• Investment World
• eWorld
• Brand Line
• Mentor
• Life
• Brand Quest
• The New Manager
• BL Club
• Smartbuy
• Books
• Gallery

Stocks

• Quotes
• SE Diary
• Scoreboard
• Open-End Mutual Fund

Cross Currency

• Rates
  
  

Shipping

• Ports
  
  

Archives

• Yesterday
• Datewise
• Resources
• In Focus
• In Depth
• Events 2007

Group Sites

• The Hindu
• The Hindu ePaper
• Business Line
• Business Line ePaper
• Sportstar
• Frontline
• The Hindu eBooks
• The Hindu Images

Thomas K. Thomas
Meera Mohanty

New Delhi, May 14 State broadcaster Doordarshan has decided to offer mobile television services on a private-public partnership (PPP) basis. It has invited expressions of interest from prospective consultants to draw up a roadmap for implementation.

Mobile TV services make it possible for subscribers to view TV programmes on handheld or portable devices. Doordarshan had earlier launched Mobile TV services on a pilot basis in parts of Delhi using the DVB-H technology from Nokia.

For accessing the service, consumers will need a handset that supports the technology. Unlike 3G technologies, wherein TV and entertainment services may be in the form of short clips or two to three channels, mobile TV enables users to get as many as 30 high quality channels on a handset. But at present no one else offers the service because there is no clarity in policy.

Though the telecom regulator has given recommendations in favour of opening up the sector to private players, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has not taken a decision yet. In order to allow private players, the Government will have to open up terrestrial transmission in the broadcasting sector.

Currently, only Doordarshan is permitted to do terrestrial broadcasting while private players have to use satellite network. One of the objectives for proposing the PPP model by Doordarshan is to keep terrestrial system under exclusive control of the Government-run broadcaster.

There is also as yet no clarity on the technology to be used for the service. Though TRAI had suggested keeping the policy technology-neutral, DD wants to go ahead with only DVB-H – a technology being promoted by Nokia. But recently Nokia sold its DVB-H network division to Wipro, raising doubts over the future development of the technology. Analysts have also pointed out that Nokia has not launched any new handset that supports DVB-H, which could dampen Doordarshan’s proposed plan.

According to the expression of interest floated by Doordarshan, it is planning to launch the service in 17 cities having population of over one million.

The roll out will take place in five phases, starting with the metros. It is proposed that out of the 16 programme channels, the private partner will be given capacity for offering 12 channels on a revenue sharing basis. The private partner will be responsible for content aggregation, marketing, operation and maintenance.

DD will provide the infrastructure in terms of TV tower, power supply and spectrum. The private player will have to invest in setting up transmitters, antennae and other equipment required for mobile TV technology. The partnership will be signed for a period of 5 years after which a new revenue share arrangement will be worked out between the two sides.

More Stories on : Radio/TV | Alliances & Joint Ventures | PSU

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Copyright © 2009, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line