News Broadcasting
Next-Gen technologies drive growth in consumer telecom market: Study
MUMBAI: As Internet Protocol (IP) technology becomes more pervasive in the telecommunications industry, next-generation services is increasingly driving growth in the consumer market. Although regulatory constraints and dwindling fixed-line revenues are key challenges for service providers, renewed focus on 3G (Third Generation) services, convergence and multimedia should enable them to stay ahead of competition.
New analysis from global growth consulting company Frost & Sullivan, Service Providers’ Consumer Strategies Revealed in Asia Pacific, reveals that 3G, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) and WiMAX (worldwide interoperability for microwave access) are perceived as key revenue generators for service providers. In fact, most service providers have invested heavily into deploying these technologies, states an official release.
“Growth in the Asia Pacific consumer telecommunications market will revolve around wireless, IPTV (Internet Protocol television), and other multimedia services,” explains Frost & Sullivan research analyst Aravind Venkatesh. “Moving forward, service providers will continue to leverage on key next-generation technologies such as WiMAX, IPTV and VoIP to offer innovative service packages to customers.”
Due to declining fixed-line revenues, service providers in developed markets have to consider next-generation technologies such as 3G, wireless broadband access, IPTV and VoIP to drive revenue growth. While service providers in China and India are anxious to deploy 3G services, their counterparts in South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong are looking at media-rich 3G applications to boost revenues.
The key challenge for all service providers in the consumer space is to maximize voice revenue and increase ARPU (average revenue per user) in the midst of increasing competition.
Intense competition and product commoditization have resulted in service providers finding it difficult to increase ARPU and reduce customer churn. Regulatory barriers delaying the deployment of 3G services in markets like India and China have also fettered service providers. Fixed-line service providers face the dual challenge of declining fixed-line revenues and increasing fixed-to-mobile substitution, the release adds.
“Regulatory barriers and spectrum allocation issues have been major hindrances to the rapid deployment of 3G services in some developing markets in Asia,” explains Venkatesh. “Delays in introducing regulatory frameworks have hampered the launch of innovative services based on new access technologies.”
Innovative value-added services and lower price points are key differentiators in the fixed-line telephony segment. Fixed-line service providers should add value to their core services by offering bundled applications at competitive prices. Service providers in high growth markets such as India, China, Thailand and the Philippines can also explore new revenue streams by exploiting the largely untapped rural segment.
The service providers’ consumer strategies revealed in Asia Pacific study is part of the Communications Services subscription. It evaluates the competitive landscape, including key partnerships and alliances, service portfolio and product strategies, and marketing and pricing strategies of seven leading telecom service providers in the region. The study also offers an in-depth analysis of the service providers’ growth strategies in the consumer segment. The leading service providers examined as part of the study are: Bharti Airtel, Chunghwa Telecom, KT, PCCW, StarHub, Telstra and True Corporation.
News Broadcasting
Times Network to air JVC Exit Poll across 5 regions on April 29
Four-hour broadcast spans states and Puducherry with data-led analysis
MUMBAI: Times Network is set to roll out what it calls one of its most expansive election programming efforts yet, culminating in the JVC Exit Poll on 29 April, with a multi-hour broadcast spanning key poll-bound regions.
The exit poll will air across Times Now and Times Now Navbharat, beginning at 5pm and 4pm respectively. Co-powered by Vedanta and Jindal Stainless, the programming aims to combine on-ground reportage with data-driven projections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
The network has deployed over 50 journalists across these regions, gathering voter sentiment and local insights in the run-up to polling. The effort builds on its ongoing election formats such as Election Yatra and Election Premier League, which have tracked campaign narratives and community-level issues.
In parallel, Times Now Navbharat has focused on constituency-level reporting in West Bengal through its Jan Gan ka Mann series, capturing voter opinions across diverse segments.
The coverage has also featured interviews with prominent political leaders. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress leaders Ramesh Chennithala and V D Satheesan have appeared on the network’s election specials. From Tamil Nadu, voices including deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran, BJP leader K Annamalai and NTK’s Seeman have also featured in discussions.
On the day of the exit poll, the network’s primetime anchors, including Navika Kumar, Zakka Jacob and Sumit Awasthi, will lead the coverage. They will be joined by a panel of political analysts, psephologists and senior journalists offering real-time insights and interpretation of trends.
The programming will integrate grassroots reportage with analytics from the JVC Exit Poll, aiming to give viewers an early sense of electoral outcomes ahead of the official results on 4 May.
With its combined English and Hindi broadcast reach, Times Network is positioning this effort as a comprehensive look at voter sentiment, blending field reporting, data and debate to decode what could lie ahead when the final mandate is revealed.
