India is considering a policy to mandate equipping
smartphones with hardware to receive live TV signals without the need for
cellular networks. It has proposed use of so-called ATSC 3.0 technology popular
in North America that allows precise geo-locating of TV signals and provides
high picture quality.
Companies however say their existing smartphones in India
are not equipped to work with ATSC 3.0, and any efforts to add that
compatibility will raise cost of each device by $30 as more components need to
be added. Some fear their existing manufacturing plans can be hurt.
In a joint letter to India's communication ministry,
Samsung, Qualcomm, and telecom gear makers Ericsson and Nokia said adding
direct-to-mobile broadcasting can also degrade battery performance of devices
and cellular reception.
"We do not find any merit in progressing discussion on
the adoption of this," said the letter dated October 17 and reviewed by
Reuters.
The four companies and India's communication ministry did
not respond to requests for comment. The proposal is still under deliberation
and could be changed, and there is no fixed timeline for implementation,
according to a source with direct knowledge.
Digital broadcast of TV channels on smartphones has seen
limited adoption in countries such as South Korea and United States. It has not
gained traction due to the lack of devices that support the technology,
executives say.
The policy pushback is the latest from firms operating in
India's smartphone sector. In recent months, they pushed back on India's move
to make phones compatible with a home-grown navigation system and another
proposal to mandate security testing for handsets.
For India's government, the live TV broadcast features are a
way to offload the congestion on telecom networks due to higher video
consumption.
The India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA), a
lobbying group of smartphone makers that represents Apple and Xiaomi as well as
other companies, opposed the move privately in a letter dated Oct 16, saying no
major handset maker globally currently supports ATSC 3.0.
Samsung tops India's smartphone market with a 17.2 percent
share, while Xiaomi follows with a 16.6 percent share, according to research
firm Counterpoint. Apple holds 6 percent.
"The inclusion of any technology which is not proven
and globally acceptable ... will derail the pace of domestic
manufacturing," said the ICEA letter, reviewed by Reuters. © Reuters