In its latest consultation paper, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has proposed separate guidelines and licensing conditions for players for offering mobile TV services. [via Hindu Businessline] The idea I think is to create a clear set of rules to govern the operations of mobile TV operators, separate from those targeted at DTH and cable operators. Currently, only Doordarshan has commercially launched the service. Mobile operators are offering video clips to their subscribers but can foray into full fledged TV content only after third generation (3G) services are launched.
Nikhil adds:
Download the consultation paper on Mobile TV here (58 page PDF).
The paper compares various technologies for Mobile TV: DVB-H, DMB, OSB and Qualcomm’s (NSDQ: QCOM) MediaFLO. For Mobile TV over telecom networks, they’ve identified that there’s a relatively lower infrastructural cost of rollout and no additional spectrum requirement. However, they have identified the need for defining a new class of operator: the Mobile TV Opera (OSL: OPERA)tor, in a manner similar to a DTH operator or a cable operator, covered by separate guidelines and licences. The TRAI would need to define FDI and portfolio investment limits, as well as license fee for Mobile TV service providers? At the same time, they have also realized that telecom operators (UASL and CMTS licences) would not be required to obtain a separate Mobile TV operator licence…which I think will be contested by those seeking Mobile TV licences.
Some other issues that the TRAI has identified are as follows: Should technology for mobile TV be regulated or left open to the market? Which route is preferable – terrestrial transmission or satellite? How should spectrum be allocated within the existing frequency bands of operation? Should frequency allocation be based on auctions with rollout obligations, or shoudl there be a spectrum utilization fee? More in the consultation paper.
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