TRAI hopes to find acceptable solution for TV set-top-box interoperability by year-end
Posted on 10th May 2019 |
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| Broadcast regulator TRAI Friday said it is examining possible solutions for achieving TV Set-Top-Box (STB) interoperability, and expects to make headway with industry involvement by the end of this year. The move assumes significance since consumers get tied down to their service providers, as STBs are bound to the operator. When a consumer wants to change the service provider, they are forced to invest in a new STB, adding to the cost burden. Besides, STBs of old service providers remain unused, and ends up as electronic waste. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), in a statement, said it conducted a workshop to discuss ‘downloadable’ Conditional Access System (CAS) based solution’ to implement STB interoperability. Citing its new framework for broadcasting and cable services that allows consumers to pay only for channels they wish to see, the regulator said that choice also entails freedom to avail better service offerings in the market. “As a logical next step towards this objective, TRAI has been exploring the important issue of interoperability of STB….Interoperability of STB is also desirable for creation of open and competitive market bringing in advantage of volume of scale and consumer preference,” TRAI said. It is examining solutions for achieving such interoperability in broadcast network. Stating that the authority is working with system integrators, vendors, CAS providers and other stakeholders for technical discussions, TRAI said that the detailed consultations will be followed by a Proof-of-Concept (POC) testing of the proposed solution. “A successful POC testing will address the vital concerns of industry stakeholders related to security, piracy and practicality…TRAI will further deliberate with the stakeholders to identify the gaps, if any, in the proposed solution before taking up the Proof-of-Concept testing,” it said. TRAI hoped that involvement of the industry stakeholders would help in developing acceptable solution for STB interoperability by the year-end. The Broadcast regulator has been engaging with the stake holders for over two years now to introduce STB interoperability, and the regulator noted that the issue comes with its own set of challenges. The workshop on the issue that was conducted on Thursday and was attended by 60 participants including broadcasters, Direct To Home (DTH) operators, Multi Systems Operators (MSOs), vendors, CAS suppliers, STB manufacturers and system integrators. Speaking on the occasion, TRAI Chairman R S Sharma asserted that consumer interest remains the focus of the authority. “The interoperability brings the economies of scale, freedom of choice, promotes competition that results in overall growth of the sector”, he said. STB interoperability crucial to empower the consumer and enable growth in the broadcasting sectors. “Based on the experience of Mobile Number Portability, it is certain that interoperability will promote competition and will be a win-win for all stakeholders on medium to long term basis,” TRAI statement added. |
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Bharti Airtel defers Q2 results till Nov 14 over ambiguity on AGR verdict
Posted on 29th October 2019 |
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Bharti Airtel said on Tuesday it has postponed its second-quarter earnings report to mid-November, as the wireless operator sought clarity on the court ruling asking telecom firms to cough up overdue payments to the government.
Shares of the company, which was expected to release its quarterly numbers later in the day, dropped 3.3 per cent in early trade. |
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Rupee slips 8 paise vs US dollar in early trade amid drop in oil prices
Posted on 7th October 2019 |
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The rupee on Monday opened eight paise lower at 70.96 against the US dollar amid drop in crude oil prices and rise in Asian equities. The domestic unit on Friday closed almost flat at 70.88 against after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in a widely expected move cut key interest rates by 0.25 percentage point. On a weekly basis, the local unit slumped by 32 paise. |
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LIC pips private insurers in first-year premium growth during April-August
Posted on 13th September 2019 |
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In the first five months of the current financial year, first-year premiums of life insurance companies grew by 39.84% (year-on-year) at Rs 1.05 lakh crore as compared to Rs 75,588.35 crore in April-August of 2018-19. Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) continued to grow at a faster pace compared to private insurance players, shows the data from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai). |
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Apollo Hospitals rules out further stake sale
Posted on 13th September 2019 |
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Apollo Hospitals Enterprise (AHEL) has ruled out further dilution of promoters’ stake in the company. The company also said its Rs 1,337-crore stake sale of Apollo Munich Health Insurance with mortgage major HDFC will be concluded by October. Following these stake sales, the promoters’ pledged position will come down from a high of 76% to 54% by October and eventually to 20% by November or December, company sources said here. |
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World trusts India on Kashmir, not us: Pakistan minister Ijaz Ahmed Shah
Posted on 13th September 2019 |
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In a major embarrassment for Pakistan and its Prime Minister Imran Khan, the country's Interior Minister Ijaz Ahmed Shah, a retired brigadier, said the international community didn't believe Pakistan's narrative on Kashmir; instead it is India whose version is trusted. |
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