ITV

Category: Local Cable Operators

  • Skill training course for Maharashtra LMOs

    Skill training course for Maharashtra LMOs

    MUMBAI: As the digitisation process moves to a new stage kick starting of phases III and IV and the billing process beginning in phases I and II, the consumers are set to adapt to newer methods as well. Digitisation is going to change the way the industry functions and in the best interest of the last mile owners (LMO), who often lag behind because of lesser knowledge, a skill training programme is being launched for them.

     

    The Telecom Sector Skill Council of India (TSSCI) and Mumbai based Druv Tech Systems is launching a course that would equip the cable operators with latest technologies in the digitised world and bring them at par with the Multi System Operator (MSO).

     

    The two companies entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to work together on re-skilling broadband cable TV operators and their employees on nuances of sales, marketing, deployment and customer management. The MoU was signed between TSSCI CEO Lt. Gen. S.P. Kochhar (Retd) and Druv Tech Systems managing director Ravindra Deshmukh.

     

    “In this digitised world, where technology is changing fast, cable operators need to equip themselves well. While there is an element of customer care with the coming in of channel packaging, the operator has to deal with billing also. Things are no longer what it used to be couple of years back for the LMOs. And the course readies them for this change,” informs Deshmukh.

     

    An initiative by the government of India managed by private players, the 60-hour course will commence from the first week of March in Mumbai and Pune.

     

    Deshmukh says, “The idea of the course is to inculcate amongst operators soft skills which will help them learn the art to speak to customers, register complaints, market different services like content and broadband plan etc,” he adds.

     

    Deshmukh thinks that cable operators now need to be trained in all aspects of operations: cable TV and broadband. “The idea is to ensure that both the LMO and MSO are on the same page,” he says. Also while earlier the LMOs were not accountable to anyone, now everything needs to be reported. “For the player to become a mainstream player, this course is a must,” he adds.

     

    “Also, consumers will soon move towards electronic mode of payment. The LMO needs to understand how to accept online and card payment. The aim of the course is to bring uniformity in the industry operating standard,” he informs.

     

    To ensure maximum participation, the course has been designed such that the LMO can choose from a weekend course which is a full day course on Saturday and Sunday or an alternate day course which will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday in the evening. “The course aims at rescaling the operator,” he says.

     

    The batch will comprise 25 operators who will be assessed independently by TSSCI appointed professionals. The study material provided will be in English. “But there is also a provision wherein, a translated version of the study material will be available. And for the start, we are giving study material translated in Marathi for Maharashtra,” informs Deshmukh.

     

    The fee that comprises sessions of one-and-a-half hour each is Rs 10,000. “But if one successfully clears the exam will get an immediate cash return from the government of India, making it free of cost for the operator,” he says.

     

    It’s a part of corporate social responsibility of the company and is a way for them to connect better with their operators. The course will cover areas like broadband services, CPE and devices management, marketing, back office and customer care, to name a few.

     

    Druv Tech has partnered with the Maharashtra Institute of Technology School of Telecom Management (MITSOT) in Pune for the course. “People from Hathway Cable & Datacom, IndusInd Media Communication Ltd, Tata Communications, UPASS and telecom will form the part of teaching faculty,” he informs.

     

    Deshmukh thinks that the MoU is the most important initiative undertaken by Druv Tech. “This will equip the ecosystem to play a significant role in the transformation of broadband and cable TV sector through unique combination of technology and skill development training,” he concludes.

     

    The first batch for the course has been fully booked by Maharashtra Cable Operators Federation (MCOF) as a part of its member empowerment initiative.

  • Kolkata LCOs against having to obtain NOCs from MSOs

    Kolkata LCOs against having to obtain NOCs from MSOs

    KOLKATA: It’s their fight for survival. Local cable operators (LOC) from Kolkata are now up in arms against the regulation that requires them to obtain no-objection certificates (NOCs) from multi-system operators (MSOs) to be able to get their licences renewed.

     

    It’s not just the billing, inter-connect agreements or revenue sharing issues that is of concern to the LCOs. The requirement of having to obtain NOCs from MSOs for their annual licences is another issue they are preparing to fight against.

     

    LCOs across the country now come under an amended rule which states that LCOs have to take NOCs from their respective MSOs for renewal of their annual licence from the Post and Telegraph department, which, the LCOs feel, makes their survival at the mercy of the MSOs.

     

    Swapan Chowdhury, convener of the Joint Forum of Cable Operators’ Association (JFCOA), said earlier the LCOs, the last mile operators, had to apply to the government for renewal of their licences but now have to take NOCs from private companies, the MSOs. “It shall be difficult for the LCOs to exist and operate,” he argued.

     

    “The forum will raise its objection with TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Auhtority of India) and shall (also) challenge the merit of such an amendment in the appropriate court of law shortly,” Chowdhury said.

     

    “This mandatory digitisation has adversely affected our livelihood and has proved detrimental to our interests. If TRAI wants the LCOs to be wiped out from the cable TV industry business, it is fine but asking us to get NOCs from MSOs is not a fair idea at all,” said an LCO from the Cable Operators Sangram Committee.

     

    The LCOs are also against the practice of having to renew licences every year. They want the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting to issue LCOs licences for 10 years.

     

    “The LCOs are registered with post offices for 1 year whereas the MSOs get the licenses for 10 years from the ministry. This is making LCO business uncertain,” Chowdhury rued.

     

    Kolkata-based MSOs when contacted said they would adhere to the rules and regulations prescribed by the authorities and ensure that digitisation of cable TV happens smoothly.

  • GGCTOA to pay Rs 3.5 lakh to APDCL as electric pole fee

    GGCTOA to pay Rs 3.5 lakh to APDCL as electric pole fee

    MUMBAI: After months of headbanging over the issue of electric poles, the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) seems to finally have a respite. After an order from the Guwahati High Court on 29 January, the Greater Guwahati Cable TV Operators Association (GGCTOA) has decided to pay Rs 10 as the electric pole usage fee for the month of February to APDCL. It was decided today at a meeting held in Guwahati.

     

    “We have resolved to pay the bill of APDCL in compliance to the High Court order,” says GGCTOA general secretary Md Iquebal Ahmed. The payment will be made by 25 February. “This is an interim arrangement as we do not want any contempt of court,” adds Ahmed.

     

    Recently, APDCL fulfilled the demand of GGCTOA as they gave them the data of electric poles used by cable operators in the city. A survey conducted by APDCL revealed that 8,287 electric poles are used by cable operators in Guwahati electric division of North, 6,136 electric poles in central division, 8,311 electric poles in the south Guwahati, 7,275 poles in east division and 3,268 poles in the west division, the total tally coming up to 33,277.

     

    While GGCTOA has agreed to pay for now, they have written to APDCL for a clarity on the number.  “We have been given random figures of the five zones. We need clarity on the area where the poles are being used by cable operators. Also, data on the number of electric poles used by each cable operator needs to be specified,” informs Ahmed.

     

    To ensure smooth collection of payment, GGCTOA has come up with a temporary arrangement. “We are short of time and thus have asked the multi system operators (MSOs) to collect 12 per cent extra revenue from the local cable operators. We cannot collect it from the LCOs and so we have roped in the MSOs,” he informs.

     

    The association has to pay Rs 3.5 lakh for using close to 33,000 poles for a month. “Every LCO will be given a payment receipt by the MSO which will be issued in the name of GGCTOA. Also, the MSO will get a payment receipt from us,” says Ahmed, who feels that this process will ensure clarity on payment. “If any MSO collects extra money from any LCO, we will be able to track it through the receipts generated from our end and will ensure that it is refunded,” he adds.

     

    However, in the letter sent to APDCL, the cable operators association has questioned the basis of making GGCTOA responsible to collect the electric pole fee. “We have around 250 LCO members who are operating in their own capacity and utilizing the poles, without any information sharing regarding the infrastructure. So holding GGCTOA responsible is incorrect,” says Ahmed, who has appealed to APDCL on billing the operator directly and on the actual number of poles he uses.

     

    The association which is currently gearing up to collect the electric pole fee as ordered by the High Court will approach the court again on 28 February if APDCL doesn’t respond to its letter. While on its part, the Association will make the payment on 25 February.

  • Kolkata LCOs want to raise bills, pay tax themselves

    Kolkata LCOs want to raise bills, pay tax themselves

    KOLKATA:  It is their fight for staying relevant and thwart looming extinction due to digitisation. More than 2,000 local cable operators (LCOs) from Kolkata have joined forces to keep the last mile in their control.

     

    The LCOs, under the banner of Joint Forum of Cable Operators’ Association (JFCOA), have decided to mobilise support and start billing their customers themselves, instead of their multi-system operators (MSOs) doing it.

     

    The LCOs also want to start paying service tax themselves to the government authorities.

     

    “We will conduct several meetings among operators across the city to mobilise support ,” said JFCOA convener Swapan Chowdhury.

     

    JFCOA has decided to put pressure on MSOs to make the necessary provisions in their systems to enable billing from the cable operators’ end.

     

    “(This has been decided) in order to restrain MSOs’ ill intention to eradicate LCOs from the business,” said Chowdhury, after a conference which also attended by representatives of MSOs Meghbela Broadband Services and GTPL-KCBPL.

     

    With the implementation of digitisation of cable TV services in Phase I and Phase II, the MSOs have been made responsible for sending of bills to cable TV consumers.

     

    Indiantelevision.com had last month reported that Kolkata’s LCOs have come together to form the JFCOA in a bid to articulate their problems to MSOs and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

     
    The conference today discussed issues the LCOs have about billing, interconnect agreement, and the ratio of revenue sharing between LCOs and MSOs with the implementation of digitised delivery of television channels to television households.

      
    A member of the Cable Operators’ Sangram Committee said the LCOs have requested MSOs not to interrupt cable operators’ services till the various issues raised by them are resolved.

     

    The LCO suggested that there should be an interconnection agreement between the MSO and the LCOs to conduct business in the DAS regime. “In spite of a business relationship and business transactions between the two of them, no interconnect agreement has been followed till now, which is a violation of the law,” he said.

     
    Another LCO pointed out that MSOs were not executing the agreement with LCOs even though DAS had been implemented since February last year. “DAS agreement with cable operators should be completed by MSOs with immediate effect…” he demanded.

     

    Sujit Das, MD of AMBC, an MSO, said his company could not participate in the conference, but would still talk to affiliated LCOs and discuss issues raised via the forum.

  • GGCTOA writes to APDCL, asks to disclose electric pole data for Guwahati

    GGCTOA writes to APDCL, asks to disclose electric pole data for Guwahati

    MUMBAI: The Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) and Greater Guwahati Cable TV Operators’ Association (GGCTOA) still seem to be at loggerheads on the issue of the payment for the electric poles. After several meetings and deadlines, the issue remains unresolved.

     

    The issue began in September last year when APDCL asked the cable operators in Assam to pay Rs 25 per electric pole per month. The issue has just stretched since then, the last set deadline for cable operators to pay Rs 25 as electric pole fee was 22 January. It was then that GGCTOA approached the Guwahati High Court. The High Court, in the hearing held on 29 January, has asked both parties to come on a consensus by 28 February.

     

    “Let the required exercise be carried out as expeditiously as possible preferably within 28.02.2014, subject however, to the condition that petitioner shall pay the change of Rs 10 per pole for a period of one month i.e. up to 28.02.2014, which however is subject to the final outcome of the exercise required to be carried out in terms of the order and without prejudicing the rights and contentions of the parties. Needless to say that in the event of the prayer of the petitioners finds favour of APDCL authority, the said amount will be adjusted with future charge, if any, or refunded,” the Guwahati HC order reads.

     

    However, now GGCTOA has written to the APDCL and has asked to disclose the number of poles used by the cable operators. “We have written to the APDCL on 3 February and have asked them to arrange for a meeting and also give us the complete data of the number of polls used by the cable operators and amount that has to be collected, since we do not have any such data with us,” informs GGCTOA general secretary Md Iquebal Ahmed. 

     

    The cable operators have also agreed to pay Rs 10 per electric pole per month in the interim. “But for that we will need the data. Also, if in this interim the APDCL can bring down the electric pole fee to Rs 10 or less, we will be happy. If it doesn’t, we will again approach the court,” adds Ahmed.

     

    According to APDCL, 31,000 electric poles in Guwahati are being used by the cable operators. “The HC expects us to settle down issues before 28 February. We will decide on that in the coming days,” says APDCL public relation officer Chandra Mudoi, informing that they have received the letter from GGCTOA and will act on it soon.

  • JAINHITS DPs successfully hosts LCO meet for AP

    JAINHITS DPs successfully hosts LCO meet for AP

    VIJAYWADA:  JAINHITS, India’s only HITS Platform based service in an effort to digitize all analogue cable networks in the country, conducted a massive LCO (Local Cable Operators) meet in association with the state DP (Distribution Partners) for the Andhra Pradesh region. The meet saw close to 650 LCOs from across the state. The objective was to inform the gathering about the immediate cable digitization solutions that JAINHITS can provide across every corner of India.

     

    Present on the occasion, Mr. Pradip Baijal, Ex Chief, TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) said, “JAINHITS has obtained content coupled with all the regulatory approvals to supply cable TV and broadband, and has downloaded its signal. The time has come for the latest technology of HITS to take the signal directly to the LCOs, and then to subscribers, and to also supply broadband to subscribers through the LCOs.”

     

    According to the TRAI’s policy, it is expected that the services of several lakh cable subscribers are likely to be disrupted due to non-receipt of their Digital Addressable System (DAS) license from the Centre. Thus, JAINHITS – India’s first DTN service based on the next generation technology of HITS (Headend-In-The-Sky) can play a crucial role with its triple play service offering: Video, Voice and Data that can help digitize all analogue cable networks.

     

    JAINHITS is not only offering digital cable services, but also providing high speed broadband and multi-screen service which allows the subscribers to view their favorite content on their TV sets, smart phones or tablet PCs – anywhere, anytime; apart from that there are interactive services such as healthcare, education and financial inclusion. HITS is the only platform in the country, offering complete empowerment  and ownership to even the smallest LCO by making him a Leader & Cable Owner and an Independent Service Operator (ISO), by introducing innovative Products, Services, Schemes & Offerings etc. which will make the Digitization Process within the reach of their economic availability.
     

    All the DPs for the state of AP were present at the meet namely; V. Balaji, Master Care Electronics Pvt. Ltd. (Vijayawada), P. Prasada Raju, One Implex Business Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (Hyderabad), Srinivasa Rao, Priyadarshini Communications (Kurnool), Prasada Raju, Priima Infomatics Pvt. Ltd. (Warangal), S. M Reddy, Sm Channel Marketing and B. Suresh, Sri HiSpeed Network (Tirupati). Giving the local flavor, the DPs present there elaborated on the relevance of the services for the AP market. In heavy monsoon period unlike the competition, JAINHITS technology, offers uninterrupted broadcast services for its subscribers in the region.

     

    The key proposition of the HITS platform is its cost-effective investment for cable operators which stands at a minimum of only Rs 25,000 per month. With this, they expect to do business with 400 plus partners and install over 1000 Mini Downlink Headend’s across 640 districts of India by the end of 2014.

     

    About JAINHITS:

    JAINHITS is a satellite communications company with no ground presence & has MSO, ISP and HITS license. Its product portfolio includes Mini Downlink Headend and CMTS for Cable Operators with some add on accessories like Nodes, Amplifiers and Wi-Fi Hot Spots which will help them increase their ARPUs. JAINHITS is offering more than 250 Digital TV Channels through the Standard and High Definition Set Top Boxes (MPEG-4) with the Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) standards, Broadband through Wired and Wireless Modems, Value Added Services like Video On Demand (VoD) and Innovative Products like Cloud Broadband, Gaming Console etc. JAINHITS plans to soon provide online Education and Healthcare to its consumers through its network of ISO’s.

     

    Only JAINHITS delivers signals directly to LCO / MSO Networks across India with a plug and play solution. With an aim to make cable operator businesses independent and growth oriented, it helps LCOs go Digital over night and ensure full compliance across legal, regulatory, and content requirements at the lowest comparative investments.

  • TRAI awaits call from Madras High Court for Arasu hearing

    TRAI awaits call from Madras High Court for Arasu hearing

    MUMBAI: More than four weeks have passed since the Madras High Court gave the interim order restraining the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) from taking any coercive steps against the Tamil Nadu state government-owned MSO Arasu Cable TV Corp for giving analogue signals in Chennai.

     

    However, there has been no follow up by the Madras HC on what it intends to do following the stay. 

     

    Anticipating a date soon, TRAI lawyers are already up on their toes and are compiling their response so that it can be submitted to the court. “We are still waiting for a date of the hearing. We haven’t heard anything from the court,” says a senior TRAI official.

     

    The case filed against two parties – the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) and the TRAI will hopefully be  heard soon where the respondents from both the parties will get a chance to present their individual viewpoints. 

     

    The entire issue cropped up because Arasu has not been granted a digital addressable system (DAS) licence to run its business in the state even after continuous efforts to secure it. The MSO is still giving out analogue signals, thus keeping Chennai as the only city from Phase I to not go the whole hog on digitisation. 

     

    In its order which it passed late December 2013, the court states that the Inter-ministerial Committee (IMC) formed to decide the fate of Arasu has to move quickly on it. The order also mentions that Arasu abided by the rules and applied for a licence even after the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 was amended in 2012.

     

    “It is not known to this Court as to why the first respondent (MIB) has not taken any decision so far on the application of the petitioner,” states the order. 

     

    The TRAI view on this is quite clear. Says a senior official at the regulator: “The decision on granting the licence lies with the MIB. In our recommendation we said that state governments should not be given the licence. The IMC is working on it but we haven’t yet got any response from them.” 

     

    The HC also states that since Arasu had followed the rules for applying for a licence, the MIB is not justified in keeping the matter pending and not arriving at a conclusion. It has also directed the Ministry to come out with a decision at the earliest.

     

    If MIB follows the TRAI’s cue and bars Arasu from securing a licence, the regulator  can take action against the MSO, according to the official. “If the MIB disqualifies Arasu from getting a licence, it cannot operate and if they do, they will be in violation of the law,” he says.

     

    As of now, nothing can be done against Arasu due to the interim order given by the Madras HC. But which direction this case moves is extremely crucial as the country is soon entering phase III and IV of digitisation. And it will decide whether the city of Chennai remains an analogue island in a sea of digitised India. 

  • Assam cable ops now take APDCL to Court

    Assam cable ops now take APDCL to Court

    MUMBAI: Following failure to comply with the 22 January deadline set by the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) as regards payment for usage of electric pole, the Greater Guwahati Cable TV Operators’ Association (GGCTOA) representing the Assam cable operators has now approached the Guwahati High Court.  

     

    “We decided to move the High Court after talks with several state ministers and the APDCL on the issue of extending the deadline for complying with payment for electric pole usage failed. Also, we have not yet agreed to the Rs 25 per electric pole per month module as proposed by APDCL,” informed GGCTOA general secretary Md Iquebal Ahmed.

     

    For long now, the GGCTOA has been demanding reduction in electric pole usage fees from Rs 25 per month to Rs 8-10 per month. Despite numerous meetings with APDCL officials and also a meeting with Assam Power Minister Pradyut Bordloi on 24 December last year, the cable operators haven’t got any respite.

     

    At the 17 December meeting between GGCTOA and APDCL, the latter had asked operators in the Guwahati Metro region to start paying Rs 25 per electric pole per month from 15 January itself. It was only later that GGCTOA bought some more time and got the deadline for compliance extended to 22 January.

     

    GGCTOA has filed the petition on 23 January and the case should be up for hearing next week. The case will be presented in the Court by advocate PK Goswami.

  • MCOF and its MSO-LMO revenue sharing proposal

    MCOF and its MSO-LMO revenue sharing proposal

    MUMBAI: The struggle to find a solution on how multisystem operators (MSOs) and cable operators (LMOs – last mile owners) will work together in a digitised India continues.  The discussions between Maharashtra Cable Operators Federation (MCOF) and Hathway Cable & Datacom to come up with a workable arrangement had given some hope for a smooth rollout of MOS-LMO revenue shares, and consumer billing in Mumbai. But talks between the two seem to have come to a standstill for some time now. 

     

    Indiantelevision.com has got a hold of the proposed revenue share model which has been hammered out after a lot of thought and conversation: it takes into consideration operational expenses (OPEX) and the capital expenditure (CAPEX) of both the LMOs and MSOs.

     

    “It is as much in our interest as it is in the MSO’s to resolve the bottleneck, differentiate amongst subscribers and cater to their needs to optimise the network resources and push ARPUs up in the shortest time,” says MCOF president Arvind Prabhoo.  

     

    According to the proposed revenue sharing structure, the MSO: LMO share for free to air (FTA) channels should be 37 per cent : 63 per cent. For basic pay packages, the price range of which is Rs 150-Rs 250 (excluding taxes), the proposed revenue share is 45 per cent : 55 per cent; for advanced pay channels, which are in the price range of more than Rs 250, the revenue share proposed is 50 per cent : 50 per cent. For special/VOD packages, it is 75 per cent : 25 per cent and for HD channel packages it is 60 per cent: 40 per cent.

     

    “The best way for the industry to not only survive but prosper to its true potential is to work as a pure and true partnership business. MCOF will act as the collection management and settlement entity,” adds Prabhoo.  

     

    The MCOF model assumes that every MSO has two systems in place: the subscriber management system (SMS) and Financial Accounting System (FAS). The SMS hosts the entire subscriber details and is the basis of value chain reconciliation and audit.  

     

    “We have proposed that the MSO use this to generate end-customer bills with full details, factoring the LMO income share and taxes at various levels. These bills would be raised in the name of the LMO network and carry the tagline powered by the MSO,” says Prabhoo.

     

    The billing details, as per the proposal, will be pulled by MCOF and placed on the cloud and each LMO would gain access via the worldwide web using a mobile device or through a desktop.  The collection data is planned to  be captured in real time using MCOF approved technology, which is currently UPASS and updated on the MCOF cloud in real time and at the MSO-end either in real time or on an end of day basis.

     

    “We will work out the tax liability at LMO levels and guide them to use the technology to compile tax returns/challans. We will also reconcile the MSO-LMO accounts taking into account prepaid/post paid, online payments made to the MSO and unpaid customers,” informs Prabhoo.  

     

    Explaining the reason for the proposed revenue share, Prabhoo says, “The LMO has certain base expenses to cover, such as employees, office rent, repairs and replacements of shared infrastructure, audit and tax returns.”

     

    The effective OPEX for an LMO, according to MCOF for 1000 subscribers is Rs 109,500 a month. “The LMO’s per subscriber cost comes to Rs 109.5. We need at least Rs 109- Rs 110 to pay the employees and other costs. So this is the minimum and then comes profitability,” he highlights.

     

    The average CAPEX per subscriber is close to Rs 4000. Also, MCOF points that while the subscribers/employee ratio for an LMO is around 400, it is expected to be more than 5000 for a MSO. Thus making the OPEX element much higher for an LMO than an MSO.  

     

    Prabhoo feels that while the MSO is a wholesaler and LMO the retailer, the assumption of equal sharing as envisioned by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) needs to be rectified and replaced by equitable sharing.

     

    “We have had detailed discussions with the TRAI on this and the matter will be reviewed sooner or later, but for sure it is not correct on TRAI to assume equal sharing by all three stakeholders,” he says.   

     

    The collection cost currently is entirely on the LMO while a good part of the monies flows to MSOs. This, according to MCOF needs to be allocated in the revenue share formula, if not actually computed and reimbursed. “For all practical purposes the LMO’s work load will increase as he acts as the marketing arm and administrative support system for the MSOs. Also, another round of set top box (STB) deployment/retrieval/repairs/replacement by HD boxes will entail quite a lot expense.”

     

    MCOF, in the email to MSOs, has also suggested that carriage fees should be clubbed with customer revenues, being a mathematical product of STBs in place and carriage fee per STB.

     

    MCOF has agreed that the UPASS technology, devices and connectivity costs will be borne by the LMOs. Also while integration, payment gateway, electronic processing and settlement system costs are incurred by the MSOs for direct connections or internet services, for any additional integration, the cost can be shared with the LMOs on a pro-rata basis.

     

    The LMOs are also suggesting carriage fee sharing as a loyalty bonus. “This can be mutually worked out,” says Prabhoo.  

     

    The new system will enable the MSO to see and monitor the exact collections made each month by the LMO and also the revenue due to the MSO, excluding taxes. While revenue will be booked in both books as per packages, the LMO will pay the MSO per month for all the collections made during the previous month after deducting taxes and the LMO share within seven days of the invoice being generated by the MSO.

     

    While MCOF is trying to move things forward, what’s stopping the MSOs? “Well! There are talks going on between the promoters of the MSOs. There is no consensus amongst the MSOs and that is what is taking time,” says a Hathway official on condition of anonymity.

     

    According to the official, the proposed revenue share by MCOF is acceptable, with minor changes. “But, all the MSOs operating in the state, have to come to a consensus, which I don’t see happening soon,” he says. The official feels that billing in Mumbai is most likely going to  be delayed further.

     

    SitiCable Network, which also has a presence in the country’s financial capital says it may soon conclude on how it will share revenues. “We are negotiating. We may announce our revenue share in a couple of days. Since, we have a small presence in the state, we are seeing what other MSOs are doing there,” explains  SitiCable Network chief operating officer Anil Malhotra.

  • Chennai Corp cracks the whip on cable TV ops

    Chennai Corp cracks the whip on cable TV ops

    MUMBAI: A major crackdown on cable TV operators is taking place in Chennai. 

     

    The Chennai civic body, The Chennai Corporation has gone on a drive to collect infrastructure usage and registration charges from local cable TV operators in the city.

     

    Sources in Chennai revealed that around 16 companies were given legal status after they coughed up Rs 1 crore to the corporation. Currently, the civic body charges Rs 9,400 per km as infrastructure use rent to cable TV and telecom operators, though a proposal to hike it to Rs 32,000 is pending with the government. 

      

    The Chennai Corporation has been trying to clean up the city and had issued orders to its employees and staff to snap cables of the operators who did not pay up. It expects to collect another Rs 1 crore in the coming week. 

    The civic body is expected to next streamline the way the cables have been strung over head all over Chennai, say officials.