Category: Broadcast

South Korea is rapidly establishing itself as one of the world’s most dynamic markets for Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST), according to new research from Omdia. The country is set to become the 12th largest global FAST market by 2030, with revenues projected to double from $23 million in 2024 to $48 million.

Speaking at the International Streaming Festival in Busan, Maria Rua Aguete, Senior Director at Omdia, said: “Korean content has never been stronger – on FAST and subscription services – and Netflix has been the biggest amplifier of that story worldwide. This popularity in subscription video on demand is now driving the growth of Korean FAST channels globally.”

Market Momentum in Korea
Since the launch of Samsung TV Plus in 2015, South Korea’s FAST market has developed at pace. Today:

• Wavve leads the sector, followed by Samsung TV Plus and LG Channels.
• LG U+ and Diva (formerly D’Live) are also gaining ground.
• FAST has become mainstream: Samsung TV Plus ranks as the 5th most-watched video service on connected TVs in Korea, with LG Channels in 10th place.

This growth positions South Korea as the third-largest FAST market in Asia Pacific, behind only Australia and Japan.

Netflix: A Global Catalyst for K-Content
Netflix has been instrumental in elevating Korean programming worldwide:

• It offers over 8,000 Korean titles in South Korea – more than Amazon, Apple TV+, and Disney+ combined.
• Squid Game remains Netflix’s most-watched show ever, with 1.65 billion hours viewed.
• K-pop-inspired productions like K-Pop Demon Hunters are breaking records as top-performing films globally.
• K-pop continues to dominate platforms such as Spotify and TikTok, extending cultural reach to younger audiences.

“Netflix is the global ambassador for K-content,” added Rua Aguete. “As we saw with Spain’s Money Heist, when one streamer leads, others follow. This rising global demand directly benefits FAST, where Korean series and formats are gaining ground on ad-supported platforms worldwide.”

Government Backing the Next Korean Wave
The Korean government has pledged ₩1 trillion ($720 million) under its K-OTT Industry Global Competitiveness Strengthening Strategy to support domestic OTT services, including FAST.

Additionally, the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Association for ICT Promotion have launched the Global K-FAST Alliance to expand Korean FAST channels internationally.

“The government sees FAST as the next chapter of the Korean Wave,” Rua Aguete noted. “Korea now has the perfect storm: a thriving presence in both pay and free TV markets, supported by global demand and local investment.” Omdia

The country is moving quickly on infrastructure policies, spectrum allocation, and standards needed for critical communication. The Trai chairperson explained that the regulator has already submitted a set of recommendations to the government to reinforce the national communication network.

He pointed out that the government had brought out the National Digital Communication Policy 2018 with the objective of improving the Public Protection and Disaster Relief (PPDR) system. Following this, Trai in 2018 provided detailed inputs on next-generation PPDR networks. These included the creation of a pan-India Integrated Broadband PPDR network and the use of a hybrid model. The model proposed a dedicated BB-PPDR system in metro cities, border regions, disaster-prone areas, and sensitive zones such as Jammu & Kashmir and the northeast.

The official further shared that, on the basis of references received from the Department of Telecommunications, Trai recommended the allocation of 10 MHz paired spectrum in the 700 MHz band to improve railway safety. These suggestions were made in two separate sets of recommendations.

During the same forum, the Broadband India Forum chairperson underlined that European Union nations are in the process of creating the EU Critical Communication Systems (EUCCS). The initiative is meant to provide a continent-wide framework where public safety responders can operate without interruption across different regions. She noted that India too requires a system of this scale, considering its size and diversity.

She referred to how different technologies had supported each other during Operation Sindoor, stressing that technology alone is not enough. According to her, the country must also establish clear ecosystem standards, enable interoperability between multiple agencies, ensure encryption for data security, build redundancy and resilience to handle disasters, and prepare for the rising threat of cyber-attacks. PTI

Starlink will launch its satellite broadband services in India by the end of 2025, minister of state for communications Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani told HT. The company received a Unified License from the Department of Telecommunications in July, but clearance was given only after it agreed to India’s strict security rules, the minister told PTI a day earlier.

As part of the clearance, Starlink is barred from copying, decrypting, or routing Indian user traffic through systems located abroad. The security framework mandates that all satellite communications be routed through earth station gateways within India, which will serve as a critical checkpoint for data traffic.

The conditions are mandatory for all satellite communication firms, and Starlink has accepted them. With approvals in place, the company is expected to roll out services in phases, focusing first on remote and underserved regions. Commercial operations are likely to begin by December 2025, subject to final spectrum allocation and infrastructure readiness.

Dr Pemmasani spoke to HT on the sidelines of the 42nd Foundational Day of Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) organised in New Delhi. “Given the geo-political risks and the faster change of technology, institutions like C-DOT have never been of greater importance. Therefore, when it comes to AI, 6G, quantum secure communications, they are doing wonderful things,” said the minister.

Dr Pemmasani also highlighted C-DOT’s wider role, from providing secure communications to the armed forces during Operation Sindoor to building a cell-broadcast platform for disaster alerts.

“India today faces geopolitical pressures not from one, but two countries; challenges that test our economic strength on the global stage. In this context, the Prime Minister’s Independence Day address is a reminder of why self-reliance is so critical,” said telecom secretary Neeraj Mittal at the event.

Dr Pemmasani noted that C-DOT is now the fifth player worldwide, after Ericsson, Nokia, Huawei and Samsung, to develop an indigenous 4G and 5G stack. India’s homegrown 4G and 5G technology, built by C-DOT, is powering nearly one lakh BSNL towers, putting the country among a select group with its own telecom systems. Hindustan Times

Over 12,000 Wi-Fi breaches were recorded by the UAE’s Cyber Security Council since the beginning of 2025.

The council said that this figure represents around 35% of the total cyberattacks the country has experienced in total. It added that hackers target users through open, free Wi-Fi networks and steal passwords, banking details, and personal information.

The council explained that many users are unaware of the extent of the threats that can arise from connecting to free Wi-Fi networks, especially in public places such as cafes, airports, and shopping malls. While these networks may seem convenient in terms of speed and cost, they are often inadequately secured, making them an open arena for fraud and cyberattacks.

Users of open internet networks may be exposed to numerous risks, including what are known as “man-in-the-middle” attacks, in which hackers and cybercriminals can read transmitted data, record calls, redirect users to fake websites, and even intercept phone calls, in addition to installing malicious or spyware on users’ devices without their knowledge.

The Cyber ​​Security Council has outlined three key steps every user should follow to stay safe while browsing the internet on public networks:

1. Using a trusted VPN application that encrypts the user’s digital connection, making it difficult for any unauthorized party to intercept data
2. Activating the “Safe Browsing” feature in the browser to ensure you don’t access suspicious websites
3. Avoiding logging into sensitive accounts, such as bank accounts or personal email, when using open Wi-Fi networks

In a statement to WAM, Dr. Mohammed Al Kuwaiti, Chairman of the UAE Government Cybersecurity Council, said that the UAE is continuing its efforts to build a secure cyberspace that protects users from growing digital risks and keeps pace with rapid technological developments. This is part of a comprehensive national vision to enhance confidence in the country’s digital ecosystem, promote a culture of cybersecurity, and raise awareness of the importance of safe browsing.

The council emphasised that using a reliable VPN application not only ensures privacy, but is also an effective tool for protecting digital identity in an interconnected world vulnerable to frequent breaches. It noted the need for well-thought-out preventative measures and emphasized that awareness represents the first line of defense against cybercrime.

The Cyber ​​Security Council has launched a weekly awareness campaign as part of the Cyber ​​Pulse initiative. The second week of the campaign this year is themed “Free Wi-Fi may reveal your personal data.” The campaign aims to raise awareness about ways to protect personal data, the risks of using free Wi-Fi networks, and provide guidance on how to counter various cyber threats. The campaign targets both individuals and institutions to increase cyber awareness and promote resilience and cyber culture. Khaleej Times

The government has approved a permit to Starlink after the company agreed to comply with domestic laws, including security conditions, which bar it from copying and decrypting data overseas and mirroring Indian user traffic on any system set up abroad, Minister of State for Communications Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar said.

The minister said that security conditions mandate satellite communication providers to set up earth station gateways in India through which communications from satellite to users are routed.

He said that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) granted a Unified License (UL) to Starlink Satellite Communications Private Limited after the US firm agreed to the stipulated terms and conditions of the UL, including security conditions which is applicable to all satcom players.

“The security conditions, inter-alia, include the establishment of earth station gateway(s) in India for providing satellite-based communication services with no user traffic originating from or destined for India to be routed through any gateway located outside India, no copying and decryption of the Indian data outside the country, and the Indian user traffic is not to be mirrored to any system/server located abroad,” the minister said.

He also said the telecom department had sought recommendations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on terms and conditions of spectrum assignment, including spectrum pricing, for providing satellite-based communication services, which were received on May 9.

“Satellite-based communication services are an upcoming area and, as any new economic activity would do, it is also expected to generate employment in the country, as it involves, inter alia, the installation, operation and maintenance of the telecom network, including user terminal equipment,” the minister added. PTI

India plans to launch more than 100 satellites over the next 15 years, and it will be a mix of government technology missions and private sector-led operational missions, Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh said.

He also released a roadmap for the space sector for the next 15 years during the second National Space Day celebrations in the presence of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman V Narayanan, INSPACe Chairman Pawan Goenka and four astronauts short-listed for the Gaganyaan mission.

Singh said the roadmap will guide India’s space journey to 2040 and beyond, supporting the vision of Viksit Bharat by leveraging space technology for food and water security, disaster resilience, environmental sustainability and inclusive growth.

He said India’s space programme has entered a transformative phase, where it is no longer confined to symbolic achievements but has become a vital contributor to the country’s scientific progress, technological innovation and public welfare.

The minister added that the opening up of the space sector to private players has brought in a new wave of innovation and entrepreneurship.

From once being limited to government-led projects, India today has hundreds of start-ups engaged in developing technologies with potential applications in interplanetary exploration as well as in day-to-day governance, he noted.

Space technology has silently entered people’s lives, powering projects such as those for disaster management, infrastructure monitoring, smart-city planning, housing programmes and even land-ownership mapping through drones, Singh pointed out.

The minister outlined the ISRO’s future programmes and said the launch of the uncrewed Gaganyaan-1 mission was expected to take place by the year-end.

Gaganyaan-1 will be a human-robot mission with a humanoid robot, Vyommitra, travelling to space.

In 2027, India will attempt its first human spaceflight under the Gaganyaan mission, followed by Chandrayaan-4 in 2028, a mission to Venus, and the establishment of the proposed Bharat Antariksh Station by 2035.

Singh said the country has also set its sights on placing an Indian astronaut on Moon by 2040. PTI

According to a recently published report from Dell’Oro Group, the trusted source for market information about the telecommunications, security, networks, and data center industries, the Optical Transport equipment market grew 14 percent year-over-year in 2Q 2025. This high growth rate was primarily attributed to the rising demand for disaggregated WDM and data center interconnect (DCI).

“Following six quarters of soft sales in optical transport, it was great to see this market recover and post a strong double-digit growth rate,” said Jimmy Yu, Vice President at Dell’Oro Group. “One area contributing to the strong growth for optical was the rising demand for disaggregated WDM, a concept that arose over a decade ago when both cloud providers and communication service providers wanted to have a more open, vendor-agnostic environment. One where a network operator had more choice in suppliers for transponders, optical line systems, and pluggable optics,” added Yu.

Additional highlights from the 2Q 2025 Optical Transport Quarterly Report:

• The Optical Transport market growth was due to higher year-over-year (Y/Y) revenue for both optical transport systems and ZR/ZR+ optical plugs for IPoDWDM.
• The Disaggregated WDM market outperformed expectations in the quarter, growing nearly 35 percent Y/Y due to strong demand across all of the individual technology segments: transponder units, optical line systems (OLS), and ZR/ZR+ optics for IPoDWDM.
• Communication service provider spending returned to growth in the quarter, increasing slightly from the same period a year ago.
• Cloud providers, once again, drove the vast majority of the optical revenue growth in the quarter: direct cloud provider purchases of WDM systems grew 60 percent Y/Y.
• The top six vendors in the quarter, ranked by revenue share, were Huawei, Ciena, Nokia, ZTE, FiberHome, and Cisco.

Dell’Oro

Fox Corporation today announced the official launch of FOX One, a bold new streaming service that brings together the full portfolio of FOX’s News, Sports and Entertainment branded content—all in one place, both live and on demand.

Available today across major web, mobile and connected TV platforms, FOX One is priced at $19.99/month with a 7-day free trial or $199.99/year, with the option to add-on B1G+ or bundle FOX Nation for an even greater value. Starting October 2, customers will also have the opportunity to bundle FOX One with ESPN DTC Unlimited for $39.99/month.

Designed for today’s digital-first audience, FOX One is here to serve the 65+ million U.S. households that live outside the cable bundle. With something for everyone—FOX One offers ease of access to the bold voices, breaking news, career-making plays, dynamic features and entertainment America loves and has come to expect from FOX, all in a single, highly personalized platform.

“We are excited to get FOX One in the hands of viewers today, and bring our leading News, Sports and Entertainment programming to fans who have been underserved in the streaming ecosystem to date,” said Pete Distad, CEO, Direct to Consumer, Fox Corporation. “In my time here, I have come to appreciate that FOX is as ambitious and entrepreneurial a tech company as it is a media company. The team has worked tirelessly to bring all of our live programming together with our emerging technology into the new FOX One platform in a very short period of time…and we are just getting started. FOX One will continue to rapidly evolve in the weeks and months ahead to seek to not only meet, but exceed our customers’ expectations for a premium and personalized viewing experience in an AI-powered world.”

“We live for live” – fox’s superpower, now streaming
With FOX’s long legacy as a leader in live programming, the introduction of FOX One is a powerful extension of that DNA. FOX One delivers a seamless, live streaming experience for the moments that matter most, from breaking news and record-setting sports to must-see competition series and acclaimed animation.

A new standard for streaming technology
FOX’s incomparably executed live-stream presentation of Super Bowl LIX on Tubi raised the bar for digital broadcasting at scale, reaching 15.5 million peak concurrent viewers and 24 million unique viewers. FOX One builds on that technological achievement and momentum with a next-generation platform engineered for a live-first experience.

Underpinning the experience are smart, purpose-built AI integrations that give audiences of all types choice and flexibility in when and how they watch. From personalized content packaging and publishing to intelligent discovery, enhanced search capabilities powered in partnership with Perplexity and responsive support through Sierra AI, FOX One applies emerging tech to unlock value, clarity and connection.

• Live and unfiltered: fox one has a robust collection of live sports, news and entertainment for your viewing pleasure. The latest news and biggest plays as they happen in real time. Stay current with breaking news as it unfolds. From our hottest fox series to iconic live events—you won’t miss a beat. We live for live.
• Fox news – now available on fox one: stream fox news live 24/7 anytime, anywhere. Get around-the-clock access to live coverage, breaking news and your favorite fox news shows—all in one seamless experience, with alerts to keep you informed.
• Your fox, your way: skip the search and cut down on aimless scrolling with personalized content from fox one. Discover relevant live and on-demand shows right on your home screen.
• Record your favorites: watch live or save it for later. You can record your favorite leagues, teams and shows with no storage limits. Find all your recordings in your personal library to enjoy anytime.
• Catch up with highlights: joined the game late? No problem—catch up with the highlights you missed, then join live instantly. Bypass the spoilers and hide the live score until you’re all caught up. The biggest moments in sports, served just how you like them.
• Swipe-worthy shorts: discover the top trending sports stories, informative news, and tv clips filled with jaw-dropping hot takes in a fresh vertical video format. Get all the moments you crave in bite-sized, sharable pieces of content. (currently in beta)

FOX One was built from the ground up to meet the evolving needs of today’s cord-cutters and cord-nevers. With a loyal, intentional fanbase, premium content portfolio and differentiated technology, FOX One is poised for the next era of streaming.

Modern bundling options & flexible access
With ease-of-access and a full slate of programming at their fingertips—FOX One has something for everyone, all in one place. FOX One is now available on Apple iOS and Android mobile, web (www.FOXOne.com) and connected TV platforms including Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Prime Video Channels, Apple TV, Google TV, Android TV, Microsoft Xbox, Samsung, LG and VIZIO. Existing pay TV customers will have the ease of authenticating within the FOX One platform for no additional cost.

FOX Nation and B1G+ are available on the FOX One platform where users can add-on B1G+ or bundle FOX One and FOX Nation for $24.99 per month or the equivalent of $19.99 per month when purchasing the annual plan at launch.

And, in a recently announced partnership with ESPN, sports fans will have the opportunity to bundle the new ESPN DTC Unlimited offering with FOX One for $39.99 a month beginning October 2. Through this bundle, viewers will have access to all of ESPN’s linear networks—ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes—in addition to ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, SECN+ and ACCNX, covering 47,000 live events each year, on-demand replays, studio shows, original programming, as well as newly expanded NFL content and more in addition to the complete FOX One content offering.

FOX One will continue to explore ways to maximize value for subscribers with additional bundling options.

Strategic marketing & audience engagement
To bring the service to market, FOX One’s launch campaign hones in on FOX’s dominance in the area of LIVE and its distinguishing functionality in the service. “We Live For LIVE” connects with today’s cord-cutters and cord-nevers where they live, through a host of creator platforms, social media, podcasts and digital-first strategies. PR Newswire

Starlink operator SpaceX is continuing its fight against state plans to expand fiber broadband availability. After saying the Trump administration should deny a Virginia proposal, SpaceX is taking the same approach in a fight against Louisiana.

SpaceX made its view known to the Louisiana Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity in a filing, which was reported yesterday by PCMag. SpaceX complained that Louisiana proposed awarding 91.5 percent of funds to fiber Internet service providers instead of to the Starlink satellite system. SpaceX alleged that Louisiana was influenced by “a legion of fiber lobbyists and other hangers-on seeking to personally benefit from massive taxpayer spending.”

The Trump administration rewrote rules for the $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grant program in a way that benefits Starlink. Instead of prioritizing fiber networks that offer better service and are more future-proof, the Trump administration ordered states to revise their plans with a “tech-neutral approach” and lower the average cost of serving each location.

SpaceX’s letters to Virginia and Louisiana claim the states are violating the new rules with their funding proposals.

“The State of Louisiana’s Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program Final Proposal proposes to spend nearly $500 million dollars [sic] to provide connectivity to its unserved and underserved locations,” SpaceX wrote. “SpaceX applied to serve virtually all BEAD households for less than $100 million dollars. As such, Louisiana’s proposal includes over $400 million dollars in wasteful and unnecessary taxpayer spending.”

SpaceX unhappy with $7.75 million
Instead of selecting Starlink for all locations, Louisiana allocated the company $7.75 million to serve 10,327 locations. The plan would spend $499 million for 127,842 locations overall. The Louisiana Local Fiber Consortium, which includes two Louisiana providers that partnered with T-Mobile, was the biggest winner, with $378 million for 68,535 locations.

“Louisiana’s results demonstrate that it did not observe statutory requirements or program rules and did not conduct a competitive process,” SpaceX alleged. “A process in which Louisiana is required to award grants based on the lowest cost to the program, and awards 91.5% of funds to fiber projects at an average per-location cost of $4,449, while rejecting applications at $750 per location because the bid was based on Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) technology could not possibly be considered compliant, technology neutral or a ‘competition.’”

SpaceX said it will ask the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to reject the Louisiana plan if the state doesn’t change course. “NTIA simply cannot approve the Final Proposal as it stands if the ‘Benefit of the Bargain’ remains the goal. Louisiana must revise its final proposal to appropriately consider the applications received, or NTIA must reject its Final Proposal,” SpaceX said.

A previous Louisiana proposal drafted during the Biden administration would have spent $748 million for broadband deployment and provided fiber to nearly 95 percent of 140,000 eligible locations. The new Louisiana proposal, written to comply with Trump administration rules, reduced projected spending by $250 million.

We contacted Louisiana’s broadband office about SpaceX’s letter and will update this article if it provides any comment.

State officials worry about satellite limits
As we noted in previous coverage, Starlink is already widely available and doesn’t need to build infrastructure to each home like fiber and cable operators do. But states can direct grant money to Starlink in exchange for guaranteed service availability or deals on equipment.

While subsidizing fiber deployment is more expensive, fiber offers faster speeds and doesn’t have the capacity problems inherent in satellite networks. As even SpaceX CEO Elon Musk acknowledged years ago, Starlink is best suited for “the hardest-to-serve customers that telcos otherwise have trouble” serving.

Louisiana’s draft plan said its analysis of low-Earth orbit satellite and fixed wireless technology suggests those providers “will not be able to scale into the future due to a combination of limitations on available spectrum, the impact of tree canopy on service availability, high customer density and potential demand, [and] the impact of 5G and/or other wireless backhaul on residential end-user capacity.” ars Technica

Chinese search engine giant Baidu, reported a drop in second quarter revenue as its core advertising business struggled amid China’s economic slowdown, offsetting strong growth in cloud services.

The company reported total revenue of 32.71 billion yuan ($4.56 billion) during the three months ended June 30, down 4% from the same period a year earlier. Analysts on average estimated second quarter revenue at 32.76 billion yuan, according to data compiled by LSEG.

On an adjusted basis, Baidu posted a profit of 13.58 yuan per American Depositary Share (ADS), beating expectations of 13.12 yuan.
Baidu’s U.S.-listed shares were up 1.3% in premarket trading.

Hit by a property market downturn, weak employment rates and choppy consumer demand, companies in China, the world’s second-largest economy, have reined in advertising spending to cut costs and protect their margins.

The squeeze has spilled over into Baidu, which relies heavily on advertising in its search engine. Its core online advertising business, which typically makes up 60% of overall company revenue, saw revenue decrease 15% to 16.2 billion yuan during the April-June quarter.

That eclipsed upbeat growth at the Beijing-based company’s AI cloud segment, which drove a 34% increase in Baidu’s non-online advertising business.

Baidu has invested heavily in artificial intelligence in recent years. Last month, it launched a redesigned search interface that it called the biggest overhaul in a decade.

It has also expanded AI services, recently launching MuseSteamer, an AI-powered video generator for businesses. It has also open-sourced a version of its flagship Ernie model as it competes with rivals including DeepSeek, which disrupted the global AI industry earlier this year with lower-cost models. Reuters