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AsiaSat GM Engineering Barry Turner explained
that "the severity of the interference
from Broadband Wireless Access technology
is now well understood, and in the countries
where broadband wireless trials have been
licensed, the 'jamming' of satellite signals
has blacked out numerous customers. It is
telling that the ITU and BWA industry bodies
already agree on the effects, now leaving
each national administration to choose between
killing satellite C-band or putting BWA in
a different frequency band."
That's
why Asia Pacific satellite industry leaders
have been calling on governments to take
a considered approach in the allocation
of existing satellite services. Processes
to consider such allocations are under way
in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia,
India, Australia, Taiwan and the Philippines,
among others.
The
provision of "open skies" with
unrestricted access for satellite services
to domestic markets was also discussed at
the forum. Once again, Casbaa delegates
were united in a call for governments to
allow the industry to realize the full opportunity
of such policies.
"Satellite
has great potential to bridge the digital
divide," said, Inmarsat regional director
Asia Pacific Ken Cheong. "As a worldwide
provider, the more markets we can reach,
the more we can bring down pricing and increase
affordability. We can support rural and
social development programs across Asia
and do so in an affordable way."
Nevertheless,
while the operating environment in the region
has been improving, the further adoption
of best practices -- both technical and
regulatory -- and the introduction of new
satellite investment are essential factors
for enhancing industry growth.
"The
good news is that we are making progress
and there have been substantial positive
steps in the right direction. As we have
more successes, we can provide better and
cheaper services throughout Asia,"
said Asia Broadcast Satellite president
Gregg Daffner.
The
180 decision-making delegates in Singapore
also heard that the demand of mobile TV,
Direct to Home (DTH) and HDTV services will
be key drivers for future growth.
Emerging
mobile TV services are sweeping the world
with the Asia Pacific market benefiting
from that development. TU Media president
and CEO of South Korea Dr. Young-Kil Suh
delivered a keynote address on the growth
of Mobile TV in his home market, where TU
Media serves 1.1 million consumers via handheld
TV devices. "Customers expect the same
quality and coverage of our service as they
get with voice mobile. Indoor is as important
as outdoor," he said.
Asia
is also set to be the single most important
DTH market in the world. For example, India's
DTH market has grown to 5 million subscribers
in just over two years and the rest of Asia
wants to follow.
Mass
audiences in Asia are also slowly gearing
up for High Definition TV(HDTV) services
following the US, where 24 of the 48 million
HDTV sets in the US are effectively connected
to HD content. HDTV has become a key demand
driver for TV audiences the world over and
100 per cent conversion is just a matter
of time, delegates were told.
"Today's
gathering highlights the need for a technically
enlightened, lightly regulated environment
for our industry, which has made billions
of dollars in long term investment in equipment
and services," said Intelsat's regional
VP, Asia Pacific and Casbaa Satellite Industry
Committee chairman David Ball.
"Open
Skies, technologically neutral and open
markets are essential for the growth of
the media and telecommunication sector -
and it will continue now in Asia - if our
regulator colleagues can grasp the nettle
of technological change," said Casbaa's
Twiston Davies.
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