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Uplinking policy is big business for VSNL

The state owned Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited has effectively implemented the government's new policy on TV uplinking through its nationwide Infrastructure.

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It has started providing uplinking facilities to Sun TV (Tamil), Surya TV (Malayalam), Udaya TV (Kannada), Eenadu TV (Telugu) and Gemini TV.

Uplinking for Asianet and other channels is expected to begin shortly. These uplinking services are being provided from Earth stations of VSNL located at Madras via the Intelsat satellite system.

A number of other channels are in the process of migrating to the VSNL uplink facilities.

Commenting on the far-reaching implications of the Indian uplinking policy, Amitabh Kumar, acting chairman and managing director of VSNL, said uplinking from India has helped the business of Intelsat satellites in the Indian Ocean region.

Availability of a number of TV channels on the same satellite encourages cable TV operators to orient their dishes to it, he explained.

The incremental cost for a new TV channel going to another satellite is lower as ground infrastructure is readily available.

Other satellites over the Indian Ocean region include the Asianet satellite on which the Star TV channels operate.

Previously, broadcasters from India had to transport programme tapes to foreign countries and use TV broadcast from VSNL for news and current affairs programmes.

The new policy integrates the entire operation, thereby providing greater ease and flexibility to broadcasters. The uplinking from India saves foreign exchange and provides a winning situation for all.

VSNL has provided the required infrastructure to provide uplinking facilities to Indian channels. The company already provides the facility of leasing transponders on Intelsat satellites to a number of Indian broadcasters.

Intelsat is a consortium of international Telecommunication organisations that operates 24 satellites globally for telecommunications and broadcasting purposes.

VSNL provides leases to Sun TV, Gemini TV, Eenadu TV, Asianet, BITV and Udaya TV among others.

In addition, VSNL already has 17 operational antennas operating on Intelsat satellites in the Indian Ocean region and the company plans to increase this number to 25 by the end of the current year.

VSNL's operational antenna network comprising earth stations at Dehra Dun, Arvi, New Delhi, Bombay, Pune, Madras, Calcutta, Ernakulam, Jalandhar and Chandigarh provides a flexible and efficient access mechanism to the Intelsat satellites.

While VSNL has been involved in providing occasional TV broadcasts in the past, the realisation of satellite broadcasting services from India has helped leverage our infrastructure and antenna complexes for better returns, Kumar said.

VSNL is offering uplinking facilities at highly competitive tariffs, equal to or cheaper than other international uplinking sites.

The company has announced a rate of Rs 600,000 per month from VSNL's gateways. In addition, special arrangements will be made for broadcasting operating from other areas at cost-effective tariffs.

At present, VSNL has leased sufficient capacity to uplink 18 channels at one time, either from the company's gateways or directly from the customer's premises.

VSNL has committed Rs 2.75 billion in the current plan period in augmenting and upgrading its infrastructure to meet the broadcasting and uplinking requirements.

VSNL is also adding 13 antennas to its network to expand its international communications network.

Indian broadcasters, encouraged by the new development, are planning a significant shift in their operations by either uplinking to Intelsat satellites or by commencing uplinking from Indian soil through VSNL.

The launch of INSAT 2E in January 1999 will create another hot bird for TV broadcasting. VSNL has already booked a demand of over seven transponders for this satellite and is preparing the ground segment for operations early next year.

UNI

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