MUMBAI: The ministry of information and broadcasting seems to be pretty serious about the new conditional access system (CAS) deadline.
The ministry has released 25*4 col cms ads in all the major newspapers in Mumbai. The copy says "from 1 September 2003, every cable operator will transmit/re-transmit every pay channel through a set top box (STB) in the areas of metro city of Mumbai. Introduction of CAS will protect viewers from arbitrary and frequent hikes, as was being observed earlier with the monthly subscription rates."
The ad says that no STB will be required to watch free-to-air channels as these channels will be received in the manner signals are received in the pre-CAS era. It also adds that FTA channels will be receivable within a maximum price of Rs 72 plus taxes.
The ad urges viewers to demand the details of the pay TV prices and schemes for STBs from their cable operators. It also counsels the viewers that STBs will give them a choice of viewing a pay channel so that they choose the channel they wish to watch after knowing its price. "The STB will empower you to shut out the content that you don not wish your family to watch," it informs viewers.
The ad also gives the following contact details of MSO Helplines:
* SitiCable - 56936343 [email protected]
* INCableNet - 1-600-223456 www.incablenet.com
* Hathway - 22885866 www.hathway.net
The Greater Mumbai municipal council areas that have been specified in the notification include:
the area to the west of the mainline of central railway between Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) and Sion railway station; the area from Navy Nagar in the south of Mumbai to CST railway station in the north including Ballard Estate, Colaba, RC Church, World Trade Centre, Nariman Point, Cuffe Parade, Bombay Stock Exchange area, Fort, Fountain, Horniman Circle, Prince of Wales museum, Reserve Bank of India, Churchgate, Shahid Bhagat Singh road, Town Hall, Madam Cama Road, Veer Nariman road, Mahatma Gandhi road, Dr Dadabhai Nauroji road, Marine Lines, Charni Road, Kalbadevi, Thakurdwar, Girgaum, Walkeshwar, Napean sea Road, Cumbala Hill, Malabar Hill, Grant Road, Khetwadi, Breach Candy, Peddar road, Haji Ali, Mahalaxmi, Worli, Tardeo, Altamount road, Dr Dadasaheb Bhadkamkar road, Sardar Vallabhai Patel road, Saat Raasta, Lala Lajpatrai road, Mahalaxmi Race Course road, Dr Annie Besant, NM Joshi, Gokhale road, Dr Moses road, Prabhadevi, Dadar (west), Shivaji Park, Cadell road, Lady Jamshedji road, Sitladevi road, Mahim, general Arunkumar Vidya marg; the Sion-Bandra Link road and Mahim causeway on the northern side.
