The Hindu Business Line : Cabinet gives nod for IPTV guidelines

IPTV is a system where an interactive digital television service is delivered over an Internet connection instead of the traditional way of transmitting through a cable network.

Our Bureau

New Delhi, Aug. 21 Paving the way for consumers to access television content over broadband, the Cabinet today approved the guidelines for allowing broadcasters to share their content with Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) providers. Existing downlinking norms allow broadcasters to share their channels with cable and direct-to-home platforms only.

IPTV is a system where an interactive digital television service is delivered over an Internet connection instead of the traditional way of transmitting through a cable network. Users will also get new services such as video on demand where they can watch their favourite movies for a fee. They can also pause, fast forward and rewind live and recorded content stored on a remotely located server by the service provider. Since IPTV delivers TV channels in digital form, the quality of TV viewing is expected to be much better as compared to analog transmission.

It also gives opportunities of TV commerce wherein subscribers can buy products even as they are watching a TV programme.

Unlike DTH or an IPTV consumer will also be able to send back messages to the operator. To access this service, consumer will need to have a high speed broadband connection, an IPTV modem and a screen (TV or PC).

“Issuance of guidelines on IPTV will bring clarity on defining the parameters in which such service providers will work as also clarifying how these services are going to be regulated,” said Mr P.R. Dasmunsi, Minister, Information and Broadcasting while announcing the Cabinet’s decision.

The decision to amend the laws will benefit telecom players such as Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications and BSNL. Internet service providers whose net worth is more than Rs 100 crore will also be able to offer the services. Mr Rajesh Chharia, President, Internet Service Providers Association of India said, “We welcome the Cabinet’s decision today. However, the Government should allow all ISPs to offer this service since there are only two or three Internet operators with more than Rs 100 crore networth.”

Reliance ADAG is already in the process of testing its IPTV product in a few thousand household in the metros. Having tied up with Microsoft for its media room platform last October, it is expected to launch its service in the next few months potentially reaching 30-40 million consumers from the 10 lakh buildings it has connectivity in.

Welcoming the long awaited policy, Mr Amitkumar Dev, Co-founder and Director of Time Broadband Services which has worked with BSNL, MTNL and with players in Malaysia, China, Thailand and Dubai, said, “India has finally woken up to IPTV, but at a vantage time when the beauty of the three-screen delivery of TV, PC and mobile has just been proven at the Olympics game,”

“As a broadcaster we welcome another addressable platform. Currently, cable and DTH are struggling to carry more than 200 channels. There are 360 channels with downlinking permission as we speak, and that’s where IPTV will score,” said Mr Gurjeev Singh Kapoor, CEO, Star Den the distribution company that handles Network 18’s and Star Gorup’s channels.

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