MMDS royalty implications
O’Malley asked whether MMDS rebroadcasting would trigger royalties; the Minister said royalty negotiations with broadcasters were ongoing and would not elaborate.
Will the Minister confirm that the MMDS system, from a technical point of view, is a rebroadcast of a signal? Referring to the point which Deputy Richard Bruton made, would that not mean that there would be royalty implications and that payment would have to be made on the basis that it is being transmitted as a rebroadcast signal as distinct from being transmitted in the normal way through the system that exists at present?
Comment on this
The MMDS is known in the trade as a wireless cable system. I wish to emphasise that royalties will have to be paid to MMDS or cable although for years they have not been paid. It is the subject of negotiation at the moment between the cable operators and the companies, BBC and the Independents, and I cannot say any more on it at this stage.
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