GECs
Korean mobile TV technology T-DMB set to enter India
MUMBAI: Korea has agreed to help expedite the launch of Terrestrial Multimedia Broadcasting technology (T-DMB) commercial services in India.
The Korean and Indian governments have also agreed to launch trial T-DMB services in Mumbai by mid-February.
The Korean information and communication ministry has scheduled the Delhi trial run for T-DMB services also for this month. Reportedly, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), the Tata Group, Star TV India, Zee TV, Bharati Tele Ventures (Airtel) and Mumbai Police will be associating with the trail run.
T-DMB technology was initiated by the Korean government to allow broadcasters to transmit digital TV programming to mobile phones, lap tops or personal digital assistants while on the move, via conventional terrestrial transmitters. India & Korea uses the same bandwidth, Band-III, for digital audio broadcasting. This would make immediate commercial services possible in India once the government extends permission.
“The two sides also agreed to soon begin working-level discussions to sign a memorandum of understanding,” a ministry official has been quoted in media reports as saying.
In association with the World DAB Forum — a London-based international organization for promoting digital broadcasting — the ministry will be holding a conference and demonstration event at the broadcasting event Broadcast Engineering Society (BES). The event will be held from 9 February to 11 February in New Delhi. The ministry will also hold a demonstration of T-DMB services for government officials and business people in Bangalore.
Update: After the publication of this report, the Korean Broadcasting Commission (KBC) got in touch with us to point out that incorrect communication had been sent out to the media and that it is the KBC which would be demonstrating T-DMB at the BES Expo in New Delhi and not the Korea Ministry of Communication & Information. The KBC says that the Ministry is only involved with the Bangalore event.
Click here to get details of what KBC is doing at the BES Expo in New Delhi.
GECs
Samsung TV Plus launches Kings of Comedy channel
New free FAST channel brings iconic Hindi comedy shows to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners.
MUMBAI: Samsung TV Plus has just turned up the laughter volume and it’s completely free. The leading free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service in India has launched Kings of Comedy, a premium comedy channel featuring some of the country’s most beloved primetime shows. Available exclusively on Samsung TV Plus, the channel delivers back-to-back hits including Comedy Nights with Kapil, Khatra Khatra Khatra, and Comedy Nights Bachao, with no login or subscription required.
The launch marks a milestone for free streaming in India, offering audiences a dedicated comedy destination directly from their Samsung TV home screen. It arrives as Samsung TV Plus India celebrates its 5th anniversary, during which the service has grown its monthly active users by 42 per cent and more than doubled its total viewing hours. The platform now offers over 180 free channels across 14 languages.
Samsung TV Plus India general manager and head of business development Kunal Mehta said, “Comedy is the heartbeat of Hindi entertainment, and Kings of Comedy brings together the shows Indians already love, completely free on their Samsung TV. Our focus remains the same take the content people know and make it effortless to access.”
Globally, Samsung TV Plus has surpassed 100 million monthly active users across more than 4,500 channels, solidifying its position as one of the world’s leading free streaming services.
Kings of Comedy is now available on all compatible Samsung Smart TVs. For viewers seeking non-stop laughter without any cost, this new channel delivers a royal treat proving that sometimes the best entertainment really does come with no strings (or subscriptions) attached.
