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Telecom regulatory body in India says basic service providers can’t offer value-added services; will have to get a Rs 400-cr licence first.
Touted as the mother of cable television freebies, MTNL’s plans of 100 channels (pay channels included) for a one-time charge of Rs 500 seem to have lost the connection.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has raised objections saying that MTNL, being a basic service operator, cannot offer value-added services like Internet Protocol Television (IPTV).
According to TRAI chairman Nripendra Mishra, MTNL would have to first spend around Rs 400 crore to obtain a Universal Access Service Licence (UASL) and only then announce plans for value added services.
“We have to be fair to all service providers, Mumbaikars can choose from among other services,” Mishra said. TATA, Reliance and Bharti Telecom are the other companies that provide this service.
However, despite objections, MTNL launched its IPTV service in Mumbai yesterday, saying they would not let down subscribers waiting for the service since it was a much publicised and sought-after service. “We have been operating the service on a smaller scale for two years.
For us, IPTV is a value-added service being provided by a basic service operator. We will reply to TRAI,” said MTNL chairman R S P Sinha.
Officials in MTNL also confirmed that if the telecom service provider failed to launch the services, it could dent the new generation image that MTNL has put up in the last few years.
“We have already spent Rs 13 crore on popularising its products and services during 2006-07 in anticipation of attracting subscribers towards new generation products like IPTV,” a MTNL official said.
What is IPTV?
IPTV is a technology that uses telephone lines to provide TV programming to viewers.
VSNL has tied up with Aksh Optifibre to provide 100 IPTV channels.
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