Horacio Gennari

The Report analyzes the evolution of HDTV in Latin America from the beginning: the first HD broadcasts from the year 2005, at which time only one Mexican carrier offered HD in TV. Currently, Business Bureau identifies 90 operators have been incorporated into the transmission of contents in this format and a market of almost 200 signals, including so-called “Premium”. The consultant notes that in 2012, HD Signals Market in Latin America ended with 4.7 million subscribers.

Business Bureau develops, as part of its Report; a projection of what will be the future number of subscribers adhered to HD service in 2017. “If today there 5 million households receiving HD, for the 2017 market it will triple, exceeding 15.5 million” says Horacio Gennari, president of the Company.

According to Business Bureau, is also necessary to recognize that, today, there is great difficulty by the Cable Operators at Latam level to increase markedly their HD offerings, mainly due to a delay in investment and a possible lack of HD ability although many networks have been digitalized. “LATAM Telecommunications regulations are somewhat anachronistic putting several barriers to entry for new players who want to distribute content,” concluded Genari.

From 2014 all the country’s telecommunication companies will offer plans for fixed and mobile services to their customers, in bundled form. Today they are only entitled to use that mode with fixed telephone, fixed broadband and Pay TV.

The change will allow inclusion to that offer mobile broadband and mobile telephony, which involves offering four or five services jointly. And it’s not something the government has established or an agreement between the companies, but it allowed a ruling by TDLC in December last year.

In its opinion, known as the fault on net/off net (calls made on the network of a company to another) – the court identified six conditions to companies offering jointly telecommunications services (bundling).

The last one specifies the statements govern until the time the provision of data transmission services 4G has started in every one of the coverage areas defined in the concession decrees. “When that happens, will immediately void without an express declaration by this court,” says the report.

As Entel, Movistar and Claro will have deployed the 4G or LTE network in 2014 in the country, as pledged in the 2600 MHz spectrum tender, next year all telecommunication companies can offer their services on the same ballot.

This, regardless of whether they deliver to its customers 4G technology. Therefore, in the industry it’s believed that the ruling favors companies like VTR and GTD.

VTR’s commercial VP, Christian Ariztía, noted that “the court’s ruling was good news, because it recognizes a trend that is occurring throughout the world: companies are mutating 4Play (bundling four services) to take advantage of benefits of fixed-mobile convergence. In fact, in almost all Latin American countries, including Chile, Claro and Movistar are present, two international operators have fixed and mobile networks. Indeed, to face competition that will generate about bundling 4Play services is that it was essential for VTR to enter the mobile business so we can compete these fixed-mobile operators”, he explained.

Patricio Cáceres, Director of Strategy and Regulation of Movistar, shared that “we are preparing the business offer and systems needed to pass this new bundling stage in the mass market, now also with mobile services, as of March 2014. “

Entel, Claro and Nextel would not comment.

Today the industry can offer companies tied fixed and mobile services, because the TDLC only made it a condition rather than offering to individuals. In any case, the general instructions of the TDLC may be modified by the Supreme Court, which accepted it for processing the claim lodged by the enterprise “Tu Ves” in this case.

As of this week Google will offer a paid subscription service of up to 50 TV channels, on YouTube, viewers can subscribe to each channel from $1.99 to $5 a month.

In the past 18 months the video platform invested about $ 200 million for its new digital offering, will fund a wide range of contents and adding a second source of income from those who they receive for advertising. Then, channel owners will be able to produce different contents, such as television programs and movies, but also seeks to attract the so-called content producers to improve the quality of their channels.

To date, companies like Discovery, Time Warner and Dreamworks Animation have partnered with YouTube to channel their contents, while the 100 leading U.S. brands listed as major advertisers.

The advertising revenue on digital platforms, according to eMarketer quoted by the Financial Times, will increase from $2,930 million in 2012 to $4,140 million this year, but still only 2.4% of the total. YouTube has invested nearly $ 200 million in the past 18 months launching these channels, but also has been able to capture all of the top 100 brands in the United States, according to Advertising Age, have been become advertisers.

The main competitors of YouTube are Netflix, with 30 million subscribers in the U.S. and almost four million in other countries, and Hulu, owned by NewsCorp, Disney and Comcast, with 4 million subscribers in the United States.

The telecomunication technology FTTH (Fiber To The Home), framed within the technologies FTTx, is based on the use of fiber optic cables and optical distribution adapted to this technology to provide advanced services such as the Triple Play (telephony, broad band Internet and television) to household and businesses of subscribers. The implantation of this technology is taking hold in our region, where many cable operators  reduce ADSL service promotion in the benefit of fiber optic. With specific targeted contents as a more attractive alternative to propose  broadband for the user (music, videos, photos, etc.), this kind of training practices are very expected within our country.

AGENDA

The first part, in-charge Pablo A. Vicino, will begin on Tuesday June 25 at 15:00 hours, and will consist of FTTx training with connectorized in field and optic junction. The activity will include the connector assembly approach in field optical, optical junction alternatives and practices.

The next day, at the same time, and with Eng. Damian Brazionis as speaker, the topic addressed: “Using the OTDR in expert mode”. During these final 4 hours will work on the basic introduction of fiber optics, determination and measurement of optical budget, OTDR mediations and verification and cleaning of connections: patchcord and ODF.

According to the specialists, for this year is expected to grow exponentially in the development of these networks, as cable operators are seeing that they need this technology to provide higher bandwidth, both for the customer demand as by the pressure of competition, for which is forecast that the workshop will be really busy.

INSCRIPTIONS

The Meeting organizers invited all those who are interested in attending this workshop, to reserve your place as soon as possible accrediting through the official  web site: www.encuentrosregionales.com. Space where you’ll find also more information on this workshop as well as additional activities that will be developed during the 3 days of the Telecommunications Regional Encounter – Paraná 2013.

Andy Quested, CTO High Definition and 3D, BBC – London

The BBC had been broadcasting special 3D programs through its BBC HD channel. Testing began in 2011, achieving its maximum audience in mid-2012, with the Olympics but not the business they expected. In regards to HD transmissions, the company evaluates transmission media, including the Internet through iPlayer.