| Trai has recommended the rollout of mobile TV services on the existing 2G mobile network with no licence requirements for the mobile companies. However, for the broadcasters, it has asked for mandatory mobile TV licences. |
| If Zee Network's arguments are accepted by the government, the rollout of mobile television services could be stopped as the telecom ministry is yet to allocate spectrum for the 3G mobile services. |
| Mobile TV services are seen as an additional revenue stream by both broadcasters and mobile service operators. Mobile television allows consumers to watch live transmission of television channels in real-time rather than watching downloaded video clips. |
| Taking on Trai on its second draft recommendations on mobile TV services, Zee Network has pointed to several grey areas that directly favour the telecom operators. |
| Zee Network has questioned Trai's suggestion that the existing telecom operators having the unified access service licence (UASL) "" required for offering cellular services "" can offer mobile television services without requiring any further licence while others will have to wait for the policy, auctioning of licence, allocation of spectrum and other clearances. |
| "This is expected to take at least over a year giving the mobile operators unfair headstart. This is against the spirit of providing level-playing field," a senior Zee executive said. |
| Zee Network has also questioned Trai's recommendation of allowing the telecom operators to offer mobile TV services within the existing spectrum. |
| "Based on the fact that the present Cellular Mobile Telephone Service (CMTS) spectrum is allocated on subscriber-linked criteria, any access spectrum held by any operator is liable for return. Trai should recommend mobile TV services only on 3G networks," Zee Network said in its response to Trai's recommendations on mobile TV services. |
| According to media experts, Trai's recommendations have also raised several questions on the content and carriage of programmes on mobile television. |
| "Trai is silent on the issue of regulation of content. It does not specify if only those channels will be permitted on mobile TV that are authorised by the ministry of information and broadcasting (I&B) or any other content can be shown too," said a media analyst. |
| "Further, Trai has not made it clear that mobile operators can or cannot be broadcasters. If they are not, then mobile companies cannot show their own content on mobile TV while we can as licensed broadcasters once we also get mobile TV licence," said a senior Zee executive. |
| "We suggest that recommendation be made to the government to amend Clause 5.6 of the downlinking policy so as to permit the carriage of broadcasters content by the mobile TV service provider as 'distributor of channel'," Zee Network told Trai in its response on mobile TV services. |
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