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Last year was the first time the trade show, that sees a variety
of Western and domestic cable and allied hardware
suppliers displaying their latest wares, saw an entry of the Chinese.
With the USP of low prices and average quality, Chinese goods have
long been swamping the Indian retail market - now it seems to have
extended to the fibre optic market as well.
At the trade show, buyers seem to have taken to the Chinese goods,
which are available at nearly 30 per cent of the cost of their Western
counterparts.
"They are offering value for money at the prices they offer
- a potent combination," says Dinyar Contractor, organiser
of the show.
It is the Chinese goods which are triggering massive growth in
the sector in India, enabling fibre optic penetration to the smallest
of towns - as an entire fibre optic network, complete with transmitters
et al can be set up at just Rs 100,000 with Chinese brands, Contractor
says. Fibre optic cable available at Rs eight per metre has been
instrumental in helping revolutionise the cable scenario in the
country in the last couple of years, says Contractor.
Overall, the show in its second day today, has been attracting
a fair number of visitors from all over the country - the major
attractions being the fibre optics and the digital receivers on
display.
Also present at the show are regular broadcasters Sahara, Deutsche
Welle and Sanskar TV.
CAS (conditional access system) that turned out to be a non-starter
does not seem to have dampened the spirits at the show. Addressability
hardware makers too were in full force, with the hope and prayer
that conditional access will make its appearance in India sooner
than later.
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