ISLANDWIDE SUBSCRIBER
TELEVISION WIRELESS LICENCES
Call for applications
Under the Broadcasting and Radio
Re-Diffusion Act, the Broadcasting Commission is mandated to
process applications for subscriber television licences. The
Commission is inviting applications from entities considering
providing wireless STV service island-wide. In light of the need to
meet the requirements for grant of licence as set out in the Act
and the Television and Sound Broadcasting Regulations,
applicants are asked to pay attention to the issues below.
Available spectrum
Applicants will be required to design
their technical submission to transmit utilising a maximum of 65MHz
within the range of 2500 MHz - 2690 MHz or a maximum of 66 MHz
within the range of 506 - 698 MHz in the UHF band.
Means of distribution
The application should explain
whether the distribution network will be owned totally by the
applicant or will be accessed through a commercial arrangement. If a
potential distributor or partner has been identified, the name of
the other corporate entity should be included.
Other services
Applicants are asked to indicate
whether they also intend to utilise the wireless cable distribution
network for delivery of other telecommunications service whether:
If applicants intend to provide data
or voice services in conjunction with the STV service, the relevant
licences are to be enclosed with the application, if already in
place or secured separately through the Office of Utilities
Regulation and/or the Spectrum Management Authority.
Licence fee
The grant-of-licence fee will be
based on the economic value of the licence to be issued in keeping
with the Television and Sound Broadcasting Regulations
(amended in July 2007). Details of the relevant calculations are set
out in the Regulations, available at the Commission’s
website.
Financial capacity
Where applicants own or have
controlling interest in any company or business, they should provide
evidence of requisite financial resources to carry out the
undertaking, including audited financial statements for the last two
(2) years of operation.
Legal status
As specified in S11B of the
Act, licensees must be companies incorporated in Jamaica or a
CARICOM state and controlled by Jamaican or CARICOM nationals.
Therefore, applicants are to indicate the ownership structure of the
company including names, nationalities and percentage shareholdings
of the major shareholders.
Disclosure
Applicants are to indicate if they
have any interest in an existing broadcast, STV or
telecommunications entity and explain the nature and extent of those
interests.
Implementation Plan
Under the Act, new licensees must
begin rollout of cable service within six (6) months of the grant of
the STV licence. Therefore, applicants are asked to indicate:
-
How long after licensing is
roll-out of each aspect of service (video/ data/ voice)
expected to begin, and
-
When is rollout of each aspect of
the service to the entire island (video/ data/
voice) estimated to end.
Applicants must also provide evidence
of technical competence to establish an islandwide wireless STV
service. It must be demonstrated clearly that the applicant has
thought through and prepared for all the myriad aspects of the
process of establishing such a service.
Submission of Applications
Application packages are available at
a cost of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000) from the offices of the
Broadcasting Commission, 5th Floor, Victoria Mutual Building, 53
Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5.
Applicants are required to submit an
original and six (6) copies of the application documents except for
the following materials. Only an original and one (1) copy of maps,
diagrams and documents relating to incorporation are required.
Each copy of the application should
be delivered in a sealed envelope, clearly marked “Application –
Island-wide Wireless STV Licence” and delivered to the Broadcasting
Commission.
The closing deadline for
the receipt of applications is 2.00 p.m. on Thursday, August 7,
2008.
