With regard to foreign investment policy in the broadcasting sector, it can be seen from the consolidated FDI Policy document available at www.dipp.nic.in
With regard to foreign investment policy in the broadcasting sector, it can be seen from the consolidated FDI Policy document available at www.dipp.nic.in.
The Cable operations in India are governed by the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994. To operate a cable television network, the operator has to be registered with the registering authority (head post master of the head post office of the area) as a cable TV operator. Cable services are predominantly analog in nature and nearly 68 million i.e. over 93 % of the cable homes receive TV signals though analogue mode. Different categories of cable operators have developed over the years. There are multi system operators (MSOs) who set up their own headend for reception, aggregation and retransmission of signals from the broadcasters and further distribution to local cable operators (LCOs) or to the subscribers. There are independent cable operators (ICOs) who have their own Headends and distribute directly to the subscribers only.
The Ministry has embarked on an ambitious digitalization project for introducing digital addressable system in the cable TV sector with a sun set date for switching off analogue services by December 2014. This will be implemented in four phases covering all metros by March 2012.
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Report by the Secretariat (WT/TPR/S/249):SECTION IV: TRADE POLICIES BY SELECTED SECTORS:
Reply: Unified access service provider licensee can provide voice, data and video including IPTV and mobile TV. Internet service provider may also provide IPTV. However, content requirements for programs are governed by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting guidelines. The Government on 08.09.2008 has put in place a policy on IPTV enabling another mode of distribution of permitted satellite TV channels the telecom and cable networks. This segment is still nascent in India and Industry estimates suggest that there will be less than one million IPTV users across India. A copy of the Policy for IPTV is available on this Ministry's website at www.mib.nic.in.
This Ministry of I and B has not yet framed a Policy on Mobile TV. The Ministry in consultation with the stakeholders is working presently on laying down a suitable policy framework for enabling the private players to provide mobile TV services through terrestrial route.
