Sunday 31 December 2017

No Telecom Ombudsman till now is a matter of concern: Parliamentary Panel

The Parliamentary Panel has expressed its anguish over the delay of setting up the Telecom Ombudsman. The Standing Committee on IT has asked the Telecom Department and TRAI to act with concrete plan for setting up the ombudsman in telecom sector in a "definite and clear time-frame".

Wi-Fi hotspots & CCTVs to see good growth in 2018

This is an age of CCTV where every move of the people is watched and recorded to check crimes and other illegal activities. This has given a big boost to the industry. The government is also giving a major push to CCTV to be set up at public departments and also to monitor traffic as well as Wi-Fi with plans to deploy 7.5 lakh public internet hotspots by the end of 2018.

GSMA wants reduction of multiple levies in new Telecom Policy

The central government is expected to release the National Telecom Policy 2018 by March with due consideration of rapid technological advancement and special attention to satellite broadband that could lead to digital empowerment of 1.3 billion Indians in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious Digital India program.

Saturday 30 December 2017

Probe ordered against Star for alleged abuse of top position in Kerala

A probe against Star India for alleged abuse of dominant position in the TV broadcasting market in Kerala has been ordered by the trade regulator Competition Commission of India (CCI).

Assocham predictions: ICT revenue to reach USD 225 billion by 2020

According to the industry body Assocham, the revenue of the Indian ICT (information and communication technology) sector is expected to touch USD 225 billion by 2020 on account of increasing internet penetration. Currently, the sector's revenue stands at USD 164.3 billion.

All Panchayats to get broadband; Govt earmarks Rs 4,066 cr

Every gram panchayat will get internet connection as part of the Digital India Mission and Bharat Net. To achieve the objective, the government has put aside Rs 4,066 crore, according to the Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha.

Friday 29 December 2017

Sony buys telecast rights to Tata Open Maharashtra 2018

Following its ambition to become top sports content provider, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has bought the exclusive telecast rights for Tata Open Maharashtra 2018, which will be held during 1-6 January in Pune.

Kamala Mill Fire: Times Network channels & TV9 Marathi face disruptions; Zoom worst hit

The massive fire at the Kamala Mills Compound, Mumbai on 29 December led to 14 deaths and 19 injuries. The fire disrupted the broadcast operations of Times Network channels and Marathi news channel TV9 Marathi, as the office of the two media houses is located in close proximity to the building which was gutted by fire.

Telcos want duty exemption on import of 4G gear

Massive duty on imports of latest technologies and equipment increases the prices of the products and services. While the government is gearing up for 5G, the leading telcos have sought customs duty exemption on 4G gear - basic customs duty (BCD) exemption on 4G network gear to reduce overall 4G LTE network roll out costs, besides also seeking a cut in the withholding tax on discounts extended to prepaid distributors.

Jio again tops 4G download speed with 19.6 mbps in Oct: TRAI report

Once again, the new telecom entrant Reliance Jio came up as number one in terms of download speed at 19.6 mbps in mobile broadband in October.

DoT should bring in amendments in TRAI Act fast: Parliamentary Panel

The telecom regulator TRAI has a massive responsibility to protect the interest of service providers. To help it ably do the job, a Parliamentary Panel has recently asked the telecom department DoT to "act swiftly in the matter and bring in suitable amendments in the TRAI Act so as to empower TRAI to effectively regulate the sector".

Video consumption rises phenomenally

As data rates and prices of smartphones keep coming down, more and more people are enjoying OTT content on their smartphones in their free times. While using smartphones for content consumption, users mostly watch video (75%).

GTPL Hathway hikes stake in GTPL Surat Telelink & GTPL Ahmedabad Cable Network

GTPL Surat Telelink and GTPL Ahmedabad Cable Network are the two subsidiaries of the Multi system operator (MSO) GTPL Hathway. GTPL had 47 subsidiary and associate companies.

MIB does not regulate OTT content; enough safeguards under IT Act: Rathore

While it has been a long demand of the industry to regulate OTT and new media just like TV and print, the minister of state (MoS) in the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said in the Lok Sabha the MIB doesn’t regulate over the top (OTT) services like Hotstar, YouTube, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

Fitch's ratings predict Indian telecom sector to be ‘stable’ in 2018

The highly stressed Indian telecom industry has some good news for the New Year, as Fitch's ratings predict stability for the sector in 2018. It was dubbed as ‘negative’ in 2017.

TRAI releases “Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report”-July-Sep 2017

On 28 December, the telecom regulator TRAI released the “Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report” for the Quarter ending September, 2017. This Report provides a broad perspective of the Telecom Services in India and presents the key parameters and growth trends of the Telecom Services as well as Cable TV, DTH & Radio Broadcasting services in India for the period covering 1st July, 2017 to 30th September, 2017 compiled mainly on the basis of information furnished by the Service Providers.

Thursday 28 December 2017

VTV News & Republicworld.com face ASCI heat for misleading claims

The ARG Outlier Media Asianet News-owned Republicworld.com and Gujarati news channel VTV News are facing troubles for misleading claims, as the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has upheld complaints against them.

Eros Now & Amazon Prime Video partner for US, UK markets

The leading international OTT platform Amazon Prime will host Eros Now to offer its prime members Eros library of content across the US and UK with a subscription fee of 7.99 USD and 5.99 GBP per month. Members can sign up for Eros Now through Amazon Channels to get access to Eros Now’s movie library of thousands of films offering a wide range of Bollywood and regional language films, music videos and originals.

Airtel widens content offerings on its OTT app-Airtel TV; service to be free till June

Airtel TV, the OTT app by Bharti Airtel will now have more content offerings, as well as new user interface. The list of content includes 300 live TV channels, including 29 HD channels, with 6000 plus movies and popular shows.

2017 was a very bad year for smaller Indian telcos: Ind-Ra report

While even major telcos suffered huge losses and RCom has to shut operations in 2017, smaller telcos had lost 38 million subscribers on an aggregate basis over the last one year, according to India Ratings and Research.

FDI in telecom sector reaches USD6 billion in first half of 2017: DoT Report

As per the statistics issued by the Department of Telecom (DoT), the foreign direct investment (FDI) in the telecom industry has touched $6.08 billion (Rs 40,000 crore) in the first half of 2017.

Reliance Jio buys wireless assets of RCom

Brothers are meant to help each other in times of difficulty. This was seen when Mukesh Ambani, Chairman, Reliance Jio, came to rescue his younger brother Anil Ambani by buying his now closed telco RCom’s wireless assets, so that Anil can repay his huge debt to lenders.

FDI Status: USD 3.14 bn came in I&B sector in the last 3.5 years

The minister of state (MoS) in the ministry of commerce and industry, CR Chaudhary told the Parliament on 27 December that the Information and broadcasting sector attracted USD 3.14 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the last 3.5 years. This includes print media as well.

Govt to solve DTH transponder issue in 2-3 years: Dr. Jitendra Singh

The government will launch a satellite to solve the transponder requirement issue faced by the direct-to-home (DTH) operators. The problem will be solved in 2-3 years, said minister of state in the ministry of personnel, personal grievances & pensions and in the prime minister’s office Dr. Jitendra Singh.

DoT & ISPs partner to battle child porn on internet

Child porn is a big menace on internet despite many national and international laws against it. Now to battle it hard, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Internet service providers such as Vodafone India and Tata Communications have partnered with international groups such as the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF).

Govt studying net neutrality suggestions; will ease problems of telcos; consumers to get lower ph bills: Manoj Sinha tells Lok Sabha

On 27 December, the telecom minister Manoj Sinha told the Lok Sabha that the government is studying suggestions on net neutrality, and will try to sort out financial issues of telcos, and mobile phone bills will come down in the New Year.

Wednesday 27 December 2017

Tata Sky partners with Ola Sunburn Festival 2017; will livestream on app

This will be the first time that Ola Sunburn festival, which started on 28 December, is being live streamed on the Tata Sky Mobile app making it the only OTT platform covering the festival live.

Dish TV, Videocon d2h can implead in TRAI matter: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court said that the Direct to home (DTH) operators Dish TV and Videocon d2h can implead in the quality of service (QoS) matter in the Delhi HC. The All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF) was already permitted to implead in the matter. The counsel for Tata Sky and Bharti Telemedia didn’t object to the impleadment following which the HC accepted Videocon d2h and Dish TV’s prayer to be permitted to make submissions only at the time of the hearing.

5G to revolutionise telecom industry, says Reliance Jio's President

The dazzling arrival of Reliance Jio in September last year had put leading telcos on alert mode. Jio is credited to bring the latest technologies which ideally should be brought up by existing telecom operators who seemed more concerned on increasing prices of data and calls than liberating consumers with the help of latest technologies, which Jio ultimately did.

Tuesday 26 December 2017

Neeraj Attri gets elevated to COO & group revenue head at Sambhaav Group

The media company Sambhaav Group has elevated Neeraj Attri to the post of COO and group revenue head. He is currently the COO of Gujarat Broadcasters, the company that owns and operates Gujarati news channel Vtv News

Reliance Big TV gets disconnection notice from Star

The sold-out direct to home (DTH) operator Reliance Big TV has got a disconnection notice from Broadcaster Star India for non-payment of licence fee and non-execution of the subscription agreement.

Sony gets 7 sponsors for India-South Africa series

The India-South Africa series will start from 5 January, and Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has already won seven sponsors for it. The list includes Maruti Suzuki, Raymond, Make My Trip and Idea 4G, Byju’s, Kent and 99 acres. The series will have 3 Tests, 6 ODIs, and 3 T20s. It will be telecast on Sony Ten 1 and Sony Ten 3 in English and Hindi respectively.

TRAI defends its views on landing page direction before TDSAT

Striking down the landing page direction will set a wrong precedent, TRAI wrote to TDSAT. The telecom regulator TRAI had issued a direction on 8 November directing all distribution platform operators (DPOs) and TV broadcasters not to put their channels on the landing page as it is against the regulation, which states that a channel can only be placed in one genre.

UNICEF wants more action to end digital divide

Despite cheap availability of data and smartphones, a large section of people in India and other developing countries are still left without any internet. But this digital divide is in fact is much more diverse than what is usually thought.

J&K Govt launches high speed broadband

On 25 December, the Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh launched a high-speed broadband internet service as part of the Digital India programme of the Central government. The broadband will benefit people living in Jammu, Srinagar, Ladakh, and Katra.

Google to launch physical stores to sell Pixel smartphones

In India, brick & mortar stores are more popular even today than online for reasons like customers having a touch feel of the products.

Monday 25 December 2017

A Raja’s book on 2G may create another storm

Enthused with his victory in 2G case, A Raja is going to create another storm with his soon-to-be-launched book on 2G. It will reveal many surprising things which may disturb many in top political and administrative circles. The hard-hitting and no-holds-barred book was in fact shelved due to 2G case. Now as the verdict is out, Raja will launch it with much fanfare. Raja said it will contain revelations about the reasons for his arrest and incarceration.

Apple’s chip designer John Bruno joins Google

John Bruno, the legendary chip maker who worked with Apple, who also ran the silicon competitive analysis group at the Cupertino-based iPhone maker, has been appointed as the leading chip designer by Google.

2G verdict attracts flood of litigations seeking damages

The verdict on 2G has opened a Pandora box of litigations. After Videocon Telecom and Loop Telecom, now C Sivasankaran, a serial entrepreneur, is planning to take the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to the Supreme Court, seeking .Rs 3,400 crore that he said he lost after the apex court had cancelled 122 licences, including six of STel’s in 2012.

Sunday 24 December 2017

BSNL wants 4G spectrum in lieu of equity; will launch 4G from Kerala in Jan

As the country is gearing up for 4G launch, state-owned BSNL wants 5MHz spectrum in the 2100 MHz band in lieu of additional equity to the government.

Airtel CEO Gopal Vittal regrets about Aadhaar issue

Following the controversy over e-KYC verification which broke out after oil companies and the oil ministry claimed that Rs 167 crore of LPG subsidies had been deposited in the accounts of Airtel Payments Bank without the knowledge of customers, who were unaware that such accounts had been opened, Bharti Airtel chief executive officer Gopal Vittal wrote a letter to all employees on December 25 in which he regretted the situation which forced the exit of Airtel payment Bank head Shashi Arora.

Over 13,000 websites closed down in China

In recent months, China has closed down nearly 13,000 web portals for security reasons, though many critics called it an effort to restrict freedom of speech and prevent criticism of the ruling Communist Party.

2G Verdict: Court appreciates efforts of former TRAI Chairman Misra

While delivering the verdict on 2G case, the special CBI court appreciated former TRAI chairman Nripendra Misra, who is currently working as the principal secretary to PM.

More investments needed for security in telecom sector: Brijesh Datta

Security is the key issue in the digital age when newer technologies like IoT and 5G are on the horizon, said Reliance Jio’s chief information security officer, Brijesh Datta. He added that 5G technology is good but it will also be prone to hackers who may easily flood servers with enormous bandwidth at their disposal, causing greater attacks.

Saturday 23 December 2017

E-waste provisioning may weigh heavily upon manufacturers

The new proposed E-waste norms may weigh heavily upon manufacturers such as Samsung, LG, Apple and Nokia, as they will have to collect a predetermined percentage of the goods they sell every year, stretching back over the past 10 years.

Videocon to fast track its case against Govt, seeking Rs 10,000 cr damages in 2G case

Enthused from the CBI verdict freeing all accused in 2G scam, Videocon Telecom will now speed up its case filed against the government in the telecom tribunal in 2015, seeking Rs 10,000 crore due to loss of business.

Shashi Arora resigns from Airtel Payment Bank

Shashi Arora, head, Airtel Payments Bank, has resigned. The company said: "Shashi has decided to move on to pursue opportunities outside of Airtel. We wish Shashi the very best for his future endeavour."

Govt may collect Rs 1100 cr from FM Phase III e-auctions

The FM Phase III e-auction may fill up the exchequer of the government with Rs. 1100 crore. The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the auction of 683 channels in 236 cities in subsequent batches.

Filing of E-Forms with RoC may cause little delay in Dish TV-Videocon d2h merger

As the filing of E-Forms and other documents with the Registrar of Companies (RoC), Mumbai will not get completed by 27 December, the merger of two leading direct-to-home operators Videocon d2h and Dish TV may get delayed.

Friday 22 December 2017

Hotstar & Awesomeness partner for premium offering

The US based media firm Awesomeness and Star India’s video streaming service Hotstar have reached an agreement for premium. As per deal, Hotstar can telecast hit series from Awesomeness including Freakish, T@gged and Confess.

TRAI issues Consultation Paper on ‘Empanelment of Auditors for Digital Addressable Systems’

On 22 December, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issues a consultation paper on ‘Empanelment of Auditors for Digital Addressable Systems’ seeking views of stakeholders on various audit-empanelment related issues such as scope of audit, eligibility criteria and experience, length of empanelment, audit fee and payment terms, time period for completion of audit work, de-empanelment, and reporting requirements of auditors.

Ericsson to raise $370 million for R&D on 5G

The Swedish telecom gear maker Erickson will raise $370 million for R&D on 5G. It has signed agreements for credit facilities with the Nordic Investment Bank (NIB) for $220 million, maturing in 2023, and AB Svensk Exportkredit (SEK) for $150 million, maturing in 2025. Of these new funds, 98 million will replace credit with NIB that was set to mature in 2019.

TDSAT gives breather to IMCL

The multi system operator (MSO) IndusInd Media and Communications Ltd (IMCL) has got a breather from the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) which has asked Disney Broadcasting India not to disconnect signals to it if the MSO pays Rs 49.55 lakh by 26 December.

Broadcasters can shift to indigenous satellites: Rathore

The broadcasters whose contracts with foreign satellite operators are expiring in the near future have been directed to shift to indigenous satellites INSAT/GSAT as the required capacity is available. This was informed to broadcasters by the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB).

Sun TV now knocks the door of NCLT against Reliance Big TV

After reaching the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) to recover its dues after the DTH operator Reliance Big TV had issued a public notice stating that it will shut down operations on 18 November due to the expiry of licence, Sun TV has now filed an insolvency petition against RBTV in the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Mumbai.

Praveen Boda becomes VP at Innoviti

Reliance Jio’s AVP of Finance Praveen Boda has joined Innoviti Payment Solutions as Vice President of Finance & Legal, and will be responsible for scaling its business operations post its latest fund raise of US$ 18 million in a Series B funding round.

Sling Media India to do its bit in making India 5G ready

DISH Network’s Sling Media India will work on 5G. It will build a 5G-capable narrowband Internet of Things (IoT) network to connect various types of sensors like agricultural sensors, and sensors present in smart cars and smart cities.

UIDAI allows Airtel to continue eKYC till Jan 10

Giving a relief to Airtel, UIDAI has allowed it to use the electronic Know Your Customer feature of Aadhaar after the telecom service provider has repaid Rs. 138 crore of subsidy payments back in the original bank accounts of 55.63 lakh customers. The permission is till Jan 10.

Thursday 21 December 2017

RBU Shyam Kumar resigns from Puthiya Thalaimurai

RBU Shyam Kumar has resigned as Group CEO of Puthiya Thalaimurai. He has been with the company for five-years.

Vinay Kamat becomes editor at Mint

The HT Media has approved the appointment of journalist Vinay Kamatas the editor of HT Media’s business daily Mint.

CBI acquits A Raja and others in 2G scam

On 21 December, the Special CBI Judge OP Saini acquitted A Raja and all the accused in cases related to the 2G scam, and expressed strong disapproval over the conduct of two top officials, Pulok Chatterjee and TKA Nair in the Prime Minister’s Office for presenting what the court described as an “incomplete view” to the then PM Manmohan Singh.

Star Gold Select HD now available in SD version

The popular movie channel Star Gold Select HD is now available in SD version. The channel, which is priced at Rs 7.77 on a la carte basis, has been launched on select platforms. This will be Star’s sixth Hindi movie channel after Star Gold, Star Gold HD, Star Gold Select HD, Star Utsav Movies, and Movies OK.

MIB issues no licence in Nov; total 45 TV channel licences issued in last 11 months

As per the latest report by the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB), no licence has been issued in November, though several new and name change applications are awaiting approval.

Wednesday 20 December 2017

CABSAT 2018: Popularity of Arabic content grows manifold

Arabic content is growing in popularity internationally, thanks to the arrival of OTT platforms like Netflix. Demand for high quality Arabic content in the region has increased by almost 40% between 2011-2016, while western drama’s share of viewing decreased by an average of 55%, creating opportunities for regional producers to dominate the airwaves and secure their share of the market.

Kudelski Group witnesses results of its transformation this year

The Kudelski Group has witnessed great changes as a result of deep transformation of its structure, processes and business.The Group has worked to align its digital TV operations with the new market realities. The Group activities are increasingly expanding out of traditional pay TV into cybersecurity and Internet of Things (IoT) security, addressing growing market demand.

Cyberbitwins 2 clients in India; eyes expansion

Cyberbit Ltd. Has won 2 key clients in India, and is eyeing big expansion in the country. It is a world leading provider of cybersecurity simulation and IT and OT detection and response platforms. The system integrator Bengaluru based QOS Technology is the first new customer which runs new cybersecurity training and simulation facility powered by the Cyberbit Range.

Late 90s famous TV host Suhaib Ilyasi gets life imprisonment for killing his wife

Those who watched TV in late 1990s know Suhaib Ilyasi, the host of popular crime TV series ‘India’s Most Wanted’ on Zee TV. He then created lots of buzz and became a household name as it was first-of-its-kind show then on any TV channel. All channels he approached with the show declined to telecast except Zee TV in 1998.

Dailyhunt partners with Viu for original content

Dailyhunthas partnered with Viu, the premium on-demand service by Vuclip and PCCW, to offer its users original content in Hindi and Telugu. Dailyhunt is a leading news and local language content app and has recently launched its live TV service with YuppTV.

Govt to finalise National Telecom Policy by March: Manoj Sinha

The Communications Minister Manoj Sinha informed Parliament on 20 December that the DoT will ready the final draft of the new telecom policy for public domain to seek their views.

Govt mulling to permit 100% FDI in telecom

The government is mulling to allow 100% FDI in telecom sector through automatic route. In automatic route, firms can attract foreign funds without approval. The Telecom Commission may consider the proposal soon.

TRAI wants closing telcos to return unused balance

The telecom regulator TRAI is finding ways to enable telecom operators to return unused balance of prepaid customers if they are closing down operations.

TRAI directs Aircel to close operations in 6 circles by Jan 30

On 20 December, the telecom regulator TRAI said in its release that Aircel can shut operations in 6 circles by Jan 30, and users can port by March 10. Aircel was asked to inform its subscribers with a 30-day notice with timely generation of the Unique Porting Codes.

TRAI releases Consultation Paper on ‘Making ICT accessible for PWD’

Persons with disabilities have long been facing problems to access digital information as still many websites and resources are not as per international guideline on ICT accessibility. Taking a step forward towards creation of an inclusive India, the telecom regulator TRAI,on 20 December, released a Consultation paper on making Information and Communication Technology (ICT) accessible for the persons with disabilities.

Ofcom shows greenlight to ZEEL for launching Living Foodz in UK

With an approval from UK’s telecom watchdog Ofcom, ZEEL subsidiary Asia TV will soon launch its foodtainment channel Living Foodz in the UK. This licence was earlier held by &pictures. Living Foodz will be the first Indian cookery channel in the UK.

MSO KCCL to invest Rs 100 cr in broadcasting

To enter broadcasting segment, the Kerala-based multi system operator (MSO) KCCL (Kerala Communications Cable Ltd) will invest Rs 100 crore. It will launch general entertainment, news and education channels over the next two years.

Apps getting much of the time of Indians: Report

According to a report released by investment firm Omidyar Network, Indians are aggressive users of mobile phones and spend almost 70% of their time on apps. They use it for most for social communication and entertainment. In the US, people use just 50% of their time on apps.

TRAI to hold discussion with telcos in Jan for New Year roadmap

The telecom sector is hugely stressed and Reliance has already closed its operations due to massive debt. Arrival of RJio has depleted much of the earnings of the leading telcos. Lending banks too are tense.

Tuesday 19 December 2017

Broadcast Solutions GmbH takes its Broadcast Innovation Days series to Finland & Sweden

Broadcast Solutions GmbH, the leading German System Integrator, has introduced its Broadcast Innovation Days series to Finland and Sweden. The group will take part in two events, one in Helsinki (January 30) and one in Stockholm (1 Feb).

Videocon Wallcam welcomes Govt’s decision of imposing additional import duty on electronic items

The End-to-End Security & Surveillance solutions provider Videocon Wallcam has welcomed the Government's decision of imposing additional import duty on electronic items. Among the list of items also falls the Video Surveillance product category including CCTV cameras and Video Recorders (DVRs and NVRs) where the custom duty has been increased by 5% taking it up from current 10% to 15%.

ON Semiconductor to showcase its Technologies for Automotive and IoT Applications at CES 2018

ON Semiconductor will showcase its Technologies for Automotive and IoT Applications at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Among multiple exhibits will be interactive demonstrations that will allow visitors to experience and understand the company’s industry leading solutions in these exciting and fast moving areas of technology.

HUMAX & Qorvo offer Complete Zigbee -based Smart Voice Assistant System

The leading provider of innovative RF solutions that connect the world, Qorvo has said that its multi-stack, multi-protocol GP712 System-on-Chip is in the new Zigbee -based HUMAX Chorus Voice Assistant. The pairing is advancing the Internet of Things (IoT) by creating a turnkey, smart home system for operators that integrates gateways, sensor devices, cloud platforms and mobile applications.

Apttus appoints new GMs, Head of Engineering

To strengthen its marketing and build on expansion,  Apttus, the global leader in Quote-to-Cash and Contract Lifecycle Management solutions utilizing artificial intelligence, has appointed Ashish M. Shah as general manager and Nikesh Jain as head of engineering. It has also elevated Jesal Mehta to a global role as general manager, Contract Lifecycle Management.

SonyLIV starts a video campaign to popularize football

To make the game of football more accessible to everyone, the Sony Pictures Networks India’s video on demand (VoD) platform SonyLIV has started a video campaign. The campaign film speaks about the fans and how their love for the game scores over their attachment to individual leagues, clubs or players.

Viu brings popular Korean shows to India

With arrival of OTT players, Indian viewers have diverse content sourced from across the world. Recently, Viu, the premium video-on-demand service by Vuclip and PCCW, has started Korean dramas for their Indian viewers.

Gujarat & HP elections helped Republic TV & Hotstar to record 12.98 mn minutes of digital consumption

The recently concluded Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly elections have helped Republic World and Hotstar to record12.98 million minutes of consumption. While Republic World recorded 7.78 million minutes of consumption, Hotstar saw 5.2 million minutes of consumption.

NDTV to prune its staff by 25%; mobile journalism killing jobs

To lessen its financial stress and restructure the organization, the broadcaster NDTV is planning to cut down on its workforce by 25%; it will focus on its core TV and digital business. Mobile journalism too is killing jobs in media sector.

Amazon Prime Video launches ‘Breathe’ - another original Indian series

The leading global OTT player Amazon Prime Video will launch its second Indian original series ‘Breathe’ starring R Madhavan. Its first original Indian series Inside Edge was a big success.

Monday 18 December 2017

Facebook’s aggressive IPL bidding was key reason for selling Fox to Disney: Murdoch

Rupert Murdoch has surprised industry personnel by revealing thatFacebook’s $600 million bid for the Indian Premier League (IPL) digital rights is one of the reasons which brought Fox closer to Disney.

TDSAT gives relief to TV channels in Freedish slot renewal case

The interim relief granted to TV channels whose contracts with DD’s free DTH platform Freedish has expired has been extended by the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT).

Common currency for measuring digital can boost monetization

Experts in the OTT industry feel that BAARC type common ratings of the digital content will help boost monetization. OTT is becoming the king of broadcasting as smartphone penetration is growing and data costs are coming down. But there is no regulation or measurement system.

Sunday 17 December 2017

Google to act tough against misleading news portals

The search engine giant Google collates major news portals and presents top news in search. But in doing so, many misleading news portals also appear in searches. To stop this, Google has updated its guidelines, to particularly forbid websites in Google News which misrepresent, misstate, or conceal information or engage in coordinated activity to mislead users.

Thousands face charges in China for internet, telecom fraud

China has become a hot bed of internet fraud. In the last 9 months, over 22,000 faced charges for internet and telecom fraud. A Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) investigation department statement has called for quicker efforts to deal with cyber and telecom fraud and to tackle the problem at its root.

DoT goes against TRAI’s suggestion; will allot E & V band spectrum through auction

Going against the suggestion of the telecom regulator TRAI, the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) is in favour of allocating E and V band spectrum through an auction; TRAI suggested fixed fee. For spectrum in V-band, the regulator has recommended that it should be charged at Rs1,000 per annum per slot of 50 MHz each.

Make in India will also address security concerns of telecom equipment: TRAI

Imported telecom gear cannot be fully trusted due to security concerns. Echoing this, the telecom regulator TRAI said that India should promote telecom equipment manufacturing in the country not only for economic reasons but also to alleviate security concerns.

Saturday 16 December 2017

Foxxum TV app store hosts Eros Now

Foxxum, a provider of Smart TV solutions, and Eros International’s over-the-top platform (OTT) Eros Now have reached an agreement to offer its library of premium content on the Foxxum TV App Store worldwide.

Airtel, Airtel Payments Bank's e-KYC licence suspended

The Aadhaar misuse has cost Airtel dearly as the UIDAI has temporarily barred Bharti Airtel and Airtel Payments Bank from conducting Aadhaar-based SIM verification of mobile customers using eKYC process as well as e-KYC of payments bank clients.

Friday 15 December 2017

NAGRA enables a new TV landscape at CES at in Las Vegas

Continuing on its vision of “connecting people to the content they love,”NAGRA, a Kudelski Group (SIX:KUD.S) company and the world's leading independent provider of content protection and multiscreen television solutions, is enabling the TV landscape of tomorrow for consumers, pay-TV operators and content owners alike at CES 2018 in Las Vegas scheduled January 9-10.

Thursday 14 December 2017

CASBAA urges Indian govt to allow DTH & satellite ops to cement long term deals

At present, contracts for satellite capacity for DTH broadcasters are limited to a 3-year term by Indian government regulation. Speaking at the ‘India Satcom Forum’ in New Delhi, CASBAA Regional Pay-TV industry association Chairman Joe Welch urged the Indian government to allow the direct to home (DTH) operators to strike long-term deals with satellite operators in order to increase business certainty.

DY 365 & VTV face heat of I&B Ministry for content violation

Assamese news channel DY 365 and Gujarati news channel VTV have been temporarily banned by the Ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) for violation of the content code.

Dish TV to bargain content deals with broadcasters

Dish TV, Direct to home (DTH) operator, will now negotiate content deals with broadcasters. The negotiations will be based on the data the DTH operator has collected of more than 0.5 million subscribers who have subscribed channels on a la carte basis.

T-Mobile to enter TV services soon

The T-Mobile has said that it will launch a TV service in early 2018. According to company, the service will free people who want to get free from the bondage of TV and satellite services.

SC permits Vodafone to start second arbitration over $2 billion tax demand

On 14 December, the Supreme Court permitted Britain's Vodafone to start second arbitration process under an India-UK investment pact over New Delhi's tax demand for more than $2 billion.

Nokia & IIT-Delhi partner to work on AI

The famous smartphone maker Nokia and the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi (IIT-Delhi) have partnered to work together in areas of data science, analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Actor Neeraj Vora passes away

The famous character actor who essayed many comic roles as well as memorable character roles, Neeraj Vora passed away on 14 December; he had slipped into coma after suffering a massive heart-attack and a brain stroke in October 2016. He was 54.

TRAI to organize Customer Outreach Programme in Assam


The telecom regulator TRAI will organize Customer Outreach Programme in different parts of the country. These programmes are primarily intended to outreach to the customers, industry bodies, State Govt., various government bodies, CAGs and TSPs. Details of venue, date for the programme to be organized in Karimganj (Assam) by Kolkata office of TRAI along with contact person and telephone number are as under:

DishTV displays new acquisition & recharge offer in Punjab

DishTV Asia’s largest DTH brand has come up with a fascinating offer for its valued Punjabi audience, to capitalize the festive period of Lohri. The most trusted DTH brand introduce Non-stop offer in the state, enriched with complete Punjabi entertainment at the unbeatable price. This is a highly differentiated and extremely consumer friendly move. The brand is reinforcing itself as most preferred option in the state of Punjab.


Times Network appoints Sujeet Mishra as marketing head at Times Now

Times Network, part of India’s largest media conglomerate, The Times Group announced the appointment of Sujeet Mishra as Head of Marketing, TIMES NOW. In his role, Sujeet will lead the brand’s strategic planning and communication including new brand initiatives, consumer research, market development across ATL, BTL and digital platforms.

Wednesday 13 December 2017

Vishnu Shankar becomes business head of &TV

Vishnu Shankar has been appointed as the business head by &TV. He has replaced Rajesh Iyer who was heading the channel since launch and had recently joined YuppTV as COO for APAC and the Middle East.

EC chides news channels for violating poll code

Airing Rahul Gandhi’s interview before 2nd phase of Gujarat poll was not accepted by the Election Commission. It has chided news channels for airing interviews with Congress president-elect Rahul Gandhi a day before the second phase of Gujarat polls.

ACT Fibernet launches 1 Gbps plan in Bengaluru

After successfully launching the fastest broadband service in Hyderabad, Fiber broadband service provider ACT Fibernet has now launched 1 Gbps (Giga speeds, 1000 Mbps) wired broadband internet service for the city of Bengaluru.

Ericsson executes first commercial 5G deal

According to Swedish telecom gear maker Ericsson, it has partnered with US telco Verizon to provide it with networking equipment for their commercial 5G launch. Verizon will deploy the pre-standard 5G commercial radio network and the 5G Core network in select markets in second half of 2018.

TRAI to issue recommendations for in-flight connectivity

Air travelers may soon enjoy wi-fi onboard aircraft as the telecom regulator may soon issue recommendations on allowing use of Wi-Fi services during flights, and also plans to send its inputs to the telecom department for the upcoming new telecom policy.

Imagine Communications takes Hybrid and next generation solutions on the road in India

A team of experts from Imagine Communications has taken the latest in technology to the market in India. A concise, informative suite of presentations was packed into an afternoon, and delivered in Chennai, Mumbai and New Delhi.

Tuesday 12 December 2017

ZOOM launches Bollywood Tambola game

In a first-of-its-kind on Indian television, Zoom has launched Tambola.  The channel will organize a month-long activity till January 09, 2018, where viewers have to watch Bollywood’s favorite & latest songs played during the morning break-less band from 8.30 am to 10.30 am.

Turner launches GLOUD in Argentina & Chile

Taking its business a step ahead internationally, the Turner International’s Digital Ventures & Innovation (DV&I) team has launched a new gaming streaming service GLOUD in Argentina and Chile.

Airtel to sell 20% of DTH company to Warburg Pincus

The deal comprise of Bharti Airtel selling a 15 per cent stake with the remaining 5 per cent sold by another Bharti entity, said a public announcement made by Bharti Airtel and Warburg Pincus on December 12.

BARC India Board Elects Nakul Chopra as Chairman

Nakul Chopra, currently President AAAI and Senior Advisor, Public Communications has been elected as the next Chairman of BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council) India, an industry body set up to design, commission, supervise and own an accurate, reliable and timely television audience measurement system for India. Nakul succeeds Viacom18 Group CEO Sudhanshu Vats, who successfully completed his one-year tenure as Chairman.

Saturday 9 December 2017

Board approves Oyeeee Media’s proposal to partner Balaji, Essel Vision

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Ekta Kapoor-led production house Balaji Telefilms and Entertainment company Oyeeee Media under which Balaji can enter into a development of concepts for the third party.

TV Today pumps in Rs 28.6 crore in Mail Today

Mail Today Newspapers has got a boost of Rs. 28.6 crore from TV Today for repayment of debt and for business operations. Mail Today Newspaper is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the News broadcaster TV Today Network.

MIB integrates media units into one consolidated unit

The three media units Directorate of Film Publicity (DFP), Song and Drama Division (S&DD) and directorate of audio visual publicity (DAVP) have been integrated into one consolidated unit, Bureau of Outreach and Communication (BOC) by the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB).

Huawei to come up with first AI-enabled phone in Jan 2018

The global tech major Huawei will launch world’s first AI phone in India on 8 January.  The artificial intelligence (AI) enabled smartphone Honor View 10 can sense as to who is using the handset and customise functions accordingly.

Apple to acquire Shazam: Report

The smartphone major Apple may soon buy Shazam, the popular song recognition app. This will help Apple to compete with streaming leader Spotify.  Shazam was founded in 1999 and has been offering cutting edge high-tech solution to listeners' issue over not recognizing music on the radio or in bars, letting users identify songs through their phones' microphones.

Friday 8 December 2017

Brian Sullivan becomes president, COO at Fox Networks Group

Brian Sullivan has been promoted to the president, COO by Fox Networks Group. He will replace Randy Freer who had left to become Hulu CEO.

Eros Now & Metrological App partner for seamless OTT experience

The leading OTT player owned by Eros International, Eros Now and Metrological, a cloud-based TV app store and content distribution platform, have partnered for offering seamless OTT experience, as Metrological is best known for seamless integrated app and OTT experiences to MVPDs.

Sony buys India broadcast rights of T10 Cricket League

India broadcast rights of T10 Cricket League has been acquired by Sony. T10 Cricket is promoted by UAE-based T Ten Sports Management, a group company of the multinational and diversified conglomerate Mulk Holdings.

Supriya Sahu visits facility to assess preparedness of MPEG4 STB roll-out

To assess the preparedness of MPEG4 set top box (STB) roll-out for its free direct to home (DTH) service Freedish, Pubcaster Doordarshan’s DG Supriya Sahu visited ByDesign facilities in Bengaluru.

DataWind enters Indonesia with MeraNet App

The developer of mobile Internet products and services, DataWind has entered Indonesia by launching its patented browser Meranet today in Jakarta. The company claimed to offer affordable web browsing to millions of subscribers in a market where affordability remains the number one barrier to bridging the digital divide.

Adhaar linking deadline to be shifted to March 31

The government is expected to increase the deadline of Aadhaar linking till March 31, while the Supreme Court will hear a plea seeking interim relief in the Aadhaar case after 18 December.

Thursday 7 December 2017

Sun TV & Arasu fight over DAS contract

The Tamil Nadu state government-owned multi system operator (MSO) Arasu and Sun TV are currently fighting over the contract for the digital addressable system (DAS). At present, Sun TV has switched off signals to Arasu for digital homes for non-signing of the agreement.

People fear AI will steal their privacy: Survey

According to global professional services firm Genpact, People are afraid that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will steal their privacy. 59 per cent of respondents think their government should do more to protect personal data from AI.

FireEye report warns India about Chinese hackers

Recently, Indian government banned several Chinese apps thought to steal data of armed forces. Now according to FireEye Report, Chinese advanced persistent threat (APT) groups will attack Indian computers in 2018. The report also warned Hong Kong.

Cisco to buy Bengaluru-based Cmpute.io; aggressive on cloud services

The global tech giant Cisco will buy Cmpute.io to strengthen its cloud offerings. Cmpute.io is a privately-held company in Bengaluru.

Gracenote claims to help broadcasters with TV Street Maps 2.0

The leading technology player Gracenote has launched TV Street Maps 2.0 solution which automates the task of TV channel monitoring. Despite TV digitisation, cable operators can still add, remove or change the position of channels at their discretion without informing broadcasters.

AI technology, IoT prone to get attacked by Hackers: Symantec

According to global cyber security leader Symantec, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are prone to get exploited by hackers in 2018. The report added that the Internet of Things (IoT) devices will be hacked and used in Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.

Spectra comes up with 1 Gbps broadband speed in Delhi NCR, calls it ‘fastest’

According to leading broadband player Spectra, it has come up with a plan under which residential broadband customers will get 150 GB data at a speed of 1 Gbps for Rs 799 per month in Delhi-NCR. Spectra also made it clear that it will cover 3 more cities soon. Currently, Spectra provides fixed line broadband services in cities like New Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon, Bangalore, Chennai and Mumbai.

Wednesday 6 December 2017

Digivive may launch an OTT platform for a South Indian ISP

Digivive, a mobile TV service provider, may soon reach an agreement with South India based internet service provider (ISP) to launch the latter’s over the top (OTT) service.

Amazon Prime Video now available on Apple TV in 100 countries

Amazon Prime Video, the international Video streaming service provided has taken a big jump by launching the service on Apple TV in over 100 countries. Now Apple users can find Amazon OTT app easily and enjoy unlimited content. The service will be available on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, and customers can also find Amazon content using the Siri Remote and universal search on Apple TV.

Discovery buys 24.5% more stake in Oprah Winfrey’s Network

In the latest development, the international entertainment major Discovery Communications has reached an agreement with Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo to increase its ownership stake in its Own, Oprah Winfrey Network JV.

Shubh TV not to be available on Videocon d2h to from 27 Dec

According to Direct to home (DTH) service provider Videocon D2H, It will remove spiritual channel Shubh TV (LCN 496) from its platform with effect from 27 December.

Suparna Singh becomes CEO while Saurav Banerjee appointed as co-CEO at NDTV

Suparna Singh has been appointed as the CEO of NDTV; she replaced KVL Narayan Rao, who passed away in November. Earlier, she was the CEO of NDTV Convergence.

YuppTV appoints Rajesh Iyer as COO for APAC, Middle East

The leading OTT player YuppTV has appointed Rajesh Iyer, former &TV business head, as the chief operating officer for APAC and the Middle East. Now he will be responsible to oversee the operations in APAC and the Middle East, along with the task of content acquisition and spearheading the growth and expansion of YuppTV Originals.

Dish TV registers loss of Rs17.9 crore in Q3

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd owned DTH operator Dish TV has registered a loss of Rs. 18 crore in quarter ending September against a profit of Rs69 crore a year earlier.

TRAI to organize Consumer Outreach Programme at Karimganj (Assam)

The Kolkata office of the telecom regulator TRAI will organize a Consumer Outreach Programme in Assam. The details are given below:

Disney is very close to buy Fox for $ 60 billion

Although Fox is in negotiations with Comcast, the Walt Disney is very close to acquire the assets of 21st Century Fox for an estimated USD 60 billion, according to media sources. This mega deal has not only created a global buzz but if finalized will also throw Murdoch’s family apart business-wise.

ASCI write to I&B Ministry for permitting condom’s TV ads only during 10pm-6am

After getting a number of complaints from consumers about hot condom TV commercials featuring Sunny Leone, the Advertising Standards Council of India has written a letter to the Information & Broadcasting Ministry suggesting allowing such ads only during 10 pm to 6 am.

Tuesday 5 December 2017

Jio 4G Download Speed reaches top with 21.9Mbps; Idea no. 1 in upload speed: TRAI Data

According to telecom regulator TRAI's MySpeed app, once again Reliance Jio’s 4G download speed touched a top speed of 21.9Mbps in October. Earlier, Jio recorded 19.123Mbps that was registered in May.

Prasar Bharati appoints Surya Prakash as chairman for second time

Prasar Bharatihas appointed Dr. A Surya Prakash as the chairman for a second consecutive term. The veteran journalist Dr. Prakash was first appointed as chairman on 28 October 2014. His first term ended in October 2017.

CII-BCG report depicts rosy picture of M&E sector; 7-8 lakh new jobs in coming years

According to a CII-BCG report which was released at the 6th edition of The Big Picture Summit, the Indian media & entertainment (M&E) industry will grow at a rate of 11-12%. It will create 7-8 lakh new jobs in the next five years, according to report.

21st Century Fox’s India business holds bigger value: Lachlan Murdoch

India is a promising land for every global enterprise. Its burgeoning young population offers massive hope for every investor. Lachlan Murdoch, 21st Century Fox executive chairman, too seems very sanguine about India.

Uday Shankar becomes president - Asia at 21st Century Fox

Uday Shankar, Star India chairman and CEO, has been promoted to president -Asia by 21st century Fox. Now he will take care of video businesses across all of Asia, including Star India and Fox Networks Group, and work closely with 21CF leadership on key strategic initiatives in the region.

Prasar Bharati to phase out analogue terrestrial signals in 19 cities by Dec end

The analogue terrestrial signals will be closed in 19 cities by December end, according to Prasar Bharati. This is a part of progress under its plan of transition to a digital network. After this, Prasar Bharati will end the analogues in 44 additional cities.

Facebook & T-Hub partner to fund VR-focused startups

There is good news for startups working in the virtual reality segment, as social media giant Facebook and T-Hub have partnered to fund VR startups. AshutoshJhaveri, vice-president of business development for Facebook and Oculus, said that FB wants to do this with the accelerator programme it announced last week in partnership with T-Hub where it will work with VR-focused startups.

Tata Communications to strengthen its cloud business with Rs 160 cr

Cloud business is growing at an attractive rate, thanks to enterprises realising the importance of hardware-free data storage system on rent. Many global tech giants are investing hugely in the business to lure companies.  Tata Communications too has decided to invest Rs. 160 crore to strengthen its cloud businesses.

Telcos aggressive on Content partnerships with OTT players

With cheap data rates and easy affordability of smartphones, a paradigm shift is taking place where telcos are partnering major OTT players to streamline content to their customers. As per latest research, average data consumption per user per month has increased 10 times in the past one year post arrival of Reliance Jio.

Shashi Kapoor: the legendary actor with a charming face passes away

The actor who mouthed the legendary dialogue written by Salim-Javed, “Mere Paas Ma Hai” is no more. The legendary actor with a charming face, Shashi Kapoor passed away in Mumbai on 4 December, 2017. He was 79.

Monday 4 December 2017

iTV Network launches news channel in Gujarat

Launching a news channel in regional language and in a state where election heat is on is quite a business-friendly task. iTV Network did the same by launching a Gujarati news channel ‘India News Gujarat’ at a time when parties are clashing tooth and nail in the state and everyone’s eyes are on the state.

Dailyhunt & YuppTV partner for live TV service

Over the top (OTT) platform YuppTV and News aggregation platform Dailyhunt have reached an agreement for live TV service.The deal will enable YuppTV to make its South-Asian and regional content accessible via Live TV to Dailyhunt customers.

Discovery India to revamp its kids’ channel

With its entry in Hindi GEC, the global kids entertainment group Disney said it will follow a 360-degree approach for the revamp of the kids’ channel and leverage on synergies in merchandise as well as the gaming space.

Tata Teleservices may offer 26% stake to its JV ATC

As per media sources, Tata Teleservices (TTSL) may release 26% stake to its JV partner American Tower Corp (ATC) for discontinuing rentals. Tata Group has already exited from mobile services. If it sells 26% stake, it might fetch Rs 5,000 crore while the penalty for early termination may be as much as Rs 7,000 crore. So, TTSL will still need Rs 2000 Crore.

TRAI to organize Interactive Session on e-KYC for Telecom Consumers & Digital Payment Systems for Capacity Building of Consumer Advocacy Groups (CAGs)

The telecom regulator TRAI has invited representatives of Telecom Service Providers of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh & Telangana; representatives of Industry representatives (COAI, AUSPI, ISPAI), representatives of all TRAI registered Consumer Advocacy Groups (CAGs), students & Academicians from Educational Institutions, representatives of State Consumer Grievance Redressal Commission, representatives of NGOs, other organisations, representatives from State Government/District administration to attend an interactive session on e-KYC for Telecom Consumers & Digital Payment Systems for Capacity Building of Consumer Advocacy Groups (CAGs). The details of program are as follows:

TRAI to organize Regional Workshop on Capacity Building of Consumer Advocacy Groups (CAGs)

The telecom regulator TRAI has invited representatives of Telecom Service Providers of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh & Telangana; representatives of Industry representatives (COAI, AUSPI, ISPAI), and representatives of all TRAI registered Consumer Advocacy Groups (CAGs) to attend a workshop on Capacity Building of Consumer Advocacy Groups (CAGs). The details of program are as follows:

TRAI releases Recommendations on 'Network Testing before Commercial Launch of Services'

On 4th December 2017, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued its Recommendations on 'Network Testing before Commercial Launch of Services'. The Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) are required to install applicable systems for providing mobile services to the subscribers. A TSP has to ensure thatits service meets the Quality of Service (QoS) standards prescribed by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Therefore, it is important that all applicable systems are tested before commencement of commercial service.

Sunday 3 December 2017

Zee Learn interested in buying 42.78% stake in MT Educare

Zee Learn is interested in buying almost half of the shares of MT Educare, a leading education services company that prepares students for competitive examinations. MT has a market capitalisation of Rs 324 crore. Zee may pay Rs 140 crore for a controlling stake in the company.

Google chief wants Google to return to China

The search engine giant Google was closed in China in 2010 and Gmail, Youtube and all Google products were banned afterward. Now Indian born Google chief Sunder Pichai is leading a strong case to convince Chinese’s government to allow Google in its land.

Tikona faces a penalty of Rs 2.5 crore for delay in roll-out in Rajasthan

The delay in network roll-out of wireless broadband service in Rajasthanwhile clearing its spectrum deal with Bharti Airtel which has bought the company has cost dearly to Tikona, as the DoT has imposed a penalty of Rs 2.5 crore.

China not to ban global internet: Xi Jinping

After Google chief Sunder Pichai urged China to allow Google on its soil, Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed that China is not willing to ban global net. But he added that cyber sovereignty is key to the development of the internet.

Saturday 2 December 2017

Mobile data traffic to multiply 11 times in 6 years: Ericsson Report

According to the latest Ericsson Mobility Report, mobile data traffic in the country will grow eleven times in the next six years. The report also said LTE will account for more than 60% of the total subscriptions in the country by 2023 compared to the 12% LTE subscriptions in 2017.

Former Censor Board chief Nihlani blames I&B Ministry for bullying him

A shocking revelation came from the former Censor Board chairperson and producer Pahlaj Nihalani who accused the Information & Broadcasting Ministry of bullying him and forcing him to take decisions as per government’s interest and ideology.

Friday 1 December 2017

Idea & Magzter partner for digital news

Idea Cellular and Magzter, the world’s largest digital magazine newsstand, have reached an agreement to offer Idea customers access to digital magazines and news from within the MyIdea.

Army asked not to use 42 Chinese apps

A host of apps from Chinese markets have been banned for Indian army. The government has also issued an advisory asking the Indian army and paramilitary against the usage of Chinese applications citing security concerns.

IIFL Special Opportunities Fund buys stake in Nazara

IIFL Special Opportunities Fund has bought a minority stake in Nazara for Rs 330 crore. WestBridge Capital-backed gaming company Nazara Technologies is a mobile games company which is engaged in the acquisition of, value addition to and distribution of mobile games across emerging markets.

Graphic India to create original content; gets USD5 million boost

Armed with USD5 million funding, Graphic India has a big plan of creating original Indian superheroes and character entertainment franchises. It is one of India’s leading character entertainment companies, and has raised a new financing round of $5 million.

People can re-verify their mobile numbers online from January 1

Those who do not want to visit telcos’ customer care centre to re-verify their numbers will be able to do it online from January 1. This will be done through Aadhaar.

Ericsson demonstrates 1000x faster 5G networks



The global technology major Ericsson recently showcased its prowess in 5G technology with a speed of 5.7 GB/second. Currently, 4G networks in India offer an average speed of 6.13 mb/second.

I&B Ministry may clear a proposal to make IPL live feed available on DD

Star India may have to share its live feed of IPL with state broadcaster Doordarshan, as the I&B ministry is working on a proposal and may clear it soon. As a matter of fact, Star India bought the television, digital, Indian and global media rights of IPL for the next five seasons for Rs16,347.50 crore. 

Vodafone & Airtel want to buy RCom's airwaves

Leading telecom operators are eyeing airways of Reliance Communications which has shut its voice call service on December 1. The Anil Ambani-owned telecom company has already sold its DTH arm Reliance Big TV. RCom is under a massive debt of Rs 45,000 crore, and is facing quite a few litigations for dues. .

TRAI issues recommendations on M&A norms for ease of doing business

On 30 November, the telecom regulator TRAI issues its recommendations to the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) for faster and time-bound approval of M&A proposals, more options for conforming to spectrum holding limits post a merger and streamlining of the penalty levy process among several steps to improve ease of doing business.

World can learn from India’s digital financial inclusion: Telecom Minister

While speaking at the first Financial Inclusion Global Initiative (FIGI) symposium (Bengaluru, 29 Nov-1 Dec), the Telecom Minister, Manoj Sinha said that the world can take a note from the shining example of India’s digital progress. India has over billion mobiles, 325 million broadband connections and 306 million new bank accounts.

Thursday 30 November 2017

TDSAT asks Seven Star & Sony to sign RIO deal

Sony Pictures Networks India Distribution (SPNID) and multi system operator (MSO) Seven Star have been directed by TDSAT to sign a deal based on reference interconnect offer (RIO) for Mumbai with effect from 1 December.

HD channel viewership registers 169% growth in two years: BARC Report

People are increasing favouring High Definition channels, as per latest report from BARC. The report said that there has been a huge growth in the number HD channels and their viewership over the last two years. BARC has studied 31-week average data (between week 8-38 of 2017).

Bharti Airtel faces heat from UIDAI for Aadhaar violation

If you are using Airtel SIM, you may have received an SMS seeking your permission to connect your Aadhaar number with your Airtel Bank account number. It is alleged that Airtel is opening Airtel Payments Bank accounts of customers surreptitiously while carrying out Aadhaar verification of their mobile numbers.

OTT players do not want to be regulated

After releasing its recommendations on net neutrality, the telecom regulator TRAI said it will soon release consultation paper on OTT. This has irked OTT companies as they do not like the idea of being regulated.

TRAI favours free 100 MB data to rural users

To give impetus to the Government’s ambitious plan Digital India, the telecom regulator TRAI is in favour of 100 MB free data to users in rural and remote areas; it also wants to boost connectivity and local language content to enable rural people better connect with the rest of India.

I&B Ministry prevails over IFF; bans film ‘S Durga’ from getting screened at festival

Controversial South Indian film “Sexy, oops S Durga” which has put TV journalist Rohit Sardana’s life in danger, has been blocked by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, as the Ministry prevailed over the International Film Festival of India (IFF).

TRAI asks broadcasters to remove analogue RIOs from their websites

The telecom regulator, on November 30, has directed that all service providers (broadcasters) must remove analogue RIOs from their respective websites. As a matter of fact, the government had already notified end of Phase 4 of digitization on 31 March 2017, and no analogue signal could be beamed from April 1.


Wednesday 29 November 2017

BBC Worldwide & BBC Studios merge

BBC Studios and its commercial vertical BBC Worldwide have merged to become a single entity, BBC Studios. It will be headed by CEO Tim Davie and chief creative officer Mark Linsey. The single entity will look after integrated programme production, sales, and distribution.

Editor’s body condemns threat calls to Zee TV journalist Rohit Sardana

Rohit Sardana, the acclaimed Zee News journalist, recently questioned the alleged bias in the way matters related to freedom of expression were tackled. He tweeted on Nov 16, in the context of Sanal Sasidharan's controversial Malayalam film S Durga, and suggested that filmmakers tended to name films after women from the majority community, while refraining from names popular among minority communities.

Shemaroo announces three new senior hires

To strengthen its Product, Digital Marketing and Public Relations, Shemaroo Entertainment Limited has hired three top professionals. The leading content provider for television and digital platform has appointed Vaibhav Goyal as General Manager, Head of Products in New Media & Technologies.

Competition, debt & fall in revenue affect Ortel’s Q2 result

Debt, intense competition in Odisha and fall in revenue has affected the Multi system operator (MSO) Ortel Communication’s net loss for the fiscal second quarter ended 30 September. The loss doubled to Rs 5.7 crore compared to a net loss of Rs 2.9 crore in the quarter ended 30 June.

Nokia’s Bengaluru R&D facility to work on 5G, VoLTE and cloud

Nokia’s Bengaluru R&D facility will now work more aggressively on newer technologies such as 5G, VoLTE and cloud. The center employs more than 6,000 engineers. The engineers will also work on ‘big data’ analytics.

Telcos not happy with TRAI’s recommendations on net neutrality

The telecom regulator TRAI released recommendations on net neutrality on 27 November. While many are hailing it as a great move, telecom operators are not happy. They called it a “piece meal” approach and may contact DoT’s intervention on their issues.

Tuesday 28 November 2017

RBTV Deal Twist: Pantel buys RDTV as well as RBTV’s buyer Veecon

In a dramatic twist, Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communications (RCom)’s DTH arm Reliance Big TV (RBTV) has now been sold to a new player (Pantel) which has also bought RBTV’s earlier buyer Veecon. IT and communications service provider Pantel Technologies, Veecon and RCom have entered into a binding Share Purchase Agreement (SPA).

Nat Geo content now available on Hotstar

The infotainment content of the National Geographic channel will now be made available as premium content on OTT platform Hotsar. Hotstar as well as NatGeo are owned by 21st century Fox.

Reliance Games enters AR, VR-based games; partners with GoPhygital

In a move to expand and woo young game lovers, Reliance Games has entered the fast-growing Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) space. It has partnered with GoPhygital, a Mumbai based venture focused on creating immersive AR, VR and MR experiences.

Punam Sharma becomes head of content at ‘Connected to India’

Punam Sharma, a veteran journalist, has been appointed as head of content by Singapore-headquartered online media company Connected to India. She will lead journalists, and oversee video content creation and monetization efforts for the platform.

India’s VoLTE subscribers base to reach 800 million by 2023: Ericsson Report

According t Ericsson, the VoLTE subscriber base in India will touch 800 million by 2023. Nitin Bansal, Managing Director, Ericsson India, said that LTE will be the most dominant technology in India by 2023. He added that 4G LTE will account for more than 60% of the total subscriptions in India by 2023 compared to the 12% LTE subscriptions in 2017.

TRAI Chairman bats for net neutrality

On 27 November, the telecom regulator TRAI released its recommendations favouring net neutrality. Although, many telcos raised their voice against it, the telecomRegulatorTRAI Chairman R.S. Sharma has vouched his full support in favour of net neutrality.

Viaccess-Orca & Rambus partner to secure TVs & STBs

Rambus Inc., a leader in digital security, services, semiconductor, and IP products, and Viaccess-Orca, a global leader in the protection and monetization of content, have reached an agreement to strengthen VO Shield Root of Trust (RoT) solution for dynamic, best-in-class security of TV and STB.

Amit Shah attends Zee News’ ‘Game of Gujarat’; predicts 150 seats for BJP

To know the pulse of Gujarat on the eve of general assembly election, Zee News organized its signature program ‘Game of Gujarat’, the biggest platform on Gujarat assembly elections. It was attended by BJP President Amit Shah who predicted BJP will win over 150 seats.

Investigation by ACE, CASBAA’s CAP forces shutdown of Australian ISD

A big supplier of IPTV set-top boxes, pre-loaded to play all types of pirated content was forced to shut its business following a joint investigation in Australia by the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) and CASBAA’s Coalition Against Piracy (CAP).

Monday 27 November 2017

TRAI favours net neutrality; releases recommendations

In its recommendations to the telecom department (released on 27 Nov), the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) batted to amend license terms to prevent any kind of discrimination on internet services based on content, apps or any other service or data that travels on the internet.

Hathway & Microsoft partner for expansion

Software giant Microsoft and Cable broadband service provider Hathway Cable and Datacom have reached a deal to launch a special offer for Hathway’s broadband customers. The partnership will enable Hathway to offer all their customers a one-year subscription to Office 365 Personal that includes Microsoft products like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, One Note, Outlook Access and Publisher.

ACT to offer Hooq TV, YuppTV to capture Bengaluru market

To keep its customers hooked and win new ones, fibre broadband ISP ACT Fibernet has launched a complete home entertainment package ACT Entertainment broadband plan in Bengaluru. To achive the target, it has partnered with leading OTT players like Hooq TV, YuppTV, and FastFilmz.

Amazon Prime Video India buys digital rights of Rajnikanth’s ‘2.0’

Rajnikanth’s “2.0” is the most anticipated film in India. To give its users an unmatched experience, Amazon Prime Video India has bought its streaming rights. Its users will be able to access the film in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi version.

Jio TV channel list reaches 527mark

To give its users an unmatched experience, Jio TV, Reliance JioInfocomm’s over the top (OTT) platform, has added 14 new channels, thus taking the total to 527, as on 25 November. The list includes 9 high definition (HD) channels.

OSN & Oman authority clamp down on illegal DTH receivers from India

The business of illegal DTH receivers from India is growing in many countries including Gulf nations. Legally speaking, Indian DTH operators do not have the licence to offer services in other countries, but black marketers and electronic retailers sell banned decoding receivers that allow consumers to watch Indian TV channels at a very low price.

YuppTV buys rights for Mental Madhilo

OTT operators are aggressively eyeing new releases in Bollywood as well as South Indian film industry. Recently, the digital, satellite & overseas rights of Mental Madhilo, a Telugu movie starring Sri Vishnu and Nivetha Pethuraj, directed by Vivek Athreya and produced by Raj Kandukuri, has been acquired by YuppTV,  the South-Asian OTT content platform.

Scientists develop high-speed encryption to protect data theft

Piracy, phishing, cybercrime and state sponsored cyber-attacks may soon be addressed as scientists have developed a new system with high-speed encryption properties that drives quantum computers to create theoretically hack-proof forms of data encryption.

DTH facing stiff competition from OTT players; OTT registers 160% growth

As people are consuming content in their privacy on their smartphones, the growth of OTT players like Netflix and Hotstar has been phenomenal.  This has alarmed DTH operators. Their active subscribers’ strength has gone down considerably. They are not able to compete with OTT players like Amazon Prime Video as latter offer original content in all languages.

Sunday 26 November 2017

Yepzon enters India with smart safety solutions

Yepzon Oy, the leading Finland based safety technology company, has entered Indian markets to offer mobile services with compatible positioning technology, cloud service, which together with the devices and a smartphone tracks a person in seconds.

COAI asks TRAI to meet telcos on new call drop norms

Despite so many interventions, and efforts by telcos, customers are still frustrated due to call drops and poor signals. To address the pesky issue, the Cellular association COAI wants the telecom regulator TRAI to meet players to discuss the results of the new call drop norms.

Govt launches Umang app to access all its services

In pursuance of public empowerment, the Government has launched one window app Umang, which enables users to access all services of the government through web and mobile. The app was recently launched by PM Modi.

Saturday 25 November 2017

TRAI to organize Customer Outreach Programmes & OHD

The telecom regulator will organize Customer Outreach programmes at two places. These  programmes are primarily  intended  to  outreach  to  the  customers, industry bodies, State Govt., various government bodies, CAGs and TSPs. Details of  venue,  date  for  the  programme  to  be  organized are 

Friday 24 November 2017

RDTV Issue: TDSAT wants an assurance on outstanding dues

As Discovery and Sun TV have reached the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) seeking its intervention in recovering dues from now sold DTH operator Reliance Digital TV, TDSAT has sought assurance on the outstanding dues from Veecon Media which has bought RDTV.

31% rise in Kids TV viewership in the last five years: BARC study

According to a BARC India study, the kids’ TV viewership has gone up 31% in the last five years in the country and touched 31.6 billion impressions in 2017 compared to 24 billion impressions in 2012, thanks to the amazing content being offered by various broadcasters.

Travelxp 4K, Travelxp HD Europe enter France

Paris-based Turnaround TV has been chosen by Prashant  Chotani’sTravelxp 4K and Travelxp HD Europe as the exclusive distribution partner for France.

FB’s Free Basics’ Gate locking unacceptable: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Speaking at the Global Conference on Cyberspace Security, the IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has said that Gate Locking by Facebook’s Free Basics cannot be approved in the country. He explained that the idea behind Free Basics was that everything will be free, namely eduction, health, entertainment and others, if one enters the Net through one gate i.e. Facebook.

DD extends deadline to submit bids for agency to monitor ‘must carry’ channels

This is the second time that DD has stretched the deadline for bid submission for appointing an agency to monitor DD’s ‘must carry’ channels on cable TV headends and direct to home (DTH) platforms. The new last date to submit the bids is now 5 December.

Manish Dawar resigns from DEN Group

Manish Dawar, Group CFO, Den Networks, has resigned from Multi system operator. He came to DEN in February 2015. Earlier, Manish was the CFO of Vedanta Group-owned Konkala Resources. Having 17 year experience, Dawar is considered as a highly talented CFO.

Voot to start its latest original series ‘Time Out’

On 28 November, Viacom18’s OTT platform Voot will start its latest or tenth original series ‘Time Out’. Since Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are aggressively procuring and creating original series to keep the users hooked, Indian OTT platforms like ALTBalaji too are investing huge money in original series. 

Airport of Chandigarh launches its radio station; partners with Radio Indigo

In a major move, Chandigarh International Airport has partnered with International radio station Radio Indigo to start Chandigarh International Airport Radio (Chial Radio). As part of agreement, Radio Indigo will play international songs at the airport.

Irdeto & Foxtel partner for secure delivery of content

Foxtel an Australia pay-TV operator and Irdeto, which offers digital platform security, have partnered to deliver premium content in a secure way. It will minimize revenue leakage from all forms of piracy. According to company, Irdeto Cloaked CA will now securely deliver content through Foxtel’s latest fleet of set-top boxes (STBs).

24 IIS officers transferred by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting

Twenty four senior officers of the Indian Information Service (IIS) have been transferred according to an official order by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B). The list of officers transferred included M V V S Murthy, who was the director general (DG) of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) in Bengaluru; he has been transferred as the DG (South), PIB, Chennai, whereas K S Dhatwalia the current DG in PIB, New Delhi, has been made the DG (Northeast), PIB, Guwahati. There were also transfers of 22 additional director generals.

Aadhaar leak: EPFO discontinues services provided through Common Service Centre

Following fear of Aadhaar data leak, the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) on May 2 said it has discontinued services provided t...