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Should mobile TV be earmarked some limited
assignment in these broadcasting bands,
leaving the rest for analogue and digital
terrestrial transmission?
Trai
has asked the stakeholders that in the case
of terrestrial transmission route, how many
channels of 8 MHz should be blocked for
mobile TV services for initial and future
demand of the services as there are nearly
270 TV channels permitted under downlinking
guidelines by the information and broadcasting
ministry.
The
other critical issue is that of eligibility
conditions for grant of license for mobile
television services.
Should
net worth requirements be laid down for
participation in licensing process for mobile
television services, and if so, what should
be the net worth requirements for participation
in licensing process.
Another
contentious issue in the cable industry
is the limit for FDI and portfolio investment
for mobile television service providers,
and this would be debated thoroughly by
the non-IPTV players in the cable industry,
who have been hankering for a lift of the
cap on FDI in their sector.
There
are some other related issues, like what
should be the tenure of license for the
mobile television service providers, and
what should be the license fee to be imposed
on the mobile television service.
Trai
also wants to know whether the licenses
for mobile television service should be
given on national or regional and city basis.
In
its backgrounder to the Consultation Paper,
Trai has observed: "The key to making
mobile TV a reality lies in combining traditional
broadcast standards with features specific
to handheld devices: mobility, smaller screens
and antennae, indoor coverage, and reliance
on battery power.
"Two
forces are currently driving mobile TV development
and its commercialisation: Network providers
and Mobile TV service providers see it as
an additional possible revenue over and
above voice income flow, and cell phone
manufacturers see an opportunity to sell
new, more expensive TV-capable handsets."
Trai
said that the paper is being issued in accordance
with the Information & Broadcasting
ministry seeking its recommendations and
the specific issue that the ministry has
suggested that needs attention are:
- International
practice,
- Eligibility
criteria, net-worth requirement,
- Foreign
direct and indirect investment levels,
- Technology
to be adopted, Revenue sharing, entry
fees and bank guarantee, and
- Spectrum
to be used
Trai
has requested stakeholders to send in their
responses by 30 September.
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