Leading set top manufacturers, including Scientific Atlanta and Motorola, have signed CableLabs‘ POD-Host Interface License Agreement (PHILA) over the last two weeks.
The PHILA is a portion of the CableLabs OpenCable project; companies that sign the accord receive a license to deploy proprietary technology necessary to manufacture OpenCable set tops. CableLabs recently told the Federal Communications Commission that the three companies who have signed the PHILA are Pace Micro Technology PLC, Motorola Broadband Communications sector and Scientific Atlanta.

According to CableLabs, the agreement focuses on the copy protection technology of the connecting point between an OpenCable point-of-deployment (POD) card and the OpenCable set-top box. This interface is the link that allows a retail cable box to be portable across a variety of different cable system headends by standardizing the communication between individual addressable POD modules and the connected set-top terminals or navigation devices.

CableLabs president and CEO Dr Richard Green says : "Having three large consumer electronics manufacturers show their interest in making OpenCable boxes by signing the PHILA validates the cable industry‘s commitment to this advanced digital service provisioning platform."

With the spat between ESPN Star Sports and Hinduja Group MSO InCablenet set to be thrashed out in court, the channel has decided to take its campaign directly to Mumbai‘s viewers.

The print campaign that the channel launched last week was upped a notch today. In areas where the ESPN Star Sports feed is currently not available, leaflets were being distributed along with the Times of India by newspaper vendors.

Headlined "What‘s your problem Dubeyji (referring to the the local cable operator)?", the flier asks the question - "How can you say 80 paise a day is too much?" - (which is what the new monthly subscription rate of Rs 24 for the two channels works out to).

This is an extension of its cheeky new campaign - "It?s My Life" - on TV and print celebrating ESPN Star Sports‘ fifth anniversary in India. The campaign is being handled by ad agency HTA.

A five-year service tax holiday and waiver of customs duty on broadcast uplinking equipment figured prominently in the entertainment industry‘s pre budget pitch to information & broadcasting minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday.
The delegation comprising Ficci, CII and the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) met Swaraj and made a strong representation on several issues that have dogged the industry. Maintaining that the service tax on broadcasting would fetch the government only Rs 1450 million, the representatives asked Swaraj to seek a five-year tax holiday from finance minister Yashwant Sinha. Swaraj is scheduled to meet Sinha on 16 January with the representations. Delegates of the three organizations were unanimous in seeking removal of customs duty on uplinking, downlinking and cinematographic equipment.

A CII release says the chamber has recommended that the customs duties on content creation software like digital camcorders, digital video and tape recorder, digital video tapes and video monitories, which are between 51 and 63 per cent, should be abolished in five years. CII has said that all recorded CDs should be exempted from excise duty and if not possible, a flat rate of Rs 4-5 should be levied. On the issue of piracy, CII has said that an anti-piracy fund should be set up with contributions to such funds be exempted from income tax.

While at it, the industry has also sought the setting up of a Rs 1000-million fund to enable small and medium newspapers easy access to low interest funds. Co-chairman of the Ficci entertainment committee Amit Khanna has said that the delegation also sought the rationalisation of certain direct taxes, including that pertaining to advance tax on films. Among those who attended Monday‘s meeting were Aaj Tak CEO G Krishnan, Sahara TV‘s Mahesh Prasad, ESPN country head Manu Sawhney, IBF executive director Bhuvan Lal and CII president Sanjiv Goenka.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which according to its satellite launch partner Arianespace was to see the lift-off of its latest generation satellite Insat-3C on 16 January, has pushed forward the launch date again. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which according to its satellite launch partner Arianespace was to see the lift-off of its latest generation satellite Insat-3C on 16 January, has pushed forward the launch date again.

According to the Press Trust of India, Isro chairman K Kasturirangan has said the launch window of Insat-3C will open on 22 January. Kasturirangan did not give any definite date for the launch itself though.

Insat-3C will be launched from Kourou in French Guyana. The satellite was earlier scheduled for launch last November on an Ariane-5 rocket but due to a flight failure, the launch vehicle was changed to an Ariane-4 rocket.

Arianespace speeds up Insat 3C launch date

Convergence India has over the years been the destination where cutting edge technologies have been unveiled. New technology in communications are on show.

Exhibitions India presents the "10th Convergence India 2002" from 6 - 8 March at the Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. The event will be co-organised by among others Ministry of Communication Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Information Technology, Indo-American Chamber of Commerce,.Global VSAT Forum. The event has the support of National Association of Broadcaster, International Broadcasting Convention, The French Agency for International Business Development and Swiss Multimedia Association Global suppliers of equipment and services will converge with various communications solutions.

The event aims at providing organisations and individuals with opportunities to forge alliances with manufacturers, application developers, integrators, reseller and users. It has positioned itself as the nroadband show for New Generation Networks The buyers range from carrier class capacity networks to the infrastructure, from established corporates to new entrepreneurs. The event aims to be the ideal venue for one stop shopping for products, services and partners.

The exhibition will have several categories for the information, communications and entertainment sectors. The Communications arcade will have among other things application development, Bandwidth exchange services, Broadband equipment and services, Multimedia applications, Satellite transmission services, Video conferencing and Wireless & satellite networking.

There will also be a wireless wing which will include CDMA , GSM, Internet transmission via satellite, Ka-band, Ku-band systems, Real time multimedia distribution Satellite telephony networks. The Broadcast and Cable gallery will have adjacent channel devices, Aerials, Antennas, Broadband amplifiers, Broadcasters, Channels, Content and software, Cable modems, Cable television programming Conditional access software , DTH systems Film / TV / Video production Interactive TV Pay TV systems, Satellite communication products and Television broadcast. There will also be a conference with the theme ‘Next generation convergent comunications‘. This will consist of two tracks. Some topics that will be discussed are

1. Converged networks: "the future"

2. Governing convergence

3. Building for information: Plan your network

4. Managing bandwidth

5. Bandwidth: the options

6. Broadband Internet

7. Wireless broadband At the Internet Cafe the attendees can explore the net. At the Media Center the daily press meets and briefings will be held. For more program and sponsorship details visit www.exhibitionsindia.org/10conver.html