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MUMBAI: The three big multi-system operators (MSOs) - Siticable,
Hathway Cable & Datacom and Incablenet - are working on a common
pricing on their digital cable TV service to make their offerings
consumer friendly.
On the digital set-top boxes (STBs), they are planning to offer a
rental scheme of Re 1 a day at a refundable security deposit of Rs
999 once conditional access system (CAS) comes into place. Even without
buying STBs, consumers can, thus, shift to digital cable by paying
a nominal monthly rent.
"The understanding among the three MSOs is to offer a common
pricing to our subscribers so that there is no confusion in the market.
We will be offering a rental plan of Re 1 a day. We also plan to extend
this to our service packages as well," says IndusInd Media &
Communications Ltd (IMCL) director Ravi Mansukhani.
Admits Hathway Cable & Datacom CEO K Jayaraman, "We have
decided to work together. Unless we cooperate, the roll out of CAS
won't be smooth as there are forces working against it."
The three MSOs will focus on servicing their respective customers
rather than be engaged in competition amongst themselves. Though
Hathway and Siticable operators are in fight over certain territories
in Delhi, these issues are expected to be sorted out.
The MSOs will also try to unite their distributors and last mile
operators (LMOs), but margins across the value chain will be decided
only after broadcasters work out commercial agreements with them.
They have already written to broadcasters and are awaiting their
responses.
The MSOs are making concerted efforts to clear out certain common
perceptions on CAS like it not being consumer friendly. "The
Bill was not enacted for the MSOs but for the consumers. The boxes
will be available on rental schemes and the monthly subscription
fees will fall as consumers can select the channels they want to
pay for. Under the current system, the prices are artificially controlled
and the consumer is subsidised," Siticable CEO Jagjit Kohli
said, while addressing a press conference today in Mumbai.
Commenting on the competition from direct-to-home (DTH), Kohli
said cable had the advantage of packaging channels according to
local demand. "DTH has the constraint of transponder space
while cable can offer more channels," he said.
Meanwhile, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has
called for a meeting at Delhi on Monday with the MSOs and the distributors
to discuss on issues over CAS.
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