TTCS draft comments on TATT “Discussion Paper on Android Boxes in Trinidad and Tobago” – please review and comment

The TTCS has begun drafting a possible submission to the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) “Discussion Paper on Android Boxes in Trinidad and Tobago” (PDF ; 666K ; 22 pages)

Our core draft comment :

“The reasons for falling subscription models are not only due to piracy but due to changing habits from consumers, especially more internet savvy ones who want

– to have choices on what to watch from online services like YouTube and Netflix.

– to have choice on what device they want to watch be it their

television, computer, mobile phone or tablet

– to decide when they want to watch content and be able to pause and resume watching content when they want.

– having more choices other than just watching TV or online content (browsing/posting to social media, playing online games)

The appeal of paying for subscriber TV to watch a subset of TV channels with ads and to be constrained by the schedule of what TV channels are broadcasting at specific times isn’t likely to appeal to Internet savvy users.

The success of Netflix shows that persons are willing to pay for content, as well as persons buying video content from services like Apple or watch ads when watching online video from services like YouTube.

The proliferation of cinema megacomplexes in Trinidad and Tobago also point to persons that are willing to pay to watch the latest movie releases.

TATT should therefore NOT impose protectionist measures to protect the business models  offered by subscription TV industry.”

Please view and comment on the draft TTCS comments on TATT’s Discussion Paper on Android Boxes in Trinidad and Tobago. You do not need a Google account to comment.

TATT’s deadline for comments on the discussion paper is Friday August 24 2018.