The European Union (EU) through its negotiators have agreed
new rules that will allow European viewers to use online subscriptions
otherwise known as Over-The-Top (OTT) to movies, sports and music when travelling
within the European Union, reports ITRealms.
Over-the-top content (OTT) ITRealms gathered, is the audio, video, and other media content delivered over the Internet without the involvement of a multiple-system operator (MSO) in the control or distribution of the content.
The agreement, according to report by BroadbandNews, was
reached Tuesday evening by European Parliament negotiators, although the proposals
were initially put forward in December 2015.
This expert says is the first agreement related to the
modernisation on EU copyright rules as proposed by the Commission in the Digital
Single Market strategy.
Vice-President in charge of the Digital Single Market Andrus
Ansip welcomed the agreement: “Today’s agreement will bring concrete benefits
to Europeans. People who have subscribed to their favourite series, music and
sports events at home will be able to enjoy them when they travel in Europe.
This is a new important step in breaking down barriers in the Digital Single
Market”.
The agreement comes just a week after a separate agreement
on roaming charges.
In a survey carried out in 2015, one in three Europeans
wanted cross-border portability. For young people, this possibility is even
more important. Half of people aged between 15 and 39 years old thought that
portability and accessing the service they subscribe to when travelling in
Europe is important.
Future regulation will mean a French consumer subscribing to
Canal Plus online will be able to access their content while on holiday in
Croatia.
The agreed text must now be formally confirmed by the
Council of the EU and the European Parliament. Once adopted, the rules will
become applicable in all EU Member States by beginning of 2018 as the
Regulation grants providers and right holders a 9-month period to prepare for
the application of the new rules.
*StaffWriter with additional report from BroadbandNews/GEE
No comments:
Post a Comment