Banking on the recent cable landing station regulations, Reliance Communications is planning to launch global video transmission services on its new international long distance network.
The Anil Ambani group company is also expected to enjoy a windfall of Rs 110-125 crore (Rs 1.1 to Rs 1.25 billion) annually, as it does not have to pay access charges for bringing bandwidth into the country, as per a recent Telecom Regulatory Authority of India regulation.
Flag Telecom, Reliance Communications' submarine cable operator, was believed to have been paying access charges of a couple of crore per STM-1s (155 MB connectivity). It has a capacity of 10 GB, before it received approvals from an international tribunal to 180 GB.
According to sources close to the development, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India regulation would help in debottlenecking international bandwidth on the submarine cable network, Flag. This would enable the company to offer a suite of video-based offerings, including global transmission of video.
At present, video transmissions mainly take place through the satellite mode due to bandwidth constraints on submarine cables. Transmitting video via undersea cables is comparatively cheaper and reliable.
The company also plans to launch a slew of services, including digital transmission of ethnic entertainment content, to areas with non-resident Indian population. The company is also believed to be in discussions with Indian media houses for transmission of video content. When contacted, a Reliance Communications spokesperson declined to comment.