(17 December 2009 10:05 pm)

MUMBAI:The government has amended the downlinking guidelines, paving the way for Headend-In-The-Sky (HITS) service providers to access content from broadcasters.

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry said Thursday satellite TV channel signal reception decoders can be provided to HITS and IPTV operators. Earlier, the downlinking guidelines provided for broadcast content only to registered MSOs/cable operators and DTH service providers.

The I&B in a statement said that after the approval, the clause 5.6 of the downlinking guidelines now provides “the applicant company shall provide satellite TV channel signal reception decoders only to MSOs/cable operators registered under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 or to a DTH operator registered under the DTH guidelines issued by Government of India or to an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service provider duly permitted under their existing telecom license or authorized by Department of Telecommunications or to a HITS operator duly permitted under the policy guidelines for HITS operators issued by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India to provide such service.”

Last month, the government had cleared the HITS policy, allowing the use of 'C' and 'Ku-band' in a technology that would help boost digitisation of cable TV services across the country.

Government also allowed 74 per cent foreign direct investment
(FDI) for HITS service providers, higher than the 49 per cent cap for cable TV operators.

Also Read:

HITS policy: Government allows 74% FDI