No extension of CAS deadline

http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=215303

No extension of CAS deadline

'Once the consumers realise the channels will go off air, they will
take time to choose between CAS and DTH which will see a huge rush for
subscriptions'

Sagnik Chowdhury

Mumbai, December 29: No Extension of Deadline: As per the orders from
the Delhi High Court, consumers in Mumbai will have to choose between
the Conditional Access System (CAS) or Direct to Home (DTH) services
by December 31, in order to view pay channels. Following reports in a
section of the media on Thursday, that the Centre has opened a
month-long window for the CAS rollout, the Ministry of Information and
Broadcasting clarified on Friday that there has been no extension of
the deadline.

A press release from the I&B ministry, posted on the Telecom
Regulatory Authority of India's (TRAI) official website reads, 'It is
categorically denied that any such decision to open up a month long
window after December 31 for consumers to make up their minds has been
decided…In an application moved by an Multi-system Operators (MSO)
before the Honourable High Court of Delhi for extension of time, the
court has already taken a view that no such extension of time is
possible.'



Enforcement by police
"No viewer within the notified area will be able to watch pay
channels, unless they have CAS or DTH. Under Section 4 (a) of the
Cable and Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, we will be able
to take action against cable operators who do not comply with the
court order. About 1 lakh set top boxes have been distributed, and
over 200 inter connection agreements have been signed between cable
operators and MSOs. The new system will bring a great deal of
transparency," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Enforcement) Sanjay
Mohite.

Response for CAS
There are four MSOs —City Cable, Hathway Private Limited, Incable
Network and JPR Network Private Limited— providing services within the
area notified for CAS implementation in Mumbai.

"People should be aware that there is no extension of the deadline. We
have more than 200 cable operators subscribing to us, and we have
distributed about 40,000 set top boxes to them. They will be installed
in households before the deadline," said Jaijeetsingh Kohli, director
of City Cable.

"We have 300 cable operators in the notified area, and have already
sent out 45,000 set top boxes. They have already been installed in
each consumer's house. More set top boxes will be sent out in the
following week," said K Jairaman, CEO of Hathway Private Limited.

"There are a total of 175 cable operators subscribing to our services.
They have already provided consumers the smart cards and ID numbers
required to bill them correctly under CAS. About 40,000 set top boxes
have already been installed at homes by the cable operators under us,"
said Ravi Mansukhani, official spokesperson of Incable Network.

Response to DTH
There are two DTH providers—Tata Sky and Dish TV— within the notified
area in Mumbai.

"The response has been tremendous, and there has been a 50 per cent
hike in uptake rate in the last fifteen days. Though we cannot divulge
region or city wise figures, we have over 300,000 customers across
India. Mumbai has its own peculiarities, as it is largely made up of
housing societies and apartments unlike Delhi. Therefore, all the
residents need to mutually decide on what to opt for," said Vikram
Kaushik, CEO of Tata Sky.

"We have had a lot of subscribers, and the numbers are likely to go up
after the pay channels go off the air. At present we have 60,000
subscribers in Mumbai," said Sonal, the official spokesperson for Dish
TV.

Ground reality
"We have installed 2,000 set top boxes till date. The reality is that
the demand for set top boxes will shoot up after December 31. Most of
our customers are waiting to see whether they will, somehow, continue
to get pay channels in the New Year. Once they realise that the
channels will go off air, they will then take time to choose between
CAS and DTH and this will see a huge rush for subscriptions," said
Raja Nader, director of JPR Networks Private Limited.


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