Pay-TV damp squib

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Pay-TV damp squib

The Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) is coming under fire for licensing “too many” pay-TV operators, leading e.sat to pull out of the race and, arguably, to the potential failure of Telkom Media. Fact is, though, it didn’t license nearly enough.
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I completely agree with this article - but how are government supposed to keep their fingers in the pie if they cant decide who owns it? This is the new South Africa you know...
 
What is going on in this country?

Telkom has every opportunity to provide a very effective broadcast model with their ADSL technology. They can offer true HD content way before any of the others can, and they can mature it enough so when the sport contracts expire they can get into the sport field. I would also think that there might be a case that they can braodcast HD before DSTV and get those rights in hand?

It would also motivate their business model for ADSL as to offer true triple play services, how many other over seas companies provide this?

If Telkom does not have the expertise for it just try and jump into bed with one of the world leaders, they provide content and Telkom provides infrastructure!

I find it unbelievable that their is this we have lost the battle attitude from Telkom, maybe all our negative comments over the years towards Telkom has made them less and less competitive, and they don't want to take on new technologies.

The media house would have provided Telkom with all the tools they needed to build a future base, but now they are just letting that go.

Hard to believe, but we are seeing it happen!
 
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nictron said:
The media house would have provided Telkom with all the tools they needed to build a future base, but now they are just letting that go.

Hard to believe, but we are seeing it happen!
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Maybe they've realised that they won't be able to provide the QOS that the public will expect. Their total incompetence in this regard has already been shown and prooved over and over again. Also it will have to be managed, experts from outside included, and who will do that? Doubt if Telkom will be able to.
 
what a joke. ah well, here's hoping that with the advent of all these new undersea cables we'd get enough bandwidth to download or stream the tv we want to watch, in 720p nogals.
 
nictron said:
Telkom has every opportunity to provide a very effective broadcast model with their ADSL technology. They can offer true HD content way before any of the others can
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I dont think so.

You do realise that a single mpeg4 encoded HDTV stream requires a sustained throughput of up 8Mbps (with overhead).

Multichoice may beat Telkom to HDTV by as much as half a decade.
 
great article. I agree completely.

I think esat and now Telkom have been put off by Multichoice buying up 'all' the content from the American networks. I don't think that's the case. There is plenty of content available - maybe a bit older is not a bad thing. The majority of the market has not seen so many great shows that have been shown on MNET and DSTV.

For a smaller operator, I'd take a different approach and target the R150 to R200 p/m market. Use some older content for a couple of years to get established and then when Multichoice's agreements expire, go out in full force for the top shows. Also, try to drive up the prices of sports broadcasting for Multichoice.

Multichoice is not invincible. If the licensed operators are not up to the challenge, I'm sure there are a bunch of companies who are willing to give it a try.

The problem with Telkom Media, it created a messiah impression like it was going to rescue us all from the beast, Multichoice. Now it's realising it's not that easy, it main shareholder is cowardly withdrawing into the darkness.

With this pathetic attitude from operators, I'm sure the Virgin Group are eyeing up picking an operator on the cheap in 2 to 3 years time.
 
aadil said:
great article. I agree completely.

I think esat and now Telkom have been put off by Multichoice buying up 'all' the content from the American networks. I don't think that's the case. There is plenty of content available - maybe a bit older is not a bad thing. The majority of the market has not seen so many great shows that have been shown on MNET and DSTV.

For a smaller operator, I'd take a different approach and target the R150 to R200 p/m market. Use some older content for a couple of years to get established and then when Multichoice's agreements expire, go out in full force for the top shows. Also, try to drive up the prices of sports broadcasting for Multichoice.

Multichoice is not invincible. If the licensed operators are not up to the challenge, I'm sure there are a bunch of companies who are willing to give it a try.

The problem with Telkom Media, it created a messiah impression like it was going to rescue us all from the beast, Multichoice. Now it's realising it's not that easy, it main shareholder is cowardly withdrawing into the darkness.

With this pathetic attitude from operators, I'm sure the Virgin Group are eyeing up picking an operator on the cheap in 2 to 3 years time.
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Agreed, age means nothing when you havent seen a good show yet.
 
You guys are all missing the point.
If Telkom provided Video over ADSL, they wouldn't be able to rip us off for the bandwidth like they do now......................
 
Bradbowlllama said:
Also a point... maybe they realized they don't have the capacity fullstop.
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like i said in a another posting the current infrastructure can not support iptv, cause it sucks,lacks/none capacity. (never mind your cap/threshold)
 
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