SPORTS SHORTS
* Singtel acquired the exclusive Champions League TV rights from 2009-2012 in Singapore. The company can exploit the rights through IPTV, internet and mobile for Champions League, as well as UEFA Cup and Super Cup matches. "We are excited at the prospect of working with a new partner in the form of Singtel," said UEFA. "The commitment they have made to acquire the media rights is evidence of the tremendous popularity of the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Cup in Singapore. UEFA also thanks ESPN Star Sports and StarHub, for their excellent contribution to broadcasting the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup respectively." Sportbusiness, 25th Mar 2008
* As of February 2008, the number of subscribers to mobile TV service in Korea is 11 million including 9.69 million to terrestrial DMB and 1.31 million to satellite DMB. If the growth continues at this rate, terrestrial DMB users will pass the 10 million mark in March. According to the Broadcasting and Communications Commission and the Special Committee on Terrestrial DMB, over 520,000 T-DMB devices were sold and satellite DMB attracted 36,000 new subscribers during one month of February. ATV, 26th Mar 2008
* Sandvine Corp said that PT First Media Tbk, the largest broadband provider in Indonesia, has been using its products since June 2007 and has "aggressive goals" to ramp up its broadband subscriber uptake to 2009.The AIM-listed provider of broadband network products said First Media has been using its PTS 14000 and Intelligent Broadband Network Solutions to improve network visibility, deliver new services, and ensure fair use of network resources. First Media is planning to increase its broadband uptake from 18,000 subscribers in mid 2007 to 150,000 in 2008 and its overall subscriber base to 1 mln by 2009, said Sandvine. Sharewatch, 25th Mar 2008
* Broadcom has revealed the first high definition, personal video recording, set-top box, system-on-a-chip solution for China. The result of the collaboration between Broadcom and Coship, the first commercial high definition STB in China will provide advanced HD viewing, full 1080p support, improved picture quality, PVR functionality and interactive services all in anticipation of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. ATV, 26th Mar 2008
* Time Broadband Services and joint venture partner Stanton Technologies have launched their IPTV service over 2.5G mobile platform. The JV also announced the signing of contracts with DiGi in Malaysia and China Mobile and China Unicom in China. "Through an exclusive deal with the Chinese government owned entity, the Time-Stanton JV will have access to provide IPTV to over 500 million mobile subscribers in China," an official release said. ATV, 26th Mar 2008
* In a bid to capitalise on its portfolio of cricket internet rights, Nimbus Communication is planning to launch a cricket web portal that will offer streaming of live matches with claims to match the TV experience on the Net. The company claims this would be the first attempt in India to offer live streaming of cricket matches on the internet. Nimbus Communications is not the first broadcaster to get aggressive in the internet space. ESPN-Star Sports’ parent company ESPN International had last year bought cricket website cricinfo for an undisclosed amount. Sports broadcasters have been investing huge amounts to grab cricket rights. Industry players believe that internet could become lucrative revenue stream. The company has tied up with content distributor Akamai for the portal. India Times, Sportcal, 26th Mar 2008
* Japanese IPTV company The New Media Group (TNMG) is aiming itself at the Indian market, teaming with broadcast and IP systems integration company Shaf Broadcast. The resulting venture, TNMG Technologies, will license and manage TNMG’s World On-Demand internet television middleware platform in mid-Asia. The platform already operates elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region, including Japan and Korea, offering access through multiple device options (TV, PC or mobile), with the platform centred around “communities”. There are linear channel, VOD and subscription on-demand bundles available. Capitalising on the growing services sector in India, the new company will also look for business handling outsourced operations such as content management from both content owners and IPTV platforms globally. Rapid TV, 25th Mar 2008
MORE NEWS
Taiwan/New Media: Soft-World to Operate e-Sports Webcast Service
Soft-World International, the largest developer/operator of online games in Taiwan, will operate an interactive platform to webcast online gaming contests (e-sports) to members of online game communities and allow viewers to comment on contests, according to company chairman and CEO Chin-pou Wang. Soft-World will have efun International, a subsidiary in which it has nearly an 80% stake, operate the webcast platform, according to industry sources.
Founded in October 2007 with initial paid-in capital of NT$50 million (US$1.64 million), efun has shifted its business operations from online audio/video services to mainly providing online games, the sources noted. The operation of the platform is in line with the establishment of Taiwan e-Sports League (TeSl), a platform of professional online gaming contests, mainly by Soft-World and three other developers and/or operators of online games in Taiwan, the sources pointed out. Digitimes, 25th Mar 2008
Global/General: NTT, AT&T Join Giant Trans-Pacific Cable Project
Telecom giants NTT and AT&T are joining a next-generation underwater cable project to speed up booming Internet traffic between Asia and North America, an AFP report said. The AFP report said the entrance of NTT Communications ensures that a branch of the "Trans-Pacific Express" fiber optic cable network will connect with Japan, Asia's largest economy.
The project, which already involves companies from China, Taiwan and AT&T's rival Verizon Communications, was originally estimated to cost some $500 million. In the first phase, a cable stretching 17,000 kilometers from China's east coast to the western US state of Oregon is set to go into service by August, in time to transmit high-speed data from the Beijing Olympics, the AFP report said.
The link is expected to have some 60 times the capacity of an existing one under the ocean. The new cable is expected to help avoid breakdowns in Internet traffic similar to what occurred following a 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck the seabed near Taiwan in December 2006, snapping undersea telecom cables. NTT Communications said in a statement that the branch connecting Japan with other parts of Asia would be operational by the first quarter of 2009, with a Japan-US section finished by early 2010. Neither firm disclosed financial terms, but AT&T said its contribution would be part of $1 billion the company has budgeted this year to expand services for multinational companies. The companies already in the consortium are mainland Chinese companies China Telecom, China Netcom and China Unicom, as well as Korea Telecom, Taiwan's Chunghwa Telecom and Verizon, the AFP report further said. telecomasia.net, 26th Mar 2008
ARTICLES, COMMENTS, INTERVIEWS & OPINIONS
Media Content Going Digital in a Big Way
Digital is the way forward. The pace at which digitalisation is moving across platforms, its different facets will dictate how you will be entertained in the future. Globally, the migration to digital formats is accelerating and this trend is likely to emerge in India too.
Distribution of entertainment and media content over digital and mobile platforms —online digital streaming, digital movie/TV downloads, video-on-demand, music downloaded from the internet, music downloaded to wireless phones, online advertising, online video games, wireless video games and online gaming — is likely to rise significantly in the next five years.
“Digitalisation is the future for most segments and companies have to adopt this revolution with appropriate infrastructure, relevant business models and technology upgradation along with associated costs. The pace of adoption will determine industry dynamics.” said Timmy Kandhari, executive director and leader TICE (technology, infocomm and entertainment & media) practice, PricewaterhouseCoopers in India. As digitisation sets in, it will lead to reduction in costs for content and delivery in the long run, shifting the emphasis on quality content, he added. India Times, 26th Mar 2008
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