The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said it has yet to reach a consensus on how to regulate over-the-top content (OTT) service providers, adding that the unresolved issues mean no regulations concerning OTT were added to five new acts aimed at tackling the challenge of digital convergence.
OTT refers to audio, video and other media content delivered via the Internet, the distribution of which is not controlled by a single entity such as a cable television company.
Despite the rapid growth of OTT services worldwide, a new act proposed by the commission to regulate cable systems and other multiple-channel platforms did not include OTT operators in the list of the platforms subject to regulation.
The issue was raised yesterday during a discussion session of the Internet Governance Forum hosted by the NCC.
Satellite Television Broadcasting Association secretary-general May Chen (陳依玫) said that since the service was launched in 2013, the number of 4G users has reached 10 million.
The NCC says that the same regulations apply to providers of the same services, but now that the market involves operators who need to have licenses and those who do not — as well as those operating illegally — any regulations should apply to both content providers and platform operators.
She asked why the commission did not stipulate identical standards in the new act for all content providers or for all platform operators, including OTT operators, so that providers offering the same service are treated equally.
NCC commissioner Katherine Chen (陳憶寧) said that although the boom in the use of 4G services has led to an increase in demand for OTT services — and seems to be threatening the existence of cable services — it is a short-term development, because the unlimited Internet access currently being offered by telecoms at flat rates will soon be phased out.
“Once unlimited Internet access is gradually phased out from the market — which could happen next year — consumers will probably start downloading audiovisual content via Wi-Fi, rather than through a 4G network, as happened in the US,” Katherine Chen said.
Commissioners have exchanged thoughts about OTT services, but have yet to reach a consensus on specific regulations, although they have reached agreements on some general principles, she said.
The commission would focus on the regulation of the dominant players in the market, and the regulation would be joint management between the government and operators, she said, adding that supervision must not stifle the development of the industry.
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, would pose a steep challenge to Taiwan’s ability to defend itself against a full-scale invasion, a defense expert said yesterday. Institute of National Defense and Security Research analyst Chieh Chung (揭仲) made the comment hours after the PLAN confirmed the carrier recently passed through the Taiwan Strait to conduct “scientific research tests and training missions” in the South China Sea. China has two carriers in operation — the Liaoning and the Shandong — with the Fujian undergoing sea trials. Although the PLAN needs time to train the Fujian’s air wing and
STRIKE: Some travel agencies in Taiwan said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group tours to the country were proceeding as planned A planned strike by airport personnel in South Korea has not affected group tours to the country from Taiwan, travel agencies said yesterday. They added that they were closely monitoring the situation. Personnel at 15 airports, including Seoul’s Incheon and Gimpo airports, are to go on strike. They announced at a news conference on Tuesday that the strike would begin on Friday next week and continue until the Mid-Autumn Festival next month. Some travel agencies in Taiwan, including Cola Tour, Lion Travel, SET Tour and ezTravel, said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday said it had deployed patrol vessels to expel a China Coast Guard ship and a Chinese fishing boat near Pratas Island (Dongsha Island, 東沙群島) in the South China Sea. The China Coast Guard vessel was 28 nautical miles (52km) northeast of Pratas at 6:15am on Thursday, approaching the island’s restricted waters, which extend 24 nautical miles from its shoreline, the CGA’s Dongsha-Nansha Branch said in a statement. The Tainan, a 2,000-tonne cutter, was deployed by the CGA to shadow the Chinese ship, which left the area at 2:39pm on Friday, the statement said. At 6:31pm on Friday,
RSS