HITS (headend in the sky) is a satellite-based delivery platform
for multi channel television signals to cable operators across the country. It
is capable of delivering TV signals in digital form. In HITS, the operator
uplinks signals of TV channels of different broadcasters to HITS satellite in
the sky. Cable operators across the country then downlink these TV channels from
this HIT satellite for further distribution to subscribers through their cable
network in digital form.
The difference between HITS and other digital formats such as
CAS and DTH is that it is an interactive system where the viewer can use the
same infrastructure (set-top-box) to not only watch programs of their choice but
also watch them at a convenient time. With HITs, one can also access other
facilities such as running searches, pay-per view, and blocking program by
title, channel or rating.
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| HITS
could, theoretically, digitize cable transmission in the whole country
with a capital expenditure of Rs 1,215 crore |
Regulator's Speak
Telecom regulator TRAI, when launching a consultation process on HITS, said
that in a large and fragmented market such as India where 60,000 cable operators
service 70 mn cable homes, this technology may be one of the efficient means to
digitize cable operations in India. TRAI further said "HITS could,
theoretically, digitize cable transmission in the whole country with a capital
expenditure of Rs 1,215 crore and a recurring cost of Rs 50 crore per annum, as
against the capital expenditure of more than Rs 15,000 crore for conventional
terrestrial digitalization."
TRAI's consultation process on HITS seeks views from all
stakeholders on various policy issues including scope of HITS operation,
spectrum band for its operations, FDI limit and entry fee, annual and spectrum
fees. The consultation paper has also asked suggestions on up-linking and
cross-holding restriction.
Options to Look for
Possibly the most important feature of HITS is that it can provide effective
choices of channels to consumers throughout the country through the cable
operators at one go by virtue of the fact that HITS satellite would have
country-wide footprints.
At present, such features are available only to a limited number
of cable subscribers residing in conditional access system (CAS) notified areas
of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai, as well as to subscriber of DTH
services. TRAI is also of the view that HITS has the potential to spread
digitalization and conditional access feature in cable services across the
country at an accelerated pace.
Industry Consensus
Activities have already started building an industry consensus where most
stakeholders agree in principal for HITS to be an ideal solution in the
prevailing conditions, but another side of the story is that HITS model is
facing opposition from multi system operators as they have demanded a neutral
player (like Doordarshan) as the provider of HITS as opposed to any private
company. Siticable has already submitted an application to the Ministry of
I&B to seek permission for the project. Since the project will mean
comparatively very low subscription for subscribers, they have full hope that it
would be accepted soon. In the meantime, Siticable has installed a demo set up
of the trans modulator system at their office in New Delhi for anyone to see the
system working.
Sandeep Budki
sandeepb@cybermedia.co.in
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