how do i start my own cable service

falteringstar

How do I start my own cable service?

Where I live there is a small local cable company the service is very unreliable with a very weak picture. But it has an ok selection of channels, RTE1, NET2, TV3, TG4, BBC1, BBC2, UTV, CH4, MTV Germany, Eurosport, Boomerang, Sky News. He uses an aerial to pick up the UK and Irish terrestrials and picks up the others at 19¢ª east. But to be honest I don¡¯t know if his service is legal, but it was a few years ago because he had sky one.
I want to do something similar on a local scale as well, but obviously the aerial would be redundant soon, due to the analouge switch off date. So how do I set such a system up to pick up the digital signal and redistribute it through cable. Secondly how do I get the permission of the channels I wish to carry, how much would that cost considering it¡¯s on a local scale (5-6,000 people)? What do I need equipment wise and how much would it cost?

Very much appreciate any information you can give me

Genghis

I'd say you need a licence from Comreg, especially if you are talking of 5-6,000 subscribers - something I'd think is quite substantial in terms of numbers.

As regards channel rights, these would also need to be sorted, though I don't know how. Depending on your location, you may have the right to rebroadcast UK terrestrials under the 'fortuitous reception' clause of EU law, though afaik all cablecos also have deals for rebroadcasting.

And ... this thread will be moved!

patrickmooney

Now this wouldn't be a little town north of Dublin starting with an "L"????

Lennoxschips

You'd need a seperate digibox for every channel you want to pick up from Dsat. (tune in via the other channels, so you don't get the Red dot in the corner) You could then use the RF out on the Sky box to hook it up to your cable system, I guess.

(As for broadcasting rights etc, I have no idea)

falteringstar

nope a little town in kildare starting with K

falteringstar

i know it'll be moved i put it here to get more people to read this section's more popular than the cable mmds one.

i was thinking i'd need a digibox per station, but would sky allow me to use their cards like that of the ftv ones? plus wouldn't all the channels be on the same frequency if they're all coming from a digi box.

any address for comreg?

icdg

First of all, please don't start two identical threads in two forums. Action to be taken: This thread will be moved to the Cable and MMDS forum, then merged with the pre-existing thread there.

Now to your question:

There are two types of licences for cable: the 1974 Wired Broadcast Relay licence, and the 1999 Television Programme Retransmission Licence. The 1999 Licences were directed at existing MSO cable providers (ie NTL and Chorus) and require the provision of a digital cable system. So these may not be what you are looking for. Digital cable head ends are EXTREMELY expensive (NTL has just two major head ends for all its UK and Ireland networks, Langley and Bromley both in England. Regional channels such as RTE and TV3 are inserted by smaller Regional Head-Ends like Dublin and Belfast).

The 1974 Licence continurs to be held by several small cable companies, and would be more of the type you are looking for. But I'm not sure whether COMREG will still issue you a licence on this basis. AFAIK the plan was that these systems would be left as "legacy" systems pending the launch of DTT, which is now not going to happen. What will happen here is anyones guess.

If you want to try your arm, www.comreg.ie is the address of the Commission for Communications Regulation.

For programme rights, you will need premission from the BBC, the ITV Network Centre, and Channel 4 for the relay of their programmes. You will have to pay them a rights fee per subscriber. For satellite channels, rights are not usually an issue, however since these are pay channels you must instead pay them the wholesale rate (say, 25c per subsciber per month). Premium channels have a higher wholesale rate reflecting their premium status.

Finally to consider is the cost of a head end, for an even simple one this can run into thousands of euros. Cabling streets will require payment to councils of bonds, this may run into millions.

In short, setting up a cable system is not a cheap or easy task. Good luck in your endevour, but nowadays a proper service is really the domain of a strong multinational company.

Genghis

afaik you can alter the output frequency on which a digibox transmits, either through the normal EPG services menu, or via the 'secret, but not so secret' installers menu.

Anyway, my guess is that you will need more equipment than a handful of digiboxes, you will need some kind of multiplexing unit (where you feed in all channels), and some boosters, both at source and at intervals between base and your customers.

Also, have you thought about 'the last mile' - this is going to be a much bigger problem for you. Or were you thinking along the lines of "encrypted deflector" / 'wireless cable'?

spongebob

on that scale I would get the locals (punters) to set up a club....non profit doesnt mean lossmaking you know.
'
talk to your credit union ...they could be a great help

M

BrianD

I think digiboxes and cards are the absolute least of your worries!! Unless you are buying an existing cable network you need to think more about what sort of JCB you are going to buy rather rather than what FTA card!!

Think of it this way. You will have to dig a trench to every house you want to service, the cabling, dealing with construction crews, licences and permits, the maintenance. On top of that you have marketing the service, persuading them to switch to your telephone service., your broadband service. Then the won't pay on time or pay for it all. At the same time your bank is leaning on.

Put it this way, if NTL can't do it with 8.4 million homes in their franchise areas (UK & Ireland), how will you?

Genghis

*Strays off topic here*

So, was that you on Phantom last night, Brian?

BrianD

err...if it was between 7 and 9pm, yes!