The issue of an Intermediary Guideline and Digital Ethical Code as a joint effort of the MeitY and Ministry of I & B has revived the thoughts of the “Communication Convergence Act” that India considered. During the days of Mr Ramvilas Paswan in the Vajapayee Government, the proposal to have a unified Ministry was dropped and along with it, the concept of Convergence Act was also dropped.
Now the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have been making attempts to take over part of the media elements in the Internet by creating OTT services. Airtel DTH has introduced a Set Top Box that integrates the DTH service with OTT content. There is the Amazon Fire Stick that achieves the same objective with an attachable device with a higher cost.
Soon Optical Fiber based ISPs would bring TV service along with its internet connection.
These developments could cause a disruption to the DTH services since the Fiber based connections are weather proof and can be used in replacement of the DTH service even on the Computer and Mobile devices.
It is therefore time for all DTH service providers to integrate their broadcasting services with an Internet channel which can be siphoned off the Set Top Box into the Wifi network and extended to the computer network at home.
Currently such a unified service can work under dual licensing, one from the I & B ministry and the other from MeitY. This could help in increasing the reach of Internet across the country which is essential in the Corona induced environment when Work From Home is the new norm.
The “Satellite Based” Internet system is also ideal to ensure that every inch of the country is covered with Internet connectivity. This will be a good supplement to the Mobile based network which requires nearness to a tower. Satellite based DTH Cum Internet service may not require Towers which are also a source of radiation. Any remote farm house can put up a satellite dish and draw both TV signals for entertainment and the Internet signals for other uses.
I presume that technology for this exists as of now and is being embedded in the new generation of Set top boxes. Hope it will become a common service in due course.
The question is who will be the first to introduce such a service?… Airtel? TataSky? Videocon? Dish TV?… Let us wait and watch.
Naavi
Reference Articles at Naavi.org:
Very interesting point. Thought provoking suggestions. I think this may be the new standard in the days to come.