September 27, 2012: The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission is expected to award licences to operate broadcasting networks and services in early October for businesses that do not use frequency spectra for their service, such as cable and satellite TV operators.
The NBTC is expected to have the regulations for granting broadcasting licences for network providers, network facility providers, and service providers published in the Royal Gazette next month, said Pasu Srihiran, the commission’s acting executive director of broadcasting resource management and research bureau.
The network-provider, or “multiplexer”, licence is for those operating a network for beaming television programmes to homes, while the facility licence is for those providing basic infrastructure such as transmission networks, and the service-provider licence is for operating a TV channel.
He added that such companies as PSI Holdings, GMM Grammy, RS, Cable Thai Holding and TrueVisions could apply for these licences but only for their cable and satellite TV businesses.
The NBTC is expected to grant network-provider licences for those businesses that use spectra in December, pending its development of the regulations for this segment. It is expected to award licences for provision of terrestrial digital TV programmes in February, pending the regulations on programme arrangement and for auctioning of the digital-TV spectra. Those wanting to broadcast on the digital TV system will be required to bid for a spectrum on which to offer service.
www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Licences-for-cable-satellite-TV-operators-30191186.html