Category: Broadcast

Over a month after Bharti Airtel and Jio signed agreements with SpaceX to distribute Starlink satellite internet services in India, Indus Towers said it does not anticipate any impact on its operations from such developments.

“Based on our discussions with telecom operators, there are limitations and commercial constraints as far as satellite technology is concerned,” Prachur Sah, managing director and CEO of Indus Towers, said during a call with analysts on Thursday to discuss the January-March quarter earnings.

“So, we don’t see any risk for the terrestrial networks in the foreseeable future and I don’t expect that to impact us any time soon,” he added.

Comments from Sah assume significance as there were concerns that its tower infrastructure business could get affected once satellite internet services tap the Indian markets. This is because satellite internet beams connectivity directly from satellites to user terminals, thereby reducing the dependence on tower infrastructure for connectivity especially in rural markets in the long run, according to analysts. Further, the company’s stock also witnessed selling pressure and fell 8% on 12 March after telecom operators announced partnerships with SpaceX.

Analysts, however, do not expect Starlink to be disruptive to Indian telecom companies at least in the near-to-medium term. “Starlink is unlikely to be disruptive for three reasons. Its capacity constraints will necessitate premium pricing, it needs telco tie-ups for distribution/installation and backhaul, and the government also seems to be inclined to balance the interests of telcos and satellite operators,” said brokerage Jefferies in a note dated 27 March.

Vodafone clears dues
Indus Towers is a subsidiary of Bharti Airtel, which owns 50% in the company. Besides Airtel, the tower company also counts Vodafone Idea as one of its major customers. In March, Vodafone Idea had cleared all undisputed overdue amounts to Indus Towers, thereby helping the towers company increase its operating free cash flow by 73% year-on-year (Y-o-Y) to ₹1,257 crore in the January-March quarter.

“Our continued engagement with a major customer (Vodafone Idea) ensured recovery of its overdues this year,” Sah said. In FY25, Vodafone Idea cleared about ₹5,100 crore dues it owed to Indus Towers.

“Given that now we have the backlog issue behind us…the strategy includes aggressively pursuing market share through both organic and inorganic routes as demonstrated by our acquisition of Bharti Airtel’s towers. With the scale of Indus, we are working on transforming our site infrastructure and leveraging digital solutions and AI to create new benchmarks of performance,” Sah said, adding that this would encourage customers to move tenancies to Indus.

During the quarter, analysts had expected Indus Towers to announce dividends for its shareholders. However, the company said it has formed a committee to assess the modalities of cash distribution to the shareholders, and it will soon make disclosures to the exchanges on the same. Last year, the company conducted a ₹2,640 crore share buyback—its first since 2016.

On its announcement to foray into the electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure space in the preceding quarter, Sah said the company is conducting the commercial pilot and based on that it will take a call whether to expand or hold back the same.

Acquires more towers
In the January-March quarter, Indus Towers revenue from operations grew 7.4% y-o-y to ₹7,727 crore on the back of growth in network rollout by telecom operators amid higher data consumption trends. The company’s net profit fell 4% to ₹1,779 crore owing to the impact of operating expenses and depreciation. During the quarter, the company acquired 12,774 towers worth ₹2,174 crore from Bharti Airtel.

As on 31 March 2025, Indus Towers had 249,305 towers, adding 14,662 from a quarter ago and 29,569 from the year ago period. Its co-locations were at 405,435, up 18,616 from the previous quarter and 36,847 from the year ago.

Co-locations mean the number of telecom operators (or tenants) that have installed their equipment on a single tower. An increase in co-locations leads to higher recurring revenue for tower companies like Indus Towers.

On Thursday, shares of Indus Towers ended up 1.3% at ₹408.05 on the BSE.

Key takeaways
The company, a major telecom infrastructure provider, stated it does not foresee any risk from satellite internet services affecting terrestrial networks in the near future.

Vodafone Idea repaid ₹5,100 crore in dues to Indus Towers, improving the company’s financial standing and boosting operating free cash flow.

Indus Towers is testing an electric vehicle charging infrastructure venture and will decide whether to expand or halt the project based on results.

The company reported a 7.4% year-on-year increase in revenue due to telecom network expansion, but net profit fell by 4% due to operating expenses and depreciation.

Indus Towers acquired 12,774 towers from Bharti Airtel and now owns 249,305 towers, increasing its co-location count, which enhances revenue potential. LiveMint

Online retail giant Amazon disappointed investors with its profit forecast for the current quarter on Thursday, with shares falling by more than 5% at times in after-hours trading.

In the previous quarter the e-commerce giant had exceeded analysts’ expectations with its key figures.

Amazon forecast an operating profit of between $13 billion and $17.5 billion for the second quarter. Analysts had expected an average forecast of $17.6 billion.

In the first quarter, the company reported that sales were up 9% to $155.7 billion from $143.3 billion last year. The bottom line was a profit of $17.13 billion, or $1.59 per share, compared to $10.43 billion a year earlier.

Analysts on average had expected the company to earn $1.37 per share. Analysts’ estimates typically exclude special items.

Revenue from the cloud division AWS, which is benefiting from the boom in artificial intelligence, rose by 17% to $29.3 billion. Analysts had expected an increase of 17.6%. Reuters

YouTube continues to dominate India’s online video market. Despite a proliferation of premium streaming services, the Google-owned platform commanded a staggering 92% of all video consumption in 2024, leaving subscription and ad-supported (AVoD, or advertising video-on-demand) rivals to jostle for the remainder, according to the latest Ficci-EY report.

Industry experts say user-generated content is now easier to create than ever before, thanks, of course, to the availability of cheap data and smartphones. As a result, creators have mushroomed across the tiniest of Indian towns, producing quality content and sharing on YouTube for the world to see.

By contrast, streaming platforms spend a lot of money and time to create content, only to be pegged back by their limited reach and viewership, hurting their monetization potential.

“YouTube continues to dominate online video viewership because it’s not just a platform—it’s a cultural engine. It earned its position by being early, but more importantly, by being everywhere. For other premium platforms trying to carve out meaningful share in the video content space, the answer won’t be copying YouTube—it’ll be about leaning into what makes them different,” said Preranaa Khatri, chief business officer at Only Much Louder (OML), a media and entertainment company.

Driving content
What really sets YouTube apart is how it balances scale with personalization, Khatri added. Its recommendation algorithm, constantly learning from user behaviour—searches, watch time, engagement—ensures people find what they didn’t even know they were looking for. Further, it constantly introduces new monetization streams to incentivize creators, letting them earn not just from ads, but also from YouTube Shopping, Memberships, Super Chats, Super Stickers and YouTube Premium revenue.

YouTube Shopping allows creators to promote products from their own stores or other brands within their content, enabling viewers to browse and purchase items directly from YouTube. Memberships allow for benefits like exclusive or premium content, live streams and other perks. YouTube Super Chat is a feature that allows viewers to purchase highlighted chat messages during live streams, which can sometimes appear at the top of the chat feed. Super Stickers are also a way for creators to connect with fans. Premium is a paid feature that does away with ads.

At the same time, tools like YouTube Create have made video production much easier than ever—be it filters, effects, transitions, all from one’s phone. Meanwhile, features like the Copyright Match Tool and YouTube Studio’s AI enhancements (including auto-dubbing and the new Inspiration Tab) have helped creators manage content and scale creatively across languages and geographies.

The disproportionately high share of YouTube in India’s streaming industry is not surprising at all, according to Girish Dwibhashyam, a streaming industry expert. Creators in tier-2 and tier-3 towns are today able to edit and curate better content at far lower prices than professionals. “For OTT platforms, on the other hand, there is hardly any incentive to keep pumping in money since the economics are challenging because of low CPMs (cost per mille—a paid advertising option where companies pay a price for every 1,000 impressions an ad receives),” Dwibhashyam said.

To be sure, user-generated content is of inferior quality compared to that on streaming platforms, but the latter’s limited reach means their monetization potential is restricted, as brands keep away.

“The dominance of YouTube over OTT platforms in India presents significant challenges for the media industry. While YouTube benefits from its ad-supported model and user-generated content, OTT platforms rely on high-budget, professionally shot content, which demands more time, money and effort. This creates monetization struggles and higher user acquisition costs for OTTs, as they also face content discovery challenges and competition for brand partnerships,” said Yogesh Saini, marketing head at Civic Studios, a media production company.

Additionally, YouTube’s AI-driven recommendations and regional content capture wider audiences, while OTTs must invest heavily in marketing and localized content. To compete, OTT platforms need to reduce friction in app downloads, innovate quickly, and improve content accessibility for users, Saini added. LiveMint

Public Cloud-Managed Campus Switch and WLAN market revenues are expected to experience double-digit growth over the next three years, according to Dell’Oro.

“Vendors who sell Public Cloud-Managed LAN solutions are able to generate higher levels of recurring revenue,” said Siân Morgan, Enterprise Wireless LAN Research Director at Dell’Oro Group. Despite the challenging market, 2024 is the first year we’ve seen signs that enterprises are willing to increase their spending to get more advanced Public Cloud-Managed features.

“This willingness to incur recurring IT charges is positive news for startups such as Nile, Meter, Join Digital, Ramen and Shasta Cloud, who are ramping up deployment of their Campus NaaS (CNaaS) offers. CNaaS is a market segment that grew 65 percent in 2024,” added Morgan.

Additional highlights from the Campus NaaS and Public Cloud-Managed LAN Advanced Research Report:

• The Public Cloud-Managed LAN market is expected to exceed $12 billion in 2029.
• HPE’s Cloud-Managed offer has grown faster than the market, and the company’s pace of development seems unaffected by the pending lawsuit aiming to prevent HPE’s acquisition of Juniper.
• CNaaS revenue is accelerating thanks to increased traction with MSPs and Systems Integrators.
• The three types of CNaaS offer: Enabler, Turnkey, and LAN-as-a-Utility will be subject to different market drivers and suitable to different verticals, and are expected to grow at different rates.

Dell’Oro

Universal Music Group beat first-quarter sales expectations on Tuesday, saying more people went to concerts, bought vinyl records and subscribed to its digital services.

The world’s biggest music label, whose artists include Taylor Swift, BTS and Drake, said revenues grew 11.8% from the year-ago quarter to 2.90 billion euros ($3.31 billion) in the period ended in March, above the 2.83 billion consensus estimate by analysts in an LSEG poll.

License and other revenue rose 33.3%, thanks to top-selling concerts by artists including Kendrick Lamar, Sabrina Carpenter and Lady Gaga.

Physical revenue grew 17.6%, driven by vinyl sales growth in the U.S. and Europe, the group said in a statement.

Streaming and subscription revenues, which account for more than half of total sales, rose 9.5% to 1.60 billion euros in the quarter, driven by growth in global subscribers.

Universal partners with streaming giants Spotify and Amazon in what it calls Streaming 2.0 to offer personalized content, new paid subscription tiers, merchandising and stronger engagement between artists and “superfans,” their most committed supporters.

Quarterly adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose 11.8% to 661 million euros, Universal said. Investing

Tamil Nadu has taken a major step toward digital empowerment. State IT Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan announced a high-speed internet plan offering 100 Mbps connectivity to households at just Rs 200 per month. This initiative aims to bridge the digital divide and provide equitable access to knowledge and digital services, particularly for rural students.

Massive Fibre Network Nears Completion
The Tamil Nadu FibreNet Corporation project, which was delayed in earlier years, has now achieved 93 percent completion. With 11,639 gram panchayats already connected, the project aims to reach 12,525 villages using 57,500 km of optical fibre, offering 1 Gbps bandwidth. The network is expected to be fully operational by the end of the year.

Franchisee Model to Ensure Last-Mile Connectivity
To extend connectivity to individual homes, the government plans to introduce a franchisee model similar to cable TV services. Already, 4,700 panchayats have applied for last-mile internet connections, indicating strong community interest and demand.

e-Seva Centres Set to Offer Bus Ticketing and More
A major breakthrough in public service delivery is coming soon. In collaboration with the Transport Department, bus ticketing will go online via e-Seva centres within a week. These centres will act as a digital lifeline for citizens without home internet, ensuring everyone can access essential travel services.

Expanding the Digital Service Footprint
The number of e-Seva centres has grown from 7,000 to 28,000, and plans are underway to ensure no rural citizen has to travel more than 2-3 km to reach one. Urban residents will have centres within 1 km.

Additional Services to Boost Accessibility
The government also announced:

• 50 new Aadhaar enrolment centres
• Integration of e-Seva services with WhatsApp
• Launch of a secure e-KYC website and mobile app
• Upgraded Tamil e-Library as a multimedia platform
• Language tech training for Tamil students
• A new scheme to promote innovation in product design

A Vision of Inclusive Digital Growth
Tamil Nadu’s digital transformation is shaping up to be a model of inclusive growth, combining connectivity, governance, education, and innovation. These initiatives promise to uplift rural and urban citizens alike by making digital services universally accessible. Trak

According to Precedence Research, the global satellite data services market size was valued at USD 12.16 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach around USD 55.24 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 16.34% from 2025 to 2034.

Satellite Data Services Market Key Insights

• In 2024, North America held the largest share of the global market at 37%.
• The Asia Pacific region is anticipated to grow at the fastest CAGR of 19.04% during the forecast period.
• By service type, the image data services segment dominated the market in 2024.
• By service type, the data analytics services segment is expected to record the highest CAGR over the forecast period.
• By deployment model, the private segment secured the largest market share in 2024.
• By deployment model, the public segment is projected to grow significantly in the coming years.
• By application, the defense and security sector held the leading share in 2024.
• By application, the environmental and climate monitoring segment is forecasted to witness the fastest CAGR from 2025 to 2034.
• By end-use, the commercial segment led the market in 2024.
• By end-use, the service providers segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR in the forecast timeline.

How Is AI Revolutionizing Satellite Data Services?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays a transformative role in satellite data services by enhancing the processing, analysis, and interpretation of vast volumes of satellite imagery. Through advanced image recognition and machine learning algorithms, AI enables automatic detection of objects, real-time monitoring, and change detection across large geographical areas. This significantly improves the accuracy and speed of insights for applications such as environmental monitoring, urban planning, disaster response, and defense surveillance.

Moreover, AI streamlines data workflows by automating routine tasks, integrating data from multiple sensors, and enabling real-time decision-making. In sectors like agriculture and climate monitoring, AI-driven analytics support predictive insights, helping optimize resource management and anticipate natural events. By reducing the need for manual analysis and enabling scalable, intelligent insights, AI is redefining the value and efficiency of satellite data services.

What Are Satellite Data Services?
Satellite Data Services involve the collection, processing, and distribution of data captured by satellites orbiting the Earth. These services provide critical insights by utilizing remote sensing technologies, such as optical imaging, radar, and thermal sensors, to observe and analyse the planet’s surface, atmosphere, and oceans. The data is used across various sectors for monitoring, decision-making, and predictive analysis.

Key Applications of Satellite Data Services:

• Environmental Monitoring: Tracking climate change, deforestation, air quality, and natural disasters like wildfires and hurricanes.
• Agriculture: Supporting precision farming through crop health analysis, soil moisture tracking, and yield forecasting.
• Defense & Security: Enhancing border surveillance, intelligence gathering, and strategic planning.
• Urban Planning & Infrastructure: Monitoring urban growth, infrastructure development, and land use changes.
• Disaster Management: Providing early warning systems and damage assessment for floods, earthquakes, and storms.
• Maritime & Aviation: Monitoring ship and aircraft movements, detecting illegal fishing, and managing logistics.

Types of Satellite Data Services:

• Image Data Services: Deliver raw or processed satellite imagery.
• Data Analytics Services: Provide value-added insights using AI, machine learning, and data modeling.
• Monitoring & Alert Systems: Offer real-time surveillance and early warning based on satellite data.
• Customized Solutions: Industry-specific applications tailored for clients in sectors like energy, mining, and insurance.

North America
North America dominated the satellite data services market in 2024, with a market size of approximately USD 4.50 billion and a projected CAGR of 16.50% from 2025 to 2034. The region’s leadership is supported by a strong history in space exploration and significant investments from government agencies such as NASA and the U.S. Department of Defense. Advanced technological infrastructure and high research and development expenditure further strengthen the market.

Key growth drivers include the rising adoption of nanosatellites and high-resolution satellite imagery utilized in urban planning, agriculture (monitoring crop health, soil conditions, and weather), and environmental monitoring. Additionally, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing enhances data analysis and enables faster, more detailed Earth surface imaging.

The market applications in North America span defense and security, environmental monitoring, disaster management, agriculture, and urban planning. The outlook for the region remains robust, with expectations to maintain its dominance due to continuous innovation, government support, and technological advancements.

Asia Pacific
Asia Pacific is identified as the fastest-growing regional market for satellite data services. This growth is driven by increasing investments from both governments and private sectors in satellite infrastructure and data services.

Countries such as India, China, and Japan are active players in space exploration, possessing comprehensive end-to-end space capabilities and well-developed space infrastructure. The rising demand for real-time, high-resolution satellite imagery across various sectors including agriculture, renewable energy, real estate, defense, oil & gas, and environmental monitoring is a major growth factor.

High-resolution data enables detailed insights, allowing more precise and data-driven decisions to manage hazards and optimize resource use. The region’s rapid expansion is fueled by expanding space capabilities and increasing commercial adoption of satellite data services.

Europe
Europe is expected to experience notable growth in the satellite data services market during the forecast period. This growth is attributed to rising investments in Earth observation satellites and satellite-based maritime surveillance, as well as increasing demand for real-time, high-resolution satellite data.

Government initiatives supporting space exploration and satellite data utilization play a critical role in market expansion. Collaborations between national defense agencies and EU bodies enhance satellite-based maritime surveillance to improve coastal safety. Satellite data services are widely used across Europe in agriculture, forestry, disaster management, weather forecasting, environmental monitoring, urban planning, and national security.

The integration of AI and machine learning technologies further supports the region’s steady growth, backed by supportive government policies.

Latin America
Latin America is an emerging market for satellite data services, with growing interest driven by increasing government focus on infrastructure development and resource management. The region is witnessing rising adoption of satellite imagery for applications such as agriculture, environmental monitoring, and disaster management.

Although still developing compared to mature markets, Latin America shows moderate growth potential as government initiatives and private sector investments continue to increase. The market is expected to expand steadily as awareness and utilization of satellite data services rise across various sectors.

Segmental Analysis of the Satellite Data Services Market
By Service Type
The market is primarily divided into image data services and data analytics services.

In 2024, image data services held the largest market share, driven by growing demand for high-resolution satellite imagery across industries such as energy, defense, forestry, agriculture, environmental monitoring, and real estate. These services support crucial activities like geological mapping, mineral exploration, and water resource assessment.

Data analytics services are expected to witness the fastest growth during the forecast period, fueled by rising demand for actionable insights in precision agriculture, urban development, weather forecasting, and national security. Advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and big data analytics enhance the ability to analyze large volumes of geospatial data, enabling real-time decision-making and predictive modeling.

By Deployment
The deployment landscape is categorized into private and public segments.

The private segment dominated the market in 2024, supported by the increasing role of commercial entities offering Earth observation data and related analytics to a broad range of industries.

The need for accurate, timely satellite imagery in commercial applications continues to drive this segment’s growth.

The public segment is also poised for notable growth, as government space and environmental agencies expand investments in satellite programs for purposes such as disaster management, border monitoring, climate analysis, and weather tracking.

By Application
Applications of satellite data services span defense and security, environmental and climate monitoring, agriculture, urban planning, and more.
The defense and security segment held the largest share in 2024, driven by increasing reliance on satellite data for surveillance, reconnaissance, and national security. The integration of AI further enhances analytical capabilities in defense-related operations.

The environmental and climate monitoring segment is expected to grow at the highest rate. Heightened awareness of climate change and the need for sustainable practices have led to increased usage of satellite data to monitor environmental changes, including deforestation, pollution, and land use dynamics

By End-Use
End-users of satellite data services include the commercial sector and service providers.
The commercial segment led the market in 2024, with widespread adoption across industries such as logistics, construction, telecommunications, mining, and real estate, where satellite imagery is used for infrastructure planning, operations management, and risk assessment.

The service providers segment is projected to experience the fastest growth, driven by rising demand for customized and high-resolution satellite data solutions across diverse sectors. These providers support applications in areas such as agriculture, defense, disaster management, urban planning, and environmental monitoring.

Satellite Data Services Market Companies

• Maxar Technologies Holdings Inc. (Maxar): Provides high-resolution Earth imagery and geospatial intelligence for defense, environmental monitoring, and disaster response globally.
• Planet Labs PBC: Operates a large fleet of small satellites offering daily, high-frequency Earth imagery for agriculture, forestry, and environmental monitoring.
• Airbus SE: Offers optical and radar satellite imagery supporting defense, maritime surveillance, agriculture, and disaster management applications.
• ICEYE: Specializes in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite data for rapid-response monitoring in insurance, disaster management, and maritime sectors.
• L3Harris Technologies, Inc.: Delivers advanced geospatial analytics and satellite imagery solutions primarily for defense and intelligence applications.
• Earth-i Ltd: Provides high-resolution satellite imagery and analytics for agriculture, mining, infrastructure, and environmental management.
• Geocento Limited: Offers a digital platform for sourcing and delivering satellite imagery from multiple operators tailored to various industries.
• NV5 Global, Inc.: Supplies geospatial data and satellite imagery for engineering, environmental, and infrastructure planning projects.
• Satellite Imaging Corporation: Provides high-resolution imagery and geospatial solutions for oil & gas, mining, and environmental monitoring sectors.
• Satpalda: Delivers satellite imagery, remote sensing, and GIS services for agriculture, urban planning, forestry, and disaster management.
• Telstra: Supports satellite communications and data transmission, enabling connectivity for remote sensing and IoT applications.
• Ursa Space Systems Inc.: Offers satellite-based SAR analytics for energy, finance, insurance, and logistics with global monitoring capabilities.
• Geospatial Intelligence Pty Ltd: Provides satellite imagery and geospatial intelligence services focused on defense, security, and environmental monitoring.

TimesTech

Amid rising digital fraud, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) will lead the way to engage with stakeholders to curb spam and scam calls from over-the-top (OTT) and rich communication services (RCS) platforms.

In a Joint Committee of Regulators’ (JCOR) meeting yesterday, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti highlighted the “need for a collaborative approach to combat spam messages and calls creating inconvenience and defrauding the citizens”.

JCOR is a TRAI initiative, including representatives from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDA), Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MoCA).

The meeting also highlighted the need for allocating 1,600 series numbers to the entities belonging to the government and financial sector for making transactional and service voice calls

Additionally the committee is also considering onboarding senders of commercial communication on the Digital Consent Acquisition (DCA) platform.

As per government data, Indians lost INR 1,935.51 Cr to digital arrest scams in 2024. Around 1.23 Lakh complaints related to such frauds were lodged on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. Furthermore, 17,718 incidents of digital arrest scams were reported in the first two months of 2025 itself.

The development comes months after TRAI called for structured regulation of OTT messaging platforms including WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal among others to handle security concerns.

The authority recently amended its regulations to tighten consumer protection against spam calls and messages. However, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) which represents Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea raised concerns over the effectiveness of these measures.

The new rules propose strict penalties against telecom operators over non-compliance.

Last month, TRAI relaxed its deadlines for telecom operators to implement the latest anti-spam measures within 30-60 days from February 12. Inc42

The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the central government and relevant companies regarding a petition that seeks a ban on the streaming of obscene content on Over The Top (OTT) and social media platforms. The court repeated that the issue is of serious concern, urging the government to take action.

The top court however also mentioned that the matter falls within the jurisdiction of the executive or legislature, acknowledging concerns that the judiciary might be overstepping into their domain.

Despite this, the court decided to issue a notice to proceed with the case.

In response, the government pointed out that existing rules already govern the content on OTT and social media platforms, and it is currently evaluating the implementation of new regulations.

The petition, filed in the Supreme Court, calls for the establishment of a National Content Control Authority and the creation of clear guidelines to regulate content on digital platforms.

Obscene content is a threat to society The petition states that social media sites are serving obscene content without any filter. Many OTT platforms also have elements of child pornography.

Such content pollutes the minds of youth, children, and even adults. It promotes perverted and unnatural sexual tendencies, which increases the crime rate.

The petition further stated,

“Due to internet access and low prices, it has become easy to reach obscene content to users of all ages without any scrutiny. Unrestricted obscene content can pose a threat to public safety. If restrictions are not imposed on this, there could be serious consequences on social values and people’s mental health”

“It is the demand of the time that the government fulfills its constitutional duty and protects social morality. It should ensure that digital platforms do not become places that give rise to perverted mindsets”

The petitioner has requested the Supreme Court to direct the central government to restrict people’s access to social media and OTT platforms until such platforms develop a system to openly restrict pornographic content in India, especially for children and minors.

Demand to form a committee for monitoring OTT platforms The petition appeals for the formation of a committee under the chairmanship of a retired Supreme Court judge.

It demands the inclusion of major experts in this field, who will work on monitoring and certifying the publication or streaming of content on OTT and social media platforms, similar to the Central Board of Film Certification, until a law is enacted to regulate it.

It also demands the formation of an expert committee of well-known psychologists and experts recognised by the Indian Rehabilitation Council.

This committee will present a report to evaluate the impact on people who watch obscene content and its effects on society after studying across the country.

OTT platforms created a self-regulation code in 2020 In the year 2020, 15 OTT platforms including Netflix and Amazon Prime Video created a self-regulation code. The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) stated that this regulation code will focus on distributing content for people of different ages and serving appropriate content for viewers.

Central Government to introduce Digital India bill Meanwhile, the central government is planning to introduce the Digital India Bill in place of the existing IT Act. The purpose of this new law is to curb obscenity on social media.

The government has been working on this bill for 15 months, where the aim is to regulate YouTubers and digital content creators. it will also include specific rules for various sectors such as telecommunications, IT and media.

Current government guidelines on online content The Government of India formulated The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules in 2021. It was updated on April 6, 2023. The 30-page guidelines outline rules for social media, films, and web series.

On page number 28, there are general guidelines for films, web series, and entertainment programs. It is necessary to categorise based on the target audience. It is also important to provide a warning about the content being shown.

According to the guidelines, OTT and social media platforms must appoint grievance officers. Content should comply with the law. It should not contain sex, be anti-national, or be harmful to children and women. Bhaskar English

US-based semiconductor firm Qualcomm has said it is aiming at achieving maximum growth in the Indian broadband services segment. Though it is not making any chips for satellite communications, it is working with partners to participate in that segment as well, a senior official said on Thursday.

The company said it has the Wi-Fi that goes with the satellite communication (Satcom) chips into the product, so there are opportunities in the future.

“Today, we don’t have a direct satellite communication chipset for broadband communication. However, we have the Wi-Fi pairing up with some of the vendors that are supplying broadband and Satcom services,” Rahul Patel, Group General Manager, Connectivity, Broadband & Networking (CBN), Qualcomm Technologies, told businessline.

The best thing is that broadband through 5G and sub-6 GHz is possible in India and the future technologies that are going to develop are based on various spectrum which are already allocated to all the operators, he said.

Broadband services
In the broadband services, Patel said India has an ample of opportunities with 1.5 billion people. Assuming even five per cent are using these services, we have 300 million homes to connect broadband services.

“Just comparing that to the United States where there are 300 million people altogether…here 300 million homes (broadband) versus 300 million people, so it’s a vastly different equation. Affordability is also very different… on an average, while the Indian subscriber is progressing in terms of affordability, we’re nowhere close to some of the rest of the world,” he noted.

An Indian broadband subscriber is paying less than $5 whereas in the west, it is anywhere from $50 to $100 per month. Therefore, commercial equations are very different, he said.

Therefore, companies like Qualcomm can create a “win-win” strategy — win for the consumers and win for the operators by developing cost effective solutions, Patel said. The Hindu BusinessLine