India Policy for Mobile TV being framed

Finally the Mobile TV bandwagon hopefully will get taken up in earnest again in India.

Nivedita Mookerji, New Delhi, DNA, November 6, 2009

The government is learnt to be in the process of formulating a policy for mobile TV through terrestrial broadcasting.

Sources said a licensing regime, on the lines of private FM radio, is being planned for mobile TV as well. The information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry is actively considering the proposal.

If the Cabinet clears the proposal, an auction process expected to be initiated for spectrum allocation for mobile TV service providers. Each successful bidder would be entitled to 8 MHz of spectrum, or frequency bandwidth, it is said.

Spectrum, a scarce natural resource, has been in the news of late for controversies related to its allocation for 2G-(second generation) telecom service.

The proposed auction for 3G-(third generation) telecom service has been deferred several times due to unavailability of the scarce commodity, among other reasons.

The reserve price for all-India 3G spectrum has been fixed at Rs 3,500 crore.

Once 3G services are rolled out, TV on mobile handsets will be a reality in India. Terrestrial transmission for mobile TV service provides coverage like the terrestrial transmission of Doordarshan. Coverage of terrestrial mobile TV is weaker, when compared with satellite-based mobile TV.

Mobile TV service is referred to as a service that enables one to watch TV channels on a mobile telephone handset. This is possible through two routes --- telecom and broadcasting routes. Mobile TV using the telecom and the broadcasting routes use separate spectrum bands.

Mobile TV, among other media issues, may come up at a meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee on Friday. Introduction of the third phase of private FM radio, which may allow around 800 more stations to come up in 27 cities, may also be discussed at the meeting. Besides the rollout of FM-III, the committee may also deliberate upon news in private FM radio and stepping up of the foreign investment level.