ITV

Tag: Teleport

  • MIB makes online mode mandatory for new channel applications

    MIB makes online mode mandatory for new channel applications

    MUMBAI: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has issued a notice informing all broadcasters that the online module for submitting applications for new TV channels is now operational on web portal www.broadcastseva.gov.in dated 4 February 2019.

    It also stated that henceforth, all such applications for new TV channels should be made through online mode only and no application should be sent through offline mode.

    BroadcastSeva is the effort of MIB to provide efficient and transparent regime for the growth and management of the Broadcast Sector. It provides a single point facility to the various stakeholders and applicants to make their applications for various permission, registrations, licences etc.

    After submitting the online application the broadcasters are required to submit some documents through offline mode. The documents are different for a company already holding channel/teleport permission and a new company.

  • Comment: TRAI uplinks progressive recommendations; now MIB, others need to downlink them

    Comment: TRAI uplinks progressive recommendations; now MIB, others need to downlink them

    The approximately Rs 1,400 billion Indian broadcasting and cable sectors, reeling under the impact of a slow economy and hemmed in by erratic policy-making, would be breathing a bit easy after TRAI’s recommendations on issues related to uplink and downlink of TV channels and teleports.

    And, why not?  When the consultation paper on uplinking and downlinking guidelines was released by TRAI in December last year, the concept paper had sent alarm bells ringing in the media industry. Reason? The consultation paper had references about auctioning of satellite spectrum and TV channel permissions, introduction of AGR (adjusted gross revenue) sharing based licence fee (the concept of licensing itself was a debatable issue) and introduction of other changes.

    Most media houses sensed that an auction and AGR-based licensing and spectrum regime could have an irreparable impact on the industry, a la telecom sector, where winding down of businesses and pink slips are becoming common. Even more worrying for the sector was the assertion by TRAI — probably egged on by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB)’s reference letter on the issue — that the administrative permissions received by TV channels under the existing norms were licences under Section 4 of the Telegraph Act, 1885, which in itself is an antiquated piece of legislation harking back to the 19th century.

    Though TRAI may not have been directly responsible for suggesting in the consultation paper, issues that rankled the industry, it did experience a rare united and collective views of the industry. Though consensus among stakeholders is rare, on this matter there was no such hesitation. And, an open house forum organised by TRAI on the issue to get further feedback could be cited as an example of this rare unity of views.

    Most attendees to the open forum conveyed loud and clear that concepts like auctioning of TV channels’ permission and AGR-based annual revenue sharing (with the government) would do more harm to the industry than any good. What’s more, some of the industry representatives reminded TRAI of its recommendations for National Telecom Policy 2018 where it had suggested “review” of all levy and fees imposed on telecom service providers.

    In the final recommendations issued earlier this week, TRAI has categorically struck down the possibility of either auctioning of permissions and/or spectrum and steered clear of AGR altogether. Rather, it has taken a highly progressive stance, which if accepted by MIB and other government organisations can inject the much-needed fuel in the industry for it to propel forward faster over the next decade.

    By not increasing any substantial financial burden on media companies in this sector, TRAI has enabled the capex to go into creating newer ventures, innovative products and business models, and other expansionary activities, rather than simply paying fees and levies. Though the suggested framework has been left mostly untouched from the perspective of administrative fees, there are a few notable changes.

    The annual licence fee for uplinking of a TV channel has been enhanced from Rs 200,000 to Rs 300,000. Similarly, the annual fee for downlinking of a TV channel has been increased to Rs 750,000 from Rs 500,000. Also, the fee for downlinking of channels uplinked from abroad has been increased to Rs 22,50,000 per annum.

    TRAI, while exhorting the likes of MIB, Department of Space and DoT to streamline processes, has interestingly suggested transfer of permissions between two companies be permitted only in the case of mergers and acquisitions as recognised under applicable laws. However, free transfer has been recommended for permission of a TV channel to its subsidiary company or holding company or a subsidiary company of the holding company. The caveat being such a company should have a valid uplinking and downlinking permission.

    A time period of only one year has been given for operationalisation of a TV channel and a lock-in period of one year from the date of operationalisation of a channel for the transfer of permission of such a channel too has been introduced.

    As for teleports, no change in the amount of one- time non-refundable processing fee levied for seeking permission for establishing a teleport has been suggested. Similarly, it has been suggested that no entry fee is levied for granting permission for establishing a teleport. However, for each antenna, a fixed annual license fee of Rs 300,000 has been recommended.

    What will also come as a relief to the teleport industry is that TRAI has refrained from restricting the number of teleports in India.

    And, once again TRAI has nudged Department of Space and Department of Telecoms to take time-bound and liberalised policy decisions relating to satellite capacity. Though not said upfront and in so many words, the regulator has pitched in for foreign satellites too. “The issue of open sky policy for Ku band frequencies may be taken up by MIB in INSAT Coordination Committee (ICC) meeting and the open sky policy should be adopted.”

    Any regulator would vouch that it’s hard to please the core constituency and stakeholders don’t always agree with its stand, but on the uplink/downlink matter the industry would agree with most of the suggestions of TRAI — and also breathe a little easy.

    Hang on, don’t pop the champagne yet. TRAI can only make suggestions — it admitted so in an open forum — and it’s up to MIB, DoT and Department of Space to accept the suggestions and implement them. And, therein lies the catch because quite a few other sets of TRAI recommendations have been gathering dust in various corridors of power.

    Also Read :

    Uplink, downlink issue: TRAI pushes for a liberal regime keeping most existing norms unchanged

    TRAI extends dates for comments on uplinking/downlinking consultation paper

  • Uplink, downlink issue: TRAI pushes for a liberal regime keeping most existing norms unchanged

    Uplink, downlink issue: TRAI pushes for a liberal regime keeping most existing norms unchanged

    NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India today stuck with most of the existing guidelines and norms for uplink and downlink permissions for TV channel and teleports, refusing to recommend auction of TV channels — flagged as a contentious issue by stakeholders. However, it suggested enhancing of annual permission fees from the present levels, amongst some other changes.

    The TRAI recommendations on uplink and downlink of TV channels and teleports had been awaited eagerly by the industry, already reeling under pressures from various sides, including economic.

    The regulator also said that mandating encryption of broadcast of FTA TV channels was not a good idea, while suggesting that various processes for various government clearances should be streamlines done within stipulated time-frame.

    Some of the major recommendations of the TRAI are as follows:

    Issues related to uplinking and downlinking of satellite TV channels

    i) No change in the existing definitions of ‘News and Current Affairs TV channels’, and ‘Non-News and CurrentAffairs TV channels’ mentioned in   the   existing uplinking and downlinking guidelines dated 05.12.2011.

    ii) No change in the amount of minimum net-worth of an applicant company seeking permissions for uplinking anddownlinking of TV channels.

    iii) Auction not feasible for grant of permissions for uplinking and downlinking of TV channels.

    iv) Existing administrative system for grant of permissions for uplinking and downlinking of TV channelsshould be continued and should be streamlined.

    v) TRAI reiterated its recommendations on “Ease of Doing Business in Broadcasting Sector” dated 26th February 2018 sent to the Government wherein several measures have been recommended for streamlining the existingprocess of granting permissions for uplinking and downlinking of TV channels.

    vi) No change in the permission fee and entry fee for uplinking and downlinking permissions.

    vii) Annual license fee for uplinking anddownlinking permissions should be enhanced as follows:

    public://list_14.jpg

    viii) Encryption of broadcast of FTA channels should not be mandated and it should be left to the broadcasters providingFTA channels.

    ix) Transfer of permissions should not be permitted between two different companies. In case of mergerand acquisition as recognized under the Companies Act, 20 13 or any other applicable law(s), transfer of permissionsshould be permitted after following the   due process. Transfer of permission of TV channels to its subsidiarycompany or holding company or subsidiary company of the holding company should be allowed freely, provided such company has a valid uplinking and downlinking permission.

    x)A lock-in period of one year from the date of operationalization of a channel for the transfer of permission of such channel.

    B. Issues related to Teleports

    i) No change in the amount of onetime non-refundable processing fee levied for seeking permission for establishing a teleport.

    ii) No Entry fee for granting permission for establishing teleport.

    iii) For each antenna a fixed annual license fee of Rs 3 lakh should be charged.

    iv) No need to restrict the number of teleports in India.

    v) Location of teleports should be left to the teleport operators subject to site clearance from WPC wing of DoT.

    Also Read:

    TRAI extends dates for comments on uplinking/downlinking consultation paper

    TV channels’ uplinking / downlinking procedure simplified

    MIB reminds TV channels, teleport ops about timely online payments

    MIB bumps up TV channel processing fee

  • TRAI extends dates for comments on uplinking/downlinking consultation paper

    TRAI extends dates for comments on uplinking/downlinking consultation paper

    MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has extended the deadline for receiving comments on the consultation paper relating to uplinking and downlinking of TV channels. The new dates for receiving comments and counter-comments are 31 January and 10 February respectively.

    The TRAI had released the paper on 19 December 2017 inviting comments by 18 January 2018 but has pushed the date on the request of stakeholders. It has also warned that no further extension of dates will be entertained.

    The paper seeks to update guidelines and also talk about setting up of teleports. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) additional secretary Jayashree Mukherjee had sought TRAI’s views on the issues keeping in mind the changes in technology, market scenarios and lessons learnt over six years since the last guidelines were passed.

    The specific question asked to broadcasters was if there was a need to redefine the definition of news and non-news channels.

    The paper also hints at a possible hike in the net worth requirement to obtain uplinking/downlinking licence to ensure only serious players stay in the game.
    On the teleport side, the TRAI is asking the industry how to define the word in the digital era, licencing norms, fee structures and if there is a need to restrict the number and location of teleports in India.

    Also Read:

    Trai paper seeks to streamline uplinking, downlinking norms

    TRAI sees merit in using satcom for broadband delivery

    MSOs move Madras HC seeking relief on inter-connect pacts

  • Intelsat signs distribution contract with Indian teleport operator

    Intelsat signs distribution contract with Indian teleport operator

    MUMBAI: Intelsat S.A., an operator of the globalised network and leader in integrated satellite communications, and LAMHAS, a teleport operator in India, have announced a multi-year agreement for satellite services supporting media distribution in India via the Intelsat 20 satellite.

    LAMHAS is using a C-band Multiple Channels per Carrier broadcast platform on Intelsat 20, located at 68.5° East, to deliver broadcast services to new and emerging TV channels in the devotional, spiritual and patriotic genres as well as regional news programming. Under the previously announced agreement, LAMHAS increased its services commitment on Intelsat 20, while also renewing its previous agreement for an extended term.

    “Our natural growth plans include leveraging Intelsat’s satellite services because its technology is well-respected among Indian broadcasters. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Intelsat and using its satellite services to expand our broadcast customer base,” said LAMHAS CEO Ajay Jain.

    Intelsat 20 provides high power distribution of video, voice and broadband services in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Russia. The Intelsat 20 C-band video neighborhood provides premium programming that is carried by the top Indian cable multi-system and direct-to-home operators, reaching more than 100 million pay-tv subscribers across India.

    “Understanding our customers’ needs and challenges puts us in the best position to deliver satellite technology that will truly transform their businesses and drive growth,” said Terry Bleakley, Intelsat managing director – Asia-Pacific sales. “LAMHAS’ renewal and expansion of satellite services on Intelsat 20 will strengthen its media services capabilities, elevating its position as a premier teleport operator in India and attracting new broadcast customers,” he added.

    ALSO READ :

    Broadcast media sector FDI norms see minor tweaks in govt’s fresh announcement

    MIB asks teleport operators to give exact location in 7 days

    MDMK’s Vaiko to launch Madhimugam TV

    Goa to get a new news channel – WorldLink News

  • Govt examining proposal to relax FDI norms in Print Media

    Govt examining proposal to relax FDI norms in Print Media

    NEW DELHI: After a recent slew of relaxations relating to foreign investment norms, the PM Narendra Modi-led government is said to be considering a proposal to liberalise investment levels in print media.

    Quoting unnamed Finance Ministry officials, Bloomberg reported that the ministry is of the view that foreign investment norms in India’s print media could be raised from the present 26 per cent to 49 per cent, bringing it at par with norms for TV news segment.

    The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) under the Commerce Ministry will take a final call on the matter, the Bloomberg report quoted the government officials as saying.

    Though, foreign investment in India’s print media sector is limited, but from time to time global giants like News Corp, having widespread interest in media, have evinced interest in investing here but stopped short because of restrictive policies and an inherent opposition from big Indian media groups.

    In June 2016, the government had liberalised foreign investment norms in many sectors including airlines, retail, defence and TV broadcast carriage services like DTH, HITS, teleports, etc.

    Recently, a delegation of  US-India Business Council (USIBC), which included some broadcast companies, had petitioned the Commerce Ministry to relax foreign investment levels in electronic news media that stands at 49 per cent at present, but just shy of giving majority controlling stake to any foreign entity.

    Interestingly, in January 2015, the then Minister of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) and present Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had opined that restrictions on foreign investment limit in print media need to be debated afresh.

    Delivering the inaugural JS Verma memorial lecture, organised by News Broadcasters’ Association (NBA), Jaitley had said the practicality of FDI norms in print media should be examined anew in a spreading digital age when such limits are becoming irrelevant as news products are increasingly being made available on the Internet.

    Finance Minister Jaitley’s forward-looking views on foreign investment norms in India’s print sector — and media in general — could be viewed at

    and 

    Are such proposals under study a precursor to relaxations for TV news channels too?

    ALSO READ
    Stakeholders welcome easing of FDI norms for broadcasting; want DAS to move faster
     

  • Govt examining proposal to relax FDI norms in Print Media

    Govt examining proposal to relax FDI norms in Print Media

    NEW DELHI: After a recent slew of relaxations relating to foreign investment norms, the PM Narendra Modi-led government is said to be considering a proposal to liberalise investment levels in print media.

    Quoting unnamed Finance Ministry officials, Bloomberg reported that the ministry is of the view that foreign investment norms in India’s print media could be raised from the present 26 per cent to 49 per cent, bringing it at par with norms for TV news segment.

    The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) under the Commerce Ministry will take a final call on the matter, the Bloomberg report quoted the government officials as saying.

    Though, foreign investment in India’s print media sector is limited, but from time to time global giants like News Corp, having widespread interest in media, have evinced interest in investing here but stopped short because of restrictive policies and an inherent opposition from big Indian media groups.

    In June 2016, the government had liberalised foreign investment norms in many sectors including airlines, retail, defence and TV broadcast carriage services like DTH, HITS, teleports, etc.

    Recently, a delegation of  US-India Business Council (USIBC), which included some broadcast companies, had petitioned the Commerce Ministry to relax foreign investment levels in electronic news media that stands at 49 per cent at present, but just shy of giving majority controlling stake to any foreign entity.

    Interestingly, in January 2015, the then Minister of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) and present Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had opined that restrictions on foreign investment limit in print media need to be debated afresh.

    Delivering the inaugural JS Verma memorial lecture, organised by News Broadcasters’ Association (NBA), Jaitley had said the practicality of FDI norms in print media should be examined anew in a spreading digital age when such limits are becoming irrelevant as news products are increasingly being made available on the Internet.

    Finance Minister Jaitley’s forward-looking views on foreign investment norms in India’s print sector — and media in general — could be viewed at

    and 

    Are such proposals under study a precursor to relaxations for TV news channels too?

    ALSO READ
    Stakeholders welcome easing of FDI norms for broadcasting; want DAS to move faster
     

  • MIB gets BSI’s ISO certification for Quality Management Systems

    MIB gets BSI’s ISO certification for Quality Management Systems

    NEW DELHI: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B) has been conferred the certificate of registration by the British Standard Institute (BSI) for the Quality Management System as required under ISO 9001:2008 in respect of various permissions / licenses issued by the Ministry for the broadcasting, print and films sectors.

     

    These include permission / license for satellite television channels, teleports, multi-system operators, community radio stations, direct-to-home services, publication of Indian editions of foreign, technical and scientific foreign magazines of news and current affairs sector and facsimile edition of foreign newspapers and grant of permission for foreign film producers. 

    The Ministry has been taking several initiatives to bring in more transparency and efficiency in the processes relating to grant of various permissions / licenses to the eligible applicants.

     

    The Ministry has put in place a well defined procedure and measures for ensuring quality of services offered to the customers on the basis of ISO 9001:2008. This will ensure delivery of services by the Ministry in a qualitative manner.  

  • “We are looking at funding options and are actively engaged with investors”: JK Jain

    “We are looking at funding options and are actively engaged with investors”: JK Jain

    Cable TV industry in the country has been the hub of the action for the past one year, especially with the government pushing through digitisation of cable TV homes. An important player in the industry is the headend in the sky (HITS) player JAINHITS, which did face some initial hiccups in being accepted by the broadcasters and local cable operators (LCOs), but has now finally made in-roads in several homes pan-India.

     

    And leading the HITS platform from the front is Dr. Jinendra Kumar Jain, who is not only a surgeon, a former member of parliament, but also the founder chairman of Jain TV Group.  

     

    He pioneered the satellite TV era in India by launching the country’s first round-the-clock satellite television service in Indian languages. JAINHITS is his latest initiative to serve the national goal of digitisation. 

     

    The HITS platform proposes to distribute 200 to 500 digital channels via satellite to the existing ground networks of cable operators. It is designed to integrate broadcasting and broadband services and thus, help bridging the digital divide in one go all over the country.

     

    Jain’s leadership, innovative ideas in the ICT sector and entrepreneurial initiatives have led to establishment of several successful businesses, including: Video on Wheels (Vow), a countrywide network of mobile video and health service vans, Noida Software Technology Park Limited (NSTPL), India’s first private teleport that provides both fixed (FSS) as well as mobile (MSS) satellite services, Medical Communication Network (MCN) whose publications include the Indian edition of FIGO Journal, IJGO (International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics) and the Population Reports for John Hopkins University, National Broadcasting Academy (NBA), a graduate and post graduate educational programme providing degrees in Management and Communication fields.  

     

    While the eyes are fixed on the soon-to-be launched HITS platform from Hinduja, Indiantelevision.com’s Seema Singh spoke to Jain on the platform’s performance, the struggle in getting accepting, his future plans and much more….

     

    Excerpts…

     

    How did you think of launching a HITS platform in a market which was dominated by multi system operators (MSOs)? How long did it take from planning to finally launching the service?

     

    We were the very first company that explained the headend in the sky (HITS) strategy to deliver digital signals to the cable operators. It was somewhere in the year 2003 that the then Minister Sushma Swaraj declared the decision of digitisation. They had obviously not done any homework and officials in her Ministry were willing to learn the technological aspects of the task. I had an opportunity to explain Anil Baijal, the then additional secretary in the Ministry about HITS. He liked the idea and I agreed to submit a detailed project report with all the relevant information.  The Government issued us the permission letter to deliver HITS services from our Teleport which had already been set up. In the beginning, there was no market and therefore we did not show any hurry. In fact, Citi Networks also got the similar permission and even started HITS based services without waiting for finalisation of rules and regulations. They arrived in the market before time but we waited for the right time and that is how they closed their shop without waiting for the market conditions to ripe and our timely decision is now giving us full benefits. Today we are the market leader in this sector. 

     

    Was it a task to get the broadcasters onboard? How did they initially react to the HITS model?

     

    Yes it was quite a task to get the broadcasters onboard. This became possible only with the help of judicial intervention. The big monopoly houses of the Indian cable industry have been offering resistance at every step of our journey. Nobody doubts the fact that cable digitisation will be a game changer in India. The cable distribution market is flourishing and millions of people in India watch TV via cable. Digitisation is certainly good news for broadcasters and tax authorities because subscriber numbers will be reported accurately and transparently.  Even the subscriber shall benefit from itemised billing detail so that they will be charged only for the channels that they wish to subscribe.

     

    It is true that the vertical chain of the industry stands divided between big and small players.  But, the game is turning in favour of small cable operators and their victory would mean the success of HITS platform.

     

     

    While a lot of the issues have been resolved with the court ruling in your favour, how have you dealt with the issues the broadcasters were raising, that of piracy?

     

    We have deployed best technology solutions to prevent piracy related issues.  As a company we take ‘Piracy’ very seriously. We have our own anti-piracy teams who look into such piracy issues.

     

    We also work in tandem with our business partners- broadcasters, LCOs, and distributors and take inputs from them to fight back the malice of Piracy. At present, during the audits conducted by the broadcasters they have found our systems working efficiently and exceeding industry standards. 

     

    How big is the company today, in terms of number of offices, employees, ground stations, revenue?

     

    NSTPL is a Public Ltd. profit making company. The business of the company is divided across three verticals:

     

    NSTPL Infra

    NSTPL Broadband

    JAINHITS

     

    The company has presence across the country with its own offices as well as distribution partners spread across India. NSTPL that operates India’s only National Cable and Broadband Platform called JAINHITS, operates teleports in Greater Noida and Hyderabad, serving 70 broadcasters. The Teleport is duly authorised & licensed by various regulatory bodies such as Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and Ministry of Communications, Government of India.

     

    When you started, what was the initial investment that was made into the company? Who were the partners? How have you grown the company over the years?

     

    NSTPL is a closely held Limited Company with fully paid up share capital of Rs 30 crore. 86.66 per cent of its shares are held by  Ankur Services Growth Fund, 13.33 per cent is held by Jain Studio and 0.002 per cent is held by individuals. We have invested approximately Rs 150 crore in JAINHITS since the concept initiation i.e. from April 2012.

     

    The response to JAINHITS has been extremely encouraging and thus, in a short span of one year we have signed up with over 300 cable operator partners across India.

     

    How many TV channels does the platform have currently? How many homes do you reach to and in which regions?

     

    We have around 254 channels today. Out of which 7 channels, namely, Disney, Cartoon Network, Pogo, Discovery, History, TV18, Animal Planet and Nickelodeon have dual audio feeds. Our services are available pan-India.

     

    How will digitisation benefit JAINHITS? What are the steps that are being taken to reap the maximum benefits of digitisation?

     

    Owing to pressure from DTH and on account of the digitisation law, all cable operators have to go digital. JAINHITS provides most cost-effective digitisation solution for such cable operators across India. Any cable operator across India can go completely digital and be fully DAS compliant with mere investment as low as Rs 5-10 lakh, while retaining full control of their business. They also have a chance to enhance their monthly Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) by offering additional value added services like Triple Play Services throughout India – Video, Data & Voice, Broadband Services.

     

    We keep announcing consumer friendly schemes so that our business partners i.e. the cable operator community have the best to offer to its customers. We conduct LCO meets in every state almost once a quarter. This is a platform where partner LCOs along with potential prospective cable operators come face to face and get their concerns addressed. We participate in industry events and expos to reach more and more cable operators.

     

    What are the services that the platform provides to its consumers?

     

    JAINHITS provides a platform of 254 SD channels at present. Very soon we will introduce HD platform and additional value added services like Triple Play Services– Video, Data & Voice, Broadband Services throughout India.

     

    How do you think HITS platform will play a major role in phase III and IV of digitisation? Will you be competing with DTH and MSOs? What’s the strategy?

     

    Phase III & IV of digitisation covers over 1350 Municipal Corporation and 597,464 Villages (as per Census 2011) spread in the far flung areas across India. These are the areas where the reach of cable TV is at its lowest level on account of non-availability of adequate infrastructure. For the land based networks and MSOs, this vast area in phase III & IV is the most difficult to reach.

     

    Only and most effective method of reaching this area is through HITS platform. JAINHITS allows all cable operators in these phase III & IV markets to go digital at a miniscule cost of Rs 5 lakh. The platform also provides these cable networks to offer broadband services to their consumers in these far flung areas. Above all, it is the only platform in the country, offering complete empowerment and ownership to even the smallest LCO by making him a leader & cable owner and an ISO (Independent Service Operator). It provides a simple “Plug & Play cost effective digitisation solution” to cable operators.

     

    Recently, MSOs have been facing issues with a few broadcasters like Star and Zee. Also with TDSAT ruling that Star channels will be available on RIO, does that impact JAINHITS in any way? What’s your take on the judgment?

     

    We have most of our content available on RIO basis and accordingly we offer our viewers a choice wherein they can opt for A-la-Carte choice of content to meet their individual needs.

     

    Per say this Judgment, really doesn’t affect our business models.

     

    While the cable TV industry in phase I and II are still struggling with packaging and billing, what’s the scenario with the HITS platform?

     

    HITS services were envisaged with an inbuilt SMS & CAS system. Accordingly, we at JAINHITS have also sensitized our partners- ‘the need’ of different types of packaging that may be required based on the area they will service. Accordingly, we have created different types of packs that serve the needs of large cross-section of people in India. Billing is automated and done through SMS platform.

     

    Are you looking for funding to go ahead with your plans? Any plans for IPO?

    We are indeed looking at funding options and are actively engaged with investors interested in the Indian cable & broadband market.