been sold to a few markets and is distributed by Global Agency. We have also recently concluded a very successful co- production deal with Novovision on 52 x 30 min non-dialogue humour episodes for the global market.”

    What does Greymatter expect to achieve at MIPCOM 2013? “As you would be aware, Indian broadcasters don’t give rights to producers, but we have figured that if we have a global partner, then we can retain rights and make it a global success. We believe most of our formats are very differentiated yet palatable to the global audience,” explains Sarangi, adding: “We expect to strike some interesting co-production, distribution or strategic partnership with global companies that suit our profile.”

    On the subject of markets, Sarangi says the company is open to any market, from America and Europe to the Middle East and Asia, as long as it shares Greymatter’s sensibilities. The firm will concentrate on platforms like IPTV, mobile and free to air.

  • The Economic Times unveils telecom news portal ETTelecom.com

    The Economic Times unveils telecom news portal ETTelecom.com

    MUMBAI: One of India’s leading business & economy news website, The Economic Times announced the launch of ETTelecom.com, a comprehensive news portal catering exclusively to the telecom sector.

    Launched by the Union Minister for Information Technology & Law, Kapil Sibal today in a press briefing at Sanchar Bhawan, New Delhi, and this initiative is a part of The Economic Times commitment to the telecom sector. ETTelecom.com has been launched with an objective to keep industry professionals updated with a comprehensive and focused round up on the telecom sector news – locally and globally; breaking new stories and in-depth analysis across varied topics such as technology, voice, VAS, and allied sectors.

    ETTelecom.com aims to redefine a new generation of focused business vertical news, information, data, tools and services to professionals in the telecom industry. The exclusive coverage by the portal, will be complimented by a daily mobile-friendly newsletter to its subscribers – updating them with the latest and trending stories across telecom sector, every morning.

    To facilitate deeper industry-engagement, ETTelecom.com will provide an interactive platform for the telecom professionals via forums and live discussions with the decision makers in telecom industry.

    Telecom minister Kapil Sibal congratulated The Economic Times and said that it was an important step for the sector and as well as nation.

    “I believe that the telecom and IT sectors are the infrastructure of empowerment that apply to all fields of human activity, because there is no field that is left out of cyberspace. This is a big challenge for us, while you provide the platform we will have spate of information on that platform that we will have to respond to,” he said.

    “There is a lot of information, and it should be analysed on a daily basis and put out on a right kind of platform so that there is informed decision making on the other end. The Economic Times has taken a step forward, and I congratulate the team on of ETTelecom.com,” added Sibal.

    “ETTelecom.com would be a quality news and information resource for people involved in India’s fast-growing ICT industry. We are extremely delighted to have such a dynamic and focused news portal catering to the entire telecom sector, and wish their team the very best in their endeavours,” said Telecom Commission DoT and chairman secretary MF Farooqui.

    “Our objective is to make ETTelecom.com a one-stop destination for industry leaders who want to keep themselves updated about the telecom sector in India. The portal will not only focus on voice and VAS, but also networks, broadband, DTH, IPTV, handsets and all related information. The Indian telecom industry is at a perfect stage of development now and with 3G and smart phones gradually taking the centre stage, it will have a lot of stories to tell in the coming time. As Internet access is poised for a dramatic turn, we see Times Internet diversifying into B2B news and adopting an aggressive strategy to redefine content delivery with a sector-wise approach said Times internet CEO Satyan Gajwani.

  • IPTV: I&B mandates carriage of 24 DD channels

    IPTV: I&B mandates carriage of 24 DD channels

    NEW DELHI: Superseding its earlier orders in this connection, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has updated its list of channels to be compulsorily carried on the Internet Protocol Television (IPTV).

    The new order lists a total of 24 channels, which includes 21 Doordarshan channels apart from Gyan Darshan, Lok Sabha TV and Rajya Sabha TV.

    The DD channels in the list are National, News, Bharati, Urdu, Sports, DD India, DD Kashir, DD Punjabi, DD Girnar, DD Sahyadiri, DD Saptagiri, DD Malayalam, DD Podhigal, DD Candana, DD Bangla, DD North East, DD Bihar, DD Uttar Pradesh, DD Rajasthan, DD Madhya Pradesh and DD Oriya.

    The memorandum says it shall be obligatory for every IPTV Service Provider to provide these channels to the subscribers, irrespective of any bouquet(s) or a-la-carte channel(s) being subscribed by them. The IPTV Service Provider shall also place the above channels in the respective genre and shall display them in full television screen.

  • OTT, Multiscreen and Cloud TV Spark Innovation for MENA’s Connected TV Market

    OTT, Multiscreen and Cloud TV Spark Innovation for MENA’s Connected TV Market

    NEW DELHI: Connected TV is rapidly evolving in MENA region (Middle East and North Africa), with providers, broadcasters and manufacturers such as STC, OSN (Orbit Showtime Network) and Samsung already offering consumers increased access to content through smart devices.

    This growing saturation of the market provides the backdrop for this year’s TV Connect MENA, which has developed in recent years to focus on IPTV, OTTtv, multiscreen and cloud TV services for regional service providers.

    The number of connected devices, particularly tablets, is fuelling demand for OTT, cloud and multiscreen services in MENA, and is expected to dramatically increase over the next five years. Informa Telecoms and Media reports that 6.5 million tablets were sold across the Middle East and Africa in 2012. That figure is forecast to increase to a staggering 32.1 million in 2016.

    Informa Telecoms & Media research analyst Michael Dean comments on the growth opportunity: “The OTT-content and services landscape across MENA has traditionally been rather barren, but the situation is changing quickly with OTT start-ups starting to emerge, and the number of rival operator initiatives increasing.

    “Mobile broadband may currently be in the nascent stages across much of the region but it is increasingly becoming a greater growth area for rural internet users in many MENA markets. In addition, the Gulf Cooperation Council is scheduling to have LTE networks in place by end-2013, meaning there will be a further rise in mobile data usage. This will undoubtedly place more demand on increased content delivery. Saudi Arabia and the UAE alone already have traditionally high levels of TV content consumption. For example, according to OSN, the average household watches six to seven hours of TV content per day,” adds Dean.

    Focussing on OTTtv, multiscreen and cloud TV services, and the opportunities within the IPTV industry, the annual TV Connect MENA, holds more relevance than ever for service providers, telecom/cable/satellite operators, broadcasters, content providers, gaming aggregators and CE manufacturers.

    TV Connect MENA conference director Kamelija Stefanova comments: “The event will explore OTT and IPTV convergence; offer presentations about developing content monetisation strategies; look at the business of CDNs and data centers for telecom operators; assess the role of advertising agencies in the connected media space; show best practise OTT and IPTV projects; and see how multiscreen services are becoming part of the digital home. We as organisers are in a unique position to provide one meeting place for broadband, LTE and TV markets and offer learning opportunities for maximising the power of 4G/LTE network to offer TV on the Go, utilising user interface for improved content discovery and using apps for on-demand video services.”