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January 2010
DOWNLINK CLEARANCE FOR HITS
As indicated in this magazine last month, the Union
Cabinet has finally cleared the HITS policy. Some prominent
features include an FDI of upto 74%, C or Ku Band operation
&o annual license fee.
The
cabinet approval was only an 'In Principle' political
clearance. To actually implement the licensing and operation
of HeadEnds In The Sky (HITS), the I&B ministry
needs to formally declare a written HITS policy, and
issue specific criteria which will be used to screen
applications for a HITS license.
HITS
platforms have not been included as legitimate distribution
platforms, to which broadcasters must provide their
signals.
This
has in fact been an impediment even for the existing
WWIL's HITS platform which is part of the ESSEL/ZEE
group. Competing broadcasters had delayed providing
signals, pointing out that the Government had in fact
not authorised for signal delivery to HITS platforms.
At that time the Government had issued an ad-hoc circular.
THE
DECLARATION
On
17 December 2009 the I&B Ministry officially modified
the downlinking guidelines. The modified guidelines
now specifically list MSOs & cable operators, DTH
platforms, IPTV Platforms & HITS platforms for receiving
satellite based TV channels for redistribution via these
platforms.
The
I&B ministry has stated that clause 5.6 of the downlinking
guidelines has now been altered to state:
"The
applicant company shall provide satellite TV channel
signal reception decoders only to MSOs/cable operators
registered under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation)
Act 1995 or to a DTH operator registered under the DTH
guidelines issued by Government of India or to an Internet
Protocol Television (IPTV) service provider duly permitted
under their existing telecom license or authorized by
Department of Telecommunications or to a HITS operator
duly permitted under the policy guidelines for HITS
operators issued by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting,
Government of India to provide such service."
This
puts in place the first step in permitting HITS platforms,
and will immediately facilitate even WWIL's HITS platform.
The
I&B ministry has also declared its detailed guidelines
and license application formats for applying and securing
a HITS license. We should soon know who plans to launch
a HITS platform. n
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