Print

Mail

wiki links

No word yet on Chunghwa's MOD

"I think it should be obvious what I stand for if you follow my logic."

Liu Yu-li, spokeswoman for the National Communications Commission

The National Communications Commission continued its review of Chunghwa Telecom's multimedia-on-demand (MOD) digital service yesterday, with members talking about the viability of having the Cable Television Law (有線電視法) regulate the service.

Commission Chairman Su Yeong-chin (蘇永欽) said yesterday the discussions will continue in a closed session on Monday.

The review of the service will be the first digital convergence case in the country.

Commission spokeswoman Liu Yu-li (劉幼琍) said the commission first has to decide whether the MOD service can be considered part of the media.

It later has to determine if the services offered by the two platforms -- Internet and cable TV -- are compatible and if the Cable Television Law is applicable when regulating Chunghwa's service, she said.

Liu, however, cited cases in the US, Britain and Japan as examples of how to regulate the development of Internet Protocol Television and suggested it had become a trend in the global market.

"I think it should be obvious what I stand for if you follow my logic," Liu said.

Liu said that Britain used its cable channel laws to regulate the channel services but asked the operators of video-on-demand (VOD) and hi-channels to practice self-discipline.

In Japan, however, specific laws were already in place to manage telecommunications service providers when they expanded their business operations into digital TV services.

The controversy surrounding the MOD service lies in the fact it consists of two major services -- channels and VOD.

The commission has to decide whether it should be managed as a cable service provider or as a telecom carrier.

Chunghwa Telecom chairman Hochen Tan (賀陳旦) had said earlier that he hoped the National Communications Commission would consider Chunghwa's interpretation of its MOD service and not treat the company as a cable service provider.

also see story:
Analysts tip Internet TV service for approval

This story has been viewed 2014 times.