I&B Says Yes for IPTV on Cable TV

In a significant development, the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has approved the recommendations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), and given cable TV operators the go ahead for providing IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) services.

Internet Protocol Television or IPTV is a new way of delivering- and viewing- television using an IP (Internet Protocol) network and high-speed Broadband technology.

With the I&B nod, all cable operators registered under the 'Cable Television Network (Regulation) Act 1995' will be able to provide IPTV services without requiring further license. Meanwhile, TRAI's recommendations for telecom companies and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to provide IPTV services haven't yet met with approval from the Department of Telecom (DoT).

In case of IPTV, TRAI has recommended that existing laws be amended so that Broadcasters can give their signals to IPTV players too in addition to DTH- and cable TV- operators. The regulator has recommended that the Bureau of Indian Standards be asked to standardize IPTV set top box specifications so as to help cable TV operators to design their IPTV networks.

That all players -- including cable TV operators -- should give a self-certified declaration to the I&B Ministry, DoT, and TRAI, giving details like license/registration under which IPTV is being proposed, the starting date, the area being covered, details of network infrastructure, etc. Which will help the government monitor IPTV services.

TRAI has further recommended that foreign direct investment in players who provide IPTV services continue to remain as per the existing structure. Of course, this implies comparative advantage to telcos and ISPs as there's a 74 percent cap in these sectors, while for cable operators, the FDI limit is less -- 49 percent.

Cable internet is in vougue in other countries and it has found favour with the internet users acroos the world.But in India implementation of this network may be fraught with some hiccups arising out of governments's policies with legal loopholes besides the consumers beng taken for a ride.I wish that Institutions like BSNL may also take over cable network in public interest.