PEMRA to invite bids for DTH licensing in November

ISLAMABAD (Staff Report) Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) is likely to invite bids for Direct to Home (DTH) licensing by the end of November and it would be a major milestone in the broadcast arena, an official of PEMRA told APP on Monday.

PEMRA had inked accord with Swiss Consultancy Firm in March to assist PEMRA in preparing eligibility criteria, license template, bidding methodology, determination of base price, recommendation on number of licenses to be issued and the duration of licenses for DTH etc, he said.

With the launching of DTH in Pakistan, he said, the subscribers would have much more access to high quality TV channels embedded with digital features like parental control, electronic programme guide, internet and video on demand.

He said the DTH service would help in easier regulatory control besides addressing complaint of TV channels who are not finding adequate place on traditional analogue cable TV networks.

Similarly this technology would facilitate viewers to watch large variety of uninterrupted channels in their homes. The initiation of this digital medium would help in creating jobs for thousands of people besides injecting investment of billions of rupees in the country's economy, he said.

As a result of the DTH, PEMRA also foresees licensing of more local and foreign TV channels, he said.