Radio and television telecommunications re-gaming: the second batch of triple play list released at the end of the year

After the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology reported the second batch of trials of triple play, the SARFT has also completed the reporting of the second list of pilot cities and programs in the near future. The State Council's three-network integration working group is currently deliberating on the proposals submitted by the two parties, and the final pilot. The city's "expansion" program is expected to surface at the end of 2011.

The source told the newspaper reporter on October 18 that unlike previous rumors that the "provincial cities were all selected" plans, there are still big differences between the Ministry of Industry and Media and the Bureau of Radio, Film and Television, and the key is that the SARFT and the Radio and Television Bureau of the provinces are The provincial capital scheme holds different opinions.

The reporter learned that for the telecom operators who completed their integration 10 years ago, the provincial scheme is obviously the simplest operation method. For the radio and television networks that are still integrating provincial networks, the first batch of 12 pilot cities and provincial networks The conflicts arising from the integration will continue in other provincial capital cities to be selected. Apart from cities such as Chongqing and Tianjin that have individually completed integration, whether other provincial capital cities have different opinions on whether they are selected for broadcasting or television.

However, local governments have a high degree of enthusiasm for being selected for the second batch of pilot projects. Obviously, the three-way game between broadcasting, telecommunication and local governments is extremely fierce. For radio and television, national cable network companies that have not been approved have been approved and The listing may be the key piece for the second batch of the game's pilot program.

Three-party game

“The key obstacle now is broadcasting and television,” the official from the Bureau of Radio, Film and Television told reporters.

The reporter learned that in July of this year, the three major telecom operators had submitted the candidate list and pilot scheme for the second batch of triple play pilot cities through the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology to the State Council's Three Networks Integration Working Group. The two major municipalities in Tianjin and Chongqing that were unsuccessful in the first batch of trials, as well as more than 20 provincial capital cities such as Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenyang, Jinan and Fuzhou with better basic conditions, were listed on the list.

However, Radio and TV disagreed with the list. "On the one hand, there are many gaps between the radio and television operators and telecom operators in economically backward areas. On the other hand, for radio and television companies that are advancing the integration of provincial networks, the election of provincial capital cities for pilot cities may hinder the promotion of provincial network integration." The director of the bureau said.

“The radio and TV don’t want the rapid expansion of triple play pilots.” Wu Chunyong, editor-in-chief of the broadcasting network, told reporters: “In many places, operators of radio and television have been very difficult to manage. If they are piloted by triple play, they cannot only go To seize the telecommunication broadband and other business markets, it has greatly impacted its digital television business."

In addition, for broadcast and television, the most important thing is to complete provincial network integration before the end of 2012, and then establish a nationwide cable network company. However, in the integration of various regions, the capital cities with the strongest economic strength are often the toughest bones.

The reporter learned that although Guangdong Provincial Network and Heilongjiang Provincial Network have completed the integration of local city networks in their subsidiaries in Guangzhou and Harbin, in fact, Guangzhou Pearl River Digital and other city network operations have been in an independent state once Guangzhou becomes In pilot cities, the integration of provincial networks will be constrained.

“We have always hoped to complete the integration of Shenzhen Tianwei Video, but on the one hand it is a listed company, it is difficult to assess assets, and the other is that as a pilot city for triple play, many aspects are recognized by the SARFT, so integration It is very difficult to get up.” The relevant person of Guangdong Radio and Television Network said: “If Guangzhou also becomes a pilot city, then the concessions made by the provincial network may fail.”

However, local governments are actively striving to become pilot cities. Guangzhou, Chongqing, Tianjin, Chengdu and other places have submitted pilot projects in 2010. However, they were defeated in the game of radio and television and telecommunications. The enthusiasm of local governments and the boycott of radio and television have also become contradictory. . However, some sources pointed out that although more than 20 provincial capital cities may not all be selected in the end, but Radio and Television believe that some mature provincial capital cities are naturally expected, such as Chongqing, Tianjin, Shenyang, Chengdu, Shijiazhuang and so on.

Jiangsu model is respected

Although radio and television and telecommunications still have great differences on the list of the second batch of pilot cities, it is basically certain that the second batch of cities will be launched around the end of this year.

According to the reporter’s understanding, in the No. 35 document issued by the State Council in June this year, detailed requirements were imposed on the pilot conditions and they were “balanced”. The cable TV and telecommunication networks in the pilot areas are required to have the capacity to carry triple-play convergence-related services in general. They can take the lead in launching technology application and demonstration of triple play convergence. The cable television network basically completes digitalization and bidirectional transformation, and the telecommunication network basically completes broadband transformation. The completion of cable TV network integration and conversion to enterprise restructuring has been completed, and cable television network users and telecommunication broadband access users have reached a certain scale.

Starting in September of this year, the State Council's three-network integration working group has also held several coordination meetings and hopes to confirm the second batch of pilot lists as soon as possible.

It is worth noting that the successful model of Jiangsu triple play has become the focus of several meetings.

This reporter learned that although CNTV's recent lawsuit against Jiangsu Telecom caused an uproar, Jiangsu's triple play has taken the lead. As of August 2011, the total number of IPTV subscribers in Jiangsu Province was nearly 2.5 million, making it the province with the largest number of IPTV subscribers in the country; the number of wired broadband subscribers was approximately 800,000; the cumulative number of mobile TV subscribers of Jiangsu Mobile and Jiangsu Unicom exceeded 1 million.

Jiangsu Cable completed the integration ahead of schedule. The Jiangsu Communications Management Department and the Broadcasting Bureau both issued advance permission to telecommunications and broadcasting companies in advance. This has become the key to breakthroughs in Jiangsu triple play, and for the second batch of pilot cities, Conditions such as Jiangsu are also important reference indicators.

State Grid or into negotiation weights

In addition, in the coordination of the State Council's Three Networks Integration Working Group, the radio and television industry also expressed its desire to have national cable network companies approved as soon as possible. It is understood that the Preparatory Group of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television has submitted several proposals to the State Council's three-network integration working group in 2011, but all of them were rejected. The original proposal to inject financial funds of 80 billion yuan to establish a sub-ministerial-level network company was also no.

Sources told reporters that the views of the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance are to provide start-up capital of several billion yuan, and then rely mainly on the integration of existing stock assets to form a strength to compete with telecom operators. In the opinion of the Ministry of Finance, it is better to rebuild a new internet company if it invests several billion yuan in integration.

The SARFT side has always hoped that the National Cable Network Company will be established as soon as possible to form a new market competition subject. Wu Chunyong thinks: “This is more important for radio and television to be considered than for expanding pilots. Radio and television hopes to complete the listing in the next two months.”

However, in order to be listed, it is still necessary to get the approval of the plan. In order to obtain approval for the establishment of the national cable network company, in the game with telecommunications in the second batch of pilot cities, SVA is expected to make concessions.

According to relevant officials from the Bureau of Science and Technology of SARFT, if a national cable network company is listed and begins to integrate the provincial network assets that have already been integrated, it is no longer important how many cities have entered the second batch of pilot cities. For local radio and television operators, Only relying on new market players means that it can achieve breakthroughs in telecom value-added services such as broadband.