The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said it has yet to reach a consensus on how to regulate over-the-top content (OTT) service providers, adding that the unresolved issues mean no regulations concerning OTT were added to five new acts aimed at tackling the challenge of digital convergence.
OTT refers to audio, video and other media content delivered via the Internet, the distribution of which is not controlled by a single entity such as a cable television company.
Despite the rapid growth of OTT services worldwide, a new act proposed by the commission to regulate cable systems and other multiple-channel platforms did not include OTT operators in the list of the platforms subject to regulation.
The issue was raised yesterday during a discussion session of the Internet Governance Forum hosted by the NCC.
Satellite Television Broadcasting Association secretary-general May Chen (陳依玫) said that since the service was launched in 2013, the number of 4G users has reached 10 million.
The NCC says that the same regulations apply to providers of the same services, but now that the market involves operators who need to have licenses and those who do not — as well as those operating illegally — any regulations should apply to both content providers and platform operators.
She asked why the commission did not stipulate identical standards in the new act for all content providers or for all platform operators, including OTT operators, so that providers offering the same service are treated equally.
NCC commissioner Katherine Chen (陳憶寧) said that although the boom in the use of 4G services has led to an increase in demand for OTT services — and seems to be threatening the existence of cable services — it is a short-term development, because the unlimited Internet access currently being offered by telecoms at flat rates will soon be phased out.
“Once unlimited Internet access is gradually phased out from the market — which could happen next year — consumers will probably start downloading audiovisual content via Wi-Fi, rather than through a 4G network, as happened in the US,” Katherine Chen said.
Commissioners have exchanged thoughts about OTT services, but have yet to reach a consensus on specific regulations, although they have reached agreements on some general principles, she said.
The commission would focus on the regulation of the dominant players in the market, and the regulation would be joint management between the government and operators, she said, adding that supervision must not stifle the development of the industry.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
RSS