Cable operators, telcos can follow same norms for IPTV service

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The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Friday said both telecom service providers and cable operators could provide the Internet protocol television (IPTV) service under the same law. IPTV is a new method of delivering and viewing TV programmes using an IP network and high-speed broadband technology.

The regulator, in its recommendations on provisioning of IPTV services, said telecom operators having unified access service licence and cellular mobile telephony service licence to provide triple play services, and Internet service providers with net worth more than Rs 100 crore and having permission from the licensor to provide IPTV can provide the service without requiring any further registration. “The department of telecommunications (DoT) can permit any other telecom licensee to provide IPTV services as licensor. Similarly, cable TV operators registered under Cable Television Network (Regulation) Act 1995 can provide IPTV services without requiring any further license,” it said.

While Trai suggested the up linking/down linking guidelines be amended to enable the broadcasters to provide signals to all distributors of TV channels, it did not suggest a change in FDI cap for provision of the service both by telecom and Cable TV operators.

The lack of clarity on content control and foreign direct investment norms in this new broadcasting platform has led to a tussle between telecom operators and broadcasters. While broadcasters are governed under the Cable Television Network Regulation Act, 1995 for the purpose of content control, telecom operators do not come under such laws.