The Hindu Business Line : DoT urges DD to vacate spectrum for pvt players

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DoT urges DD to vacate spectrum for pvt players

Radical shift
Only DD uses airwaves; for analog broadcasts
Digital terrestrial broadcast will improve reception quality
Net and TV broadcast on mobile phones possible

Thomas K. Thomas

New Delhi, June 29 In what could be seen as the first step towards permitting terrestrial broadcasting by private television companies, the Wireless Planning and Co-ordination (WPC) wing of the Department of Telecom (DoT) has asked Doordarshan to vacate spectrum in the specific frequency bands that can be used for such transmission.

WPC, which is responsible for allocating and managing the spectrum requirements of various users in the country, has proposed that Doordarshan vacate 56 Mhz in the 174-230 Mhz frequency band and 32 Mhz in the 470-806 Mhz band.

Currently, only Doordarshan uses airwaves and that too for broadcasting analog TV.

WPC has said that allowing digital terrestrial broadcasting to private TV operators would result in superior and uniform quality of reception.

“It is a highly efficient system as digital TV can easily carry five programme channels in the same bandwidth used for transmitting one analog channel,” said a DoT official.

“This will also allow reception of TV and multimedia services in fast-moving vehicles. Dynamic allocation of bandwidth in real time to different programmes is also possible.”

The WPC proposals on spectrum vacation by Doordarshan will be vetted by the Group of Ministers – headed by the External Affairs Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, which is also looking into radio frequency-related issues for mobile operators.

DoT officials said that while the final decision on the policy will be taken by the Information & Broadcasting Ministry, it was acting upon an earlier recommendation of the broadcasting regulator to open up the segment to private operators.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had said that the private sector would complement public sector broadcasting and provide more resources for the development of this alternative.

According to the TRAI, TV broadcasting by private operators is either through cable or satellite.

“Once terrestrial broadcasting is allowed to the private sector, consumers would be able to view these channels with digital quality without buying a DTH receiver. This may provide an alternative means of communication especially where cable and satellite have not penetrated.”

Private terrestrial broadcasting can also offer new services such as interactive TV, delivery of Internet and TV broadcasting on mobile phones.

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