| MUMBAI:
WorldSpace, a US-based satellite radio company, plans to launch satellite car
radio service in India by mid-2010.
WorldSpace is ready to roll out
this initiative within 10 months of the government's fixation of a satellite radio
policy.
"Non-availability of terrestrially augmented satellite radio services in
India that enable satellite radio service in automobiles is purely due to regulatory
hurdles. If that is cleared, by the finalisation of the new Satellite Radio Policy
by the Government, we can roll-out the same for the Indian consumers in the next
eight to ten months," says WorldSpace MD (India and Middle East) Mathewkutty
Sebastian.
The
radio to be offered is an independent device and not in-built. "Initially
it won't be an in-built car radio and in the Indian context, it may be advisable
to have a plug-play receiver rather than an in-built radio. We are yet to finalise
on the pricing," adds Sebastian. Phase
two of the radio service will be rolled out in association with appropriate Indian
partners. Besides India, WorldSpace has licenses to roll out terrestrially augmented
satellite radio services in several markets in Europe and Middle East such as
Italy, Germany, Switzerland, UAE and Bahrain. Additionally,
it's also venturing into the online radio space by offering subscription-based
online radio stations. "The online service is aimed at the Indian diaspora.
Here again, it is the regulatory hurdles that have delayed our efforts so far.
We hope that it will be cleared soon," says Sebastian. | 
