MxMIndia

Tag: Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Amendment Act

  • Mumbai has an estimated requirement of 34.85 lakh STBs, and so far 17.07 lakh STBs have been installed

    Mumbai completes 50% digitization target

    By A Correspondent

     

    A review by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has revealed that in Mumbai, 50 per cent of cable TV homes have already been installed with STBs. Mumbai has an estimated requirement of 34.85 lakh STBs, and so far 17.07 lakh STBs have been installed. The MSO-wise installation of STBs in Mumbai is:

     

    National level MSOs: Hathway – 6.16 lakh, Den – 1.40 lakh, Digicable – 2.57 lakh, IMCL – 4.77 lakh, WWIL – 50,000 Independent MSOs - 1.69 lakh.

     

    Mr Ashok Mansukhani, President, MSO Alliance and director with Hinduja-owned IndusInd Media & Communications (IMCL) said: “We are committed to complete the installation by the deadline. However, since there is no agreement with the broadcasters, it is acting as a hindrance.”

     

    In the absence of the agreement, the price of channels cannot be decided, and the same cannot be passed on to the local cable operators (LCOs). The LCOs then have a problem giving a clear price list to the customers.

     

    The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Amendment Act, 2011 has made it mandatory for switchover from the existing analogue Cable TV networks to Digital Addressable System (DAS) by December 2014, in the entire country in four phases. In the first phase, four metro cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai are to be covered by October 31.

     

    The Ministry has been coordinating with the stakeholders regarding the preparedness of the industry for digital switch-over. Installation of Set Top Boxes in cable TV homes is the most crucial precondition for digital switch over of cable television.

     

    The Ministry is holding fortnightly Task Force meetings with all the stakeholders to take constant stock of the progress and to chalk out the measures to address emerging concerns. So far 14 meetings have taken place. The meetings are held with National level and independent Multi-Systems Operators every 15 days to assess their preparedness in terms of head-end capacities to carry minimum 500 channels from January 1, 2012 and the progress of installation of Set Top Boxes in cable TV homes. They have also been advised to prepare micro plans for completion of the requisite task within the deadline and complete all the infrastructural preparations within time.

     

    Meanwhile, in order to enable the MSOs to up-load the data on the website of the Ministry, the Ministry has put in place a software and the website has been enabled for the purpose of real-time collection of data. The software will automatically generate analytical information based on the data uploaded, resulting in a clear view of the progress made. This will not only be useful for MSOs and other stakeholders but also for the Ministry, as it will infuse transparency in the system, and enable timely corrective action.

     

  • Unless Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Bengalsee the DAS in their own interest, Mrs Soni and her two key satraps won't make progress beyond impotent bluster, says Rohit Bansal

    The Anchor: Rohit Bansal on 5 must-dos for the sun to rise on Digitization on Nov 1

    By Rohit Bansal

     

    1. Govt and Ambika Soni must stay

    To state the obvious, for The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Amendment Act, 2011 to kick in the mandatory switchover of the existing analogue cable TV networks to Digital Addressable System (DAS) in the four metros of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, the government must survive.

     

    Even if that’s a given, the minister Mrs Ambika Soni mustn’t be allowed to meander into party work. If she does, a new minister will take his or her own to time settle down, and pernicious lobbies for a status quo will have an upper hand.

     

    2. Ambika Soni and her babus get three states into action

    Though Shastri Bhavan bears the mantle of implementing the Act, the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) has no boots on the ground. So, unless Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu andBengalsee the DAS in their own interest, Mrs Soni, Uday Varma and Rajeev Takru, her two key satraps, won’t make progress beyond impotent bluster.

     

    3. There’s deeper monitoring and a few scalps on the lamp post

    Albeit coming late, TRAI regulations on Tariff & Interconnection would have had enough time since April 30 to sink in. The Quality of Service Regulations and the Consumer Complaint Redressal Regulations would have existed since May 14, requiring every Broadcaster and MSO to publish its Reference Interconnect Offer within 30 days of issue of the regulation, and the stipulated 30 days for negotiations between Broadcasters and MSOs, and thereafter, the MSOs and LCOs to arrive at agreements for us ordinary Joes would have been exhausted many times over. No one could then cite lack of time for fuzziness over the terms and conditions for installing Set Top Boxes and the prices of channels on an a-la-carte as well as on a bouquet basis. Also, every MSO or its linked Cable Operator would have no excuse for failing to put a Consumer Complaint Redressal System consisting of a complaint centre with toll free consumer care number, web based complaint monitoring system, as well as appoint or designate one or more nodal officers and publish consumer’s charter for DAS.

     

    Thus Verma and Takru have their tasks cut out. Implementation is their dharma, the concerned states their believers.

     

    4. ISRO delivers the promised launch

    For any stick that Takru and Varma may hold, the cable operator is wily enough to dodge them. What she can’t is if Indian Space Research Organisation’s much-delayed GSAT-7 multi-band satellite, carrying payloads in UHF [ultra-high frequency], S-band, C-band and Ku-band, leaves the ground and starts doing some work. It would then be left to Doordarshan’s Tripurari Sharan to show his mettle and put together a free-to-air DTH platform of 200+ channels on GSAT-7. If Sharan can swing that, the cablewalla will embrace DAS with a measure of fear if not conviction.

     

    5. The DTH Gorilla Begins to Maraud

    These folks have sat on their backsides sleeping over the opportunity that “DAS Confusion” presents to them. If only they can get cable operators to become LMOs and leverage some Rs6,000crore residing in their war chests, the pure-play cablewalla will see more in digitization than what the long-arm of the regulation can ever achieve by scaring him.

     

    Rohit Bansal is CEO & Co-Founder, Hammurabi & Solomon Consulting

     

     

  • Out of total requirement of about 35 lakhs STBs, over 5 lakhs STBs have already been installed, about 4 lakhs STBs are available in the stock which are being installed and the orders have already been issued for the balance requirements of STBs

    Nearly 10 lakh STBs ready for Kolkata

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Amendment Act, 2011 has made it mandatory for switch-over of the existing analogue Cable TV networks to Digital Addressable System (DAS) by December 2014, in a phased manner. In respect of four metros of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, the digital switch-over is to be completed by June 30.

     

    The ministry is very closely monitoring all the activities for the timely implementation and the quality of the Digital Cable TV service. During the high level review meetings by the Ministry, it was revealed that in the case of Kolkata, out of total requirement of about 35 lakhs STBs, over 5 lakhs STBs have already been installed, about 4 lakhs STBs are available in the stock which are being installed and the orders have already been issued for the balance requirements of STBs.

     

    Further it came to the notice that all the MSOs already have digital head ends and the existing channel capacity in each of the case is over 200, which is the mandatory requirement as per the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable Services) Interconnection Regulation, 2012. The channel capacity is being augmented by the MSOs.

     

  • The necessary provisions have been incorporated in the Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2012 to take care of these concerns

    53 Days to D-Day | Govt addresses industry concerns over digitization

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Amendment Act, 2011 has made it mandatory for switch-over of the existing analogue Cable TV networks to Digital Addressable System (DAS) by December 2014, in a phased manner. The digital switch-over is to be completed by June 30 in the four metros -Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.

     

    Concerns had been raised by some stakeholders regarding the quality of Set Top Boxes (STBs) and the redressal of grievances of the cable TV subscribers. The necessary provisions have been incorporated in the Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2012 to take care of these concerns. As per these Rules, the STBs to be supplied by the Multi System Operators (MSOs) must conform to the quality standards specified by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

     

    The MSOs are also required to devise a mechanism for grievance redressal, as specified by TRAI, and inform the details thereof to the subscribers. The Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable Services) Interconnection Regulation, 2012 has a provision that the STBs must be BIS compliant. During a Ministry review meeting with the national level MSOs, it was revealed that out of about one crore STBs required in the four metros, over 22 lakhs STBs have already been installed, about 25 lakhs STBs are available in the stock which are being installed and the orders have already been issued for the balance requirements of STBs.

     

    MSOs have confirmed that all the indigenously manufactured STBs conform to the BIS standard and the imported STBs not only conform to the international standard but also the BIS standard. Regarding the repair of defective STBs, the MSOs have intimated that within the warranty period of one year, a defective STB will be replaced immediately free of cost. After the expiry of warranty period, a faulty STB will be taken back for repairs by giving a replacement from the available stock.

     

    The MSOs have further confirmed that the Grievance Cells are being set up for resolution of disputes, if any, and the telephone numbers of the Grievance Cells would be notified.