The Ministry of Communications fights distributors of illegal services.. Crimea to Lebanon 24: The state will compete for the sake of the citizen

Soon, the Lebanese will be able to watch their favorite channels, whether local, Arab or international, through a future vision through which Communications Minister Johnny Corm seeks to eliminate all illegal networks, as he tries to work to regulate the sector by creating a safe network managed only by the state, from Without any presence of “neighborhood” networks that provide their services illegally, and control citizens by imposing prices that suit them, in addition to controlling the quality of the service provided.

The last of these projects that the Ministry of Communications is currently working on is the “OTT” project (or what is known as Over-The-Top), through which it aims to provide an online viewing platform that includes Lebanese and international channels, in addition to video platforms, movies, and pre-paid series. “Shahid” and “Netflix”, in a process managed by the Ministry of Communications in cooperation with the Ogero Authority, with the assistance of the expertise of a private sector company.

This step sought by the Ministry would firstly besiege cable service distributors in Lebanon, especially the large gang market, which is controlled by certain heads through their arms located within the neighborhoods of cities and towns, and extending from the far north to the far south, passing through the outskirts of Beirut, where they constitute… This area is heavy on subscriptions.

In this context, Communications Minister Johnny Al-Qurm points out in an interview via:Lebanon24“The OTT project will provide a service for watching content directly over the Internet, such as IPTV. However, the Ministry of Communications, in order to reduce visual pollution, has dispensed with cable connections, especially those that are spread in many areas and between neighborhoods and streets, and this is what distinguishes this service from other services.” IPTV and cablevision, for example, as the citizen will not need a box in order to operate the service.

The state will compete
The service of securing the broadcast of programs and the content of platforms and televisions is not new today in Lebanon, where many gangs were able to extend their control and create their own “business” through which they seized the content of platforms and televisions without paying for the property rights, and this is what gave them a strong impetus. Through it, you can broadcast the content of television and entertainment programs without costing a single dollar. But amid the high cost of production, how will the state be able to fight with the “OTT” project?

The Minister of Communications confirms to “Lebanon24“The project’s goal today is to provide a service to the state that has never existed before, and hence the competitiveness to enter the market depends primarily on the “zero” cost, meaning that the ministry will never be charged with providing content for the platform, and the matter will depend on the ministry obtaining a percentage of Profits, i.e. (Revenue Share) through displaying content produced by production institutions, as the entire process will pass through Ogero.

Hence, the Ministry, in cooperation with Ogero, will provide approximately 400,000 subscribers to content owners and producing companies.

The objections started

The campaign of the Minister of Communications, which began decades ago regarding illegal Internet networks, was confronted at that time by parties that were naturally affected by the reform process, and this is what we are beginning to witness today, as a campaign led by many parties aimed to disrupt the “OTT” project. Especially since this project will preserve the taxes lost by the state, estimated at tens of millions, from owners of cables that sell content services without paying taxes to the state or the intellectual property rights of content owners, knowing that the pirates who broadcast illegally control what is broadcast and what is not broadcast, in contrast to the Ministry of Communications project. .. Quite simply, whoever tries to disrupt the platform is one of those who benefit at the expense of the state.

Where is the project now?
Until now, the project has not seen the light of day, as the file is now in the custody of the Audit Bureau, as the Crimean Minister tells “Lebanon24“The Ministry submitted the file to the Bureau and the contract stipulates that the Ministry will contract with a company from the private sector for a period of 3 years, and the Ministry can terminate this contract at any time without arranging any costs or compensation for the benefit of the contracting company.
Accordingly, the Crimean Minister confirms that as soon as the approval of the Audit Bureau is obtained, the work will begin.

OTT requirements
In order to benefit from the OTT application if it comes to light, it is sufficient for the home to have internet service, in addition to a Smart TV, where the Ogero application, i.e. OTT, can be downloaded on the television after paying the fee for this service to Ogero, instead of paying it to private companies that broadcast according to their whims.
It is expected that there will be many packages that take into account the economic situation of citizens.

Source:
Lebanon Special 24