MCOT, Playwork To Launch Wireless Broadband Content In February

MCOT, Playwork to launch wireless broadband content in February

By Sirivish Toomgum

The Nation

MCOT and its technology partner Playwork will jointly make an official launch of the Ving TV wireless broadband subscription television service in February as part of MCOT's new media business development.

MCOT president Tanawat Wansom said the service conservatively targeted 100,000 subscribers in the first year with revenue of about Bt100 million during the period.

MCOT, which spent about Bt500 million developing the service, expects it to break even within three years. Revenue will mainly come from monthly fees, but Tanawat declined to provide more details.

The service will use MCOT's 2.5-gigahertz broadband spectrum to air content ranging from free TV channels to premium and on-demand content. Tanawat said the service did not violate the new Frequency Allocation Law as MCOT operated the spectrum on its own.

The new law stipulates that holders of National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission licences must operate their own spectra to provide service, and not through third parties.

Subscribers can view Ving TV content on digital devices, which need an MCOT USB dongle to access the service. If they want to watch the content on TV, they need to have an MCOT set-top box.

The two partners test-launched the service previously.

Tanawat said the service targeted everyone, from students to office workers, and would cash in on the fast growth of multimedia devices in Thailand.

Next year, MCOT will also test digital TV broadcasting, he said.

-- The Nation 2010-12-25