Hong Kong, 18 March 2008 – The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) yesterday released its Digital Vision: India in 2012 report in New Delhi, providing an up-to-date overview of the opportunities for rapid development of India’s digital broadband and television industries.
The CASBAA Digital Vision report also provides an assessment of India’s pay-TV environment, along with recommendations for senior policy-makers on promoting the growth of India’s digital communications services.
By the end of 2007, cable systems were Indias largest wired network, connecting almost 60% of Indian homes with wireline access. The reach of the cable industry will continue to grow, with more than 100 million Indian homes expected to be connected by cable networks by 2012.
With 71 million homes wired, digital television and broadband networks are set to play a vital role in Indias economic development just as they did in Japan, Europe, the US and elsewhere. With private investment waiting in the wings to increase high-speed digital capacity for cable TV, the benefits for consumers and economy stand to be enormous, said Simon Twiston Davies, CEO of CASBAA.
The report notes that the phenomenal advantage of Indias rapid cable TV growth is at risk of being eroded by overly intrusive regulations. The industry in India is looking for lighter-touch regulation appropriate for the creation of a world-class digital infrastructure as well as broadband take-up, added Twiston Davies.
Meanwhile, CASBAA also staged an invitation only Pay-TV roundtable: Advanced Video Communications: Convergence = Choice in New Delhi, providing a platform for senior industry executives and government officials to analyze and discuss how to offer more choices for Indian consumers in terms of the quality and variety of content, and the impact of current regulatory practices on investment in a new infrastructure for India.
The roundtable is followed by the CASBAA India Satellite Forum today, a first ever high-profile satellite industry event in India organised by the Association. For more details, please visit here.
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About CASBAA – www.casbaa.com
The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) is an industry-based advocacy group dedicated to the promotion of multi-channel TV via cable, satellite, broadband and wireless video networks across the Asia-Pacific. CASBAA represents some 128 Asia-based corporations, which in turn serve more than three billion people. Members include Asia Broadcast Satellite, AsiaSat, Astro, Australia Network, Bloomberg Television, Chunghwa Telecom, Discovery Networks Asia, Genesis Networks, Granada International/ITV Worldwide, HBO Asia, Intelsat, Macquarie Group, MediaFLO Technologies, Motorola, MTV Networks Asia Pacific, Nokia, now TV, PricewaterhouseCoopers, SES NEW SKIES, Sony Pictures Television International, STAR Group, Sun Microsystems, TrueVisions, Turner International Asia Pacific, VOOM HD Networks Asia, Walt Disney Television International, Al Jazeera, Amarchand Mangaldas, Arqiva, Asian Food Channel, BBC Global Channels Asia-Pacific, Celestial Movies, Deutsche Welle, ESPN STAR Sports, EuroNews, GMA Network Inc., GroupM, Hallmark Channel, Hong Kong Cable TV, INX Network, Irdeto, KDB Skylife, Kbro, Lovells, Measat, MGM Networks, Microsoft Corporation, Minter Ellison, National Geographic, Network18, Paul Weiss, Playboy TV, ProtoStar, Providence Equity, PT Direct Vision, Reliance Big Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, SAT-GE, Spectrum Value Partners, Tandberg Television, Tata Sky, TBN, Ten Sports, TFN Media, TimeWarner, TV5MONDE, Universal Electronics, Viaccess and Zee TV.
For enquiries, please contact:
CASBAA
Helen Shek / Carmen Mak
Marketing Communications
Tel: +852 2854 9943
Fax: +852 2854 9530
Email: pr@casbaa.com