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Introducing Multimedia Services in Brazil in the
light of the Technological Convergence
Luiz Fernando Ferreira Silva, Ph.D., Anatel,
Brazil IP Networking and MEDIACOM 2004 Geneva,
24 - 27 April 2001
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Contents
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Introduction

• Objective
• To describe the extent to which Brazil has
  positioned itself to respond to the impact of the
  technological convergence on the
  telecommunication regulation in the country.

• Argument
• The implications of the technological
  convergence on current regulatory regimes clearly
  indicate that they will be subject of revisions.
• The actions to be taken on these regimes, it is
  argued, need to be in line with the expectations
  of service providers and consumers in the sense
  of promoting greater benefits for the society as
  a whole under an increasing availability of
  convergent services.

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The Technological Convergence

• Conceptual Approach
• Technological convergence is defined as a
  process of formation of successive similarities
  amongst technologies that had been distinct from
  one another. They have once established clear
  borderlines amongst the services they have
  enabled the provision but now share a common
  digital environment.

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The Technological Convergence
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The Technological Convergence
Users Perspective
Source Elaborated from Bill Wigglesworth and
Jill Hills. Convergence of Broadcasting and
Telecommunications, 1999 (mimeo).
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Regulations toward Convergence
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Regulations toward Convergence

• Regulation for the Use of Paid Mass Communication
  Service Networks for the Provision of Value Added
  Services (VAS)
• Approved through Anatels Resolution nº 190 in
  1999.
• The purpose of this regulation is
• To make mass communication service networks (DTH,
  MMDS, and Cable TV) available for providers of
  VAS
• To allow the network holder to explore VAS only
  through a separated company established specially
  for the rendering of VAS
• To promote free-market competition features
  between Access Network Providers
• To make it possible the interconnection of Cable
  TV, MMDS, and DTH Networks to the Internet.

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Regulations toward Convergence

• Regulation for Mass Electronic Communication
  Services for Subscribers (SCEMa)
• Public Consultation yet to be published
• The purpose of this regulation is
• To introduce the term electronic and adequate
  the regulatory framework to the current context
  of the telecommunications sector
• To review and consolidate a single regulatory Act
  for pay-TV services
• To license services and radio-frequencies
  separately
• To regulate this service independent of the
  technology employed in its provision.

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Regulations toward Convergence

• SCEMa can be provided over technologies as
  follows
• Coax and Fiber (Cable TV)
• Terrestrial radio-electric waves (MMDS)
• Satellite (Direct-to-Home).

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Systems Characteristics

• MMDS Characteristics
• Telecommunication service which uses
  radio-frequency spectrum (2.5 GHz - 2.686 GHz) to
  distribute signals (any telecommunication signal)
  within the licensed area
• Return channel in the frequency band of 2.170 to
  2.182 GHz (differs from the U.S. and Canada)
• 6 MHz channels
• EIRP Max - 33 dBW considering a 50 Km radius
• The signal transmitted shall be coded by the
  operator

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Systems Characteristics

• MMDS Characteristics
• Most of the operations are currently analogue,
  but the digitalisation of this system is taking
  place and its capacity will increase for the
  provision of services
• MMDS uses a cellular configuration also split
  into sectors
• Average Rate of 144 Kbps from the user to the
  head-end, using digital modulation.

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Systems Characteristics
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Systems Characteristics

• Cable TV Characteristics
• Cable television network is built up as a public
  and unique network
• Telecommunication service, which distributes
  sound and video programs to subscribers by using
  cables (Mainly fiber and coax)
• Approximately 80 video channels (6 MHz)
• The return channel is available in the cable
  infrastructure
• The modulation techniques most used are
  Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) and
  Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM)
• Cable TV operators are currently using the Cable
  Modem technology to provide interactive services
  to users.

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Systems Characteristics
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Systems Characteristics

• Cable TV Interactivity

Internet
Cable TV Network
User equipment
Internet
Cable TV Programming
Television
Until 10 Mbps to the user
Computer
Headend
Link
Modem
128 Kbps from the user
WWW Server

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Systems Characteristics

• Characteristics DTH
• Telecommunication service which distributes audio
  and video programs through satellites to
  subscribers within the licensed area
• The operator can use satellite systems either of
  its own or leased from a satellite operator
• The operator must establish a Monitoring Center
  within the Brazilian territory
• The transmission of DTH signal is digital
• DTH has approximately 120 video and audio
  channels.

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Systems Characteristics
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Regulations toward Convergence

• Regulation for the Multimedia Communication
  Service (SCM)
• Anatels Public Consultation nº 246 (under
  analysis)
• Holds capacity for providing multimedia
  applications, such as data, image, audio video,
  text, etc. (a convergent service indeed)
• Can be provided over any telecommunications
  network
• Public Switched Telephone Service, Broadcasting
  Service and Pay-TV Service are excluded.

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Regulations toward Convergence

• SCM Characteristics
• Licensed area may be local, regional or
  national
• Can be provided over various radio-frequencies,
  including 2,5 GHz, 3,5 GHz, 10,5 GHz and 24 -
  31GHz, known as Fixed Broadband Wireless Access
  (FBWA)
• Point to multi-point, uni and bi-directional.

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Regulations toward Convergence

• SCM will support applications such as
• High speed Internet access
• Data communication
• Corporate voice
• Audio and video
• Teleconference
• Tele-medicine
• Tele-education
• Video-on-Demand
• Other.

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Systems Characteristics

• SCM can be provided over various technologies,
  mainly over Local Multipoint Distribution/Communic
  ation System (LMD/CS).
• LMD/CS has the following features
• Capacity to provide convergent services
• Capacity to provide telecommunication services at
  high bit rate
• Use radio-frequencies around 28 GHz
• Cellular architecture
• Frequencies reuse
• Limited coverage area.

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Systems Characteristics
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Systems Characteristics

• LMD/CS Strengths
• Potential to provide a full multimedia service
  network package of integrated voice, video and
  high-speed data services
• Rapid deployment of a multimedia network and the
  lower costs for the installation of related
  accesses
• A point to multi-point network, which offers
  further advantages such as faster realisation of
  revenue, demand-based buildout, a sort of
  fibre-like quality of service, quick response to
  market demand and lower network maintenance,
  management and operating costs.
• LMD/CS Weaknesses
• One of the main problems to be faced by operators
  of this system is rain, foliage and dust
  attenuation effects causing reduction in the
  signal level due to its operation at 28 GHz
  frequency band.

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Anatels Regulatory Action

• Public Consultation nº 291
• On April 17, Anatel published the Public
  Consultation nº 291 which has the purpose of
  stimulating and broadening the debate on the
  choice of the countries DTV standard
• This Public Consultation has as its Annexes
• Annex I - Integrated Technical and Market Report
• Annex II - Analysis of Tests (Field/Laboratory)
  performed in Brazil.

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Anatels Regulatory Action

• The factors that Anatel is to take into account
  in the adoption of a Digital TV broadcast
  Standard
• Penetration rate of analogue, off-the-air TV in
  Brazilian households
• Importance of the Brazilian market in the
  consolidation of the standard selected on a
  global scale
• Business and transition models that meet the
  needs of the Brazilian population
• Identification and analysis of all the factors
  involved in the introduction of digital
  technology in terrestrial TV transmissions.

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Future Actions
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Future Actions
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Conclusion
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Luiz Fernando Ferreira Silva, Ph.D. Anatel,
Brazil lffs_at_anatel.gov.br (55) (61) 312-2393