Category: Cable TV

Slow pace of court cases, MSO registration may delay DAS deadline

NEW DELHI: Between the analog sunset and a digital morning are court cases and cumbersome and slow MSO registration processes. And, the deadline of 31 December 2016 appears to be becoming a distant possibility despite assertions to the contrary in the stakeholder-government meetings.

A mere 26 MSOs got provisional registration in November 2016, taking the total to 1,059 and the number of permanent MSOs (with ten-year licences) remaining static at 229.

With the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) directive about doing away with security clearances for MSOs not being communicated in writing to the MIB, confusion prevails slowing down the registration processes of MSOs for delivering services in DAS areas.

Junior minister in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) Rajyavardhan Rathore had admitted in response to a question in Parliament recently that legal cases, filed mostly by cable operators relating to some phases of digital rollout, may delay the year-end sunset date for analog services in the country.

Though MIB officials and regulator TRAI in public insist that final digitisation deadline won’t be extended, in private government officials do admit that in Phase IV areas, comprising approximately 100,000 villages, small towns and hamlets, seeding of STBs is far from the desired level. An MIB official pointed out after the last DAS Task Force Meeting late last month that cash crunch due to demonetisation of high-value currency notes has only added to the problem on the ground slowing down the entire digital rollout process.

Further impeding STB seeding is the slowing registration of MSOs who’d actually do the work on the ground.

MIB List of Cancelled Registrations

Meanwhile, MIB yesterday released a list of 44 MSOs whose registrations have been cancelled or their proposal for licences closed – as against 42 in October and 29 at the end of September 2016.These cancellations exclude four cases – Kal Cables of Chennai, Godfather Communication Pvt. Ltd of Amritsar, Digi Cable Network (India) Pvt Ltd of Mumbai, and Intermedia Cable Communication Pvt. Ltd of Delhi — in which provisional or permanent registrations were issued after high courts stayed the cancellation orders in petitions filed by these MSOs.

Most of the other cases in the list of cancelled registrations had failed to get security clearance from the MHA. However, there are cases of many MSOs holding provisional licences not completing certain formalities relating to shareholders and so on.

According to the latest list up to 30 November 2016, the areas of operation of two MSOs (one each in the permanent and provisional lists) have been revised or corrected after 31 October 2016.Of the new licensees, three (UCS Broadband Private Limited of Lucknow, Elxire IT Services Pvt. Ltd of Haryana and Microsense Wireless Pvt. Ltd of Chennai) have got pan-India licences. Maury Diginet Pvt. Ltd of Bihar has got pan-India licence for Phase II, III and IV.

The other new registrations after October 2016 include state-wide licences or for specific districts in Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telengana, Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, Odisha, Punjab, Delhi and Tripura.In one of the meetings of stakeholders at MIB it was revealed that though there were a reported 6,000 MSOs in the country, but only a handful of them had come forward to register.

ALSO READ:
MIB’s digital deadline dilemma: to relax or not

30 MSOs got provisional licences in Oct, taking total to 1033

December 8, 2016
Slow pace of court cases, MSO registration may delay DAS deadline

NEW DELHI: Between the analog sunset and a digital morning are court cases and cumbersome and slow MSO registration processes. And, the deadline of 31 December 2016 appears to be becoming a distant possibility despite assertions to the contrary in the stakeholder-government meetings.

A mere 26 MSOs got provisional registration in November 2016, taking the total to 1,059 and the number of permanent MSOs (with ten-year licences) remaining static at 229.

With the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) directive about doing away with security clearances for MSOs not being communicated in writing to the MIB, confusion prevails slowing down the registration processes of MSOs for delivering services in DAS areas.

Junior minister in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) Rajyavardhan Rathore had admitted in response to a question in Parliament recently that legal cases, filed mostly by cable operators relating to some phases of digital rollout, may delay the year-end sunset date for analog services in the country.

Though MIB officials and regulator TRAI in public insist that final digitisation deadline won’t be extended, in private government officials do admit that in Phase IV areas, comprising approximately 100,000 villages, small towns and hamlets, seeding of STBs is far from the desired level. An MIB official pointed out after the last DAS Task Force Meeting late last month that cash crunch due to demonetisation of high-value currency notes has only added to the problem on the ground slowing down the entire digital rollout process.

Further impeding STB seeding is the slowing registration of MSOs who’d actually do the work on the ground.

MIB List of Cancelled Registrations

Meanwhile, MIB yesterday released a list of 44 MSOs whose registrations have been cancelled or their proposal for licences closed – as against 42 in October and 29 at the end of September 2016.These cancellations exclude four cases – Kal Cables of Chennai, Godfather Communication Pvt. Ltd of Amritsar, Digi Cable Network (India) Pvt Ltd of Mumbai, and Intermedia Cable Communication Pvt. Ltd of Delhi — in which provisional or permanent registrations were issued after high courts stayed the cancellation orders in petitions filed by these MSOs.

Most of the other cases in the list of cancelled registrations had failed to get security clearance from the MHA. However, there are cases of many MSOs holding provisional licences not completing certain formalities relating to shareholders and so on.

According to the latest list up to 30 November 2016, the areas of operation of two MSOs (one each in the permanent and provisional lists) have been revised or corrected after 31 October 2016.Of the new licensees, three (UCS Broadband Private Limited of Lucknow, Elxire IT Services Pvt. Ltd of Haryana and Microsense Wireless Pvt. Ltd of Chennai) have got pan-India licences. Maury Diginet Pvt. Ltd of Bihar has got pan-India licence for Phase II, III and IV.

The other new registrations after October 2016 include state-wide licences or for specific districts in Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telengana, Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, Odisha, Punjab, Delhi and Tripura.In one of the meetings of stakeholders at MIB it was revealed that though there were a reported 6,000 MSOs in the country, but only a handful of them had come forward to register.

ALSO READ:
MIB’s digital deadline dilemma: to relax or not

30 MSOs got provisional licences in Oct, taking total to 1033

December 8, 2016
Jonathan Spink new CASBAA board chairman

MUMBAI: Following its first meeting on 06 December, the CASBAA Board of Directors announced that Jonathan Spink, CEO of HBO Asia, has been elected Chairman of the Board of Directors for the next 12 months.

With almost three decades of experience in the pay television industry, Jonathan Spink is responsible for the overall management of HBO in South East and South Asia. Under Spink’s leadership, HBO Asia has built a growing network of standard-definition and high-definition channels and services, as well as developing several groundbreaking original local productions.

Spink succeeds Sompan Charumilinda, Vice Chairman of TrueVisions, as Chairman of the CASBAA Board. “Khun Sompan has been a Board member for more than a decade, and most recently, served diligently in his term as Chairman of the Board,” said Spink. “On behalf of my fellow Directors and the broader membership, we thank him for his guidance and insights over the years and we look forward to his continued contribution on the Association’s Board.”

Spink also welcomed new Directors elected during the Association’s 2016 AGM held 10 Nov in Macau; namely, Rohit D’Silva (FOX Networks Group Asia), Jonas Engwall (RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network), Marcel Fenez (Fenez Media), Todd Miller (Celestial Tiger Entertainment), Alexandre Muller (TV5MONDE), and Andrew Stott (Olswang Asia). They join returning Directors Sompan Charumilinda (TrueVisions), Andrew Jordan (AsiaSat), Amit Malhotra (The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia), Ricky Ow (Turner International Asia Pacific), Mark Patterson (GroupM), Joe Welch (21st Century Fox), and Christopher Slaughter (CASBAA) to make up CASBAA’s Board.

“With the multichannel TV industry in all its forms facing unprecedented challenges as well as opportunities in 2017,” Spink added, “the coming year promises to be busier than ever for CASBAA. I look forward to working with my fellow Directors and the CASBAA Executive Office to ensure that the work of the Association is relevant to all its Member companies, as they adapt to a rapidly developing operating environment.”

Following the announcement of the Chairman and Board of Directors 2017, CASBAA CEO Christopher Slaughter highlighted the increasingly broad Membership of the Association. He noted that during 2016 several new members joined, including the Premier League, Rewind Networks, Nielsen, Strategic IP Information, Metrasat, Trilegal, and Kantar Media. Also during the year, TV5MONDE, Intelsat, RTL/CBS and INVIDI all upgraded to Patron status. “It is a delight to welcome these new additions across all our membership categories,” Slaughter said. “We are confident they will prove to be valuable additions to the CASBAA community, and we look forward to their participation in our activities and on our Committees.”

December 6, 2016
Jonathan Spink new CASBAA board chairman

MUMBAI: Following its first meeting on 06 December, the CASBAA Board of Directors announced that Jonathan Spink, CEO of HBO Asia, has been elected Chairman of the Board of Directors for the next 12 months.

With almost three decades of experience in the pay television industry, Jonathan Spink is responsible for the overall management of HBO in South East and South Asia. Under Spink’s leadership, HBO Asia has built a growing network of standard-definition and high-definition channels and services, as well as developing several groundbreaking original local productions.

Spink succeeds Sompan Charumilinda, Vice Chairman of TrueVisions, as Chairman of the CASBAA Board. “Khun Sompan has been a Board member for more than a decade, and most recently, served diligently in his term as Chairman of the Board,” said Spink. “On behalf of my fellow Directors and the broader membership, we thank him for his guidance and insights over the years and we look forward to his continued contribution on the Association’s Board.”

Spink also welcomed new Directors elected during the Association’s 2016 AGM held 10 Nov in Macau; namely, Rohit D’Silva (FOX Networks Group Asia), Jonas Engwall (RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network), Marcel Fenez (Fenez Media), Todd Miller (Celestial Tiger Entertainment), Alexandre Muller (TV5MONDE), and Andrew Stott (Olswang Asia). They join returning Directors Sompan Charumilinda (TrueVisions), Andrew Jordan (AsiaSat), Amit Malhotra (The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia), Ricky Ow (Turner International Asia Pacific), Mark Patterson (GroupM), Joe Welch (21st Century Fox), and Christopher Slaughter (CASBAA) to make up CASBAA’s Board.

“With the multichannel TV industry in all its forms facing unprecedented challenges as well as opportunities in 2017,” Spink added, “the coming year promises to be busier than ever for CASBAA. I look forward to working with my fellow Directors and the CASBAA Executive Office to ensure that the work of the Association is relevant to all its Member companies, as they adapt to a rapidly developing operating environment.”

Following the announcement of the Chairman and Board of Directors 2017, CASBAA CEO Christopher Slaughter highlighted the increasingly broad Membership of the Association. He noted that during 2016 several new members joined, including the Premier League, Rewind Networks, Nielsen, Strategic IP Information, Metrasat, Trilegal, and Kantar Media. Also during the year, TV5MONDE, Intelsat, RTL/CBS and INVIDI all upgraded to Patron status. “It is a delight to welcome these new additions across all our membership categories,” Slaughter said. “We are confident they will prove to be valuable additions to the CASBAA community, and we look forward to their participation in our activities and on our Committees.”

December 6, 2016
Rohtak Cable DAS III extension case dismissed; eight posted for 7 Dec

NEW DELHI: While the case by Rohtak Cable Operators’ Association challenging the deadline set for Phase III of digital addressable systems (DAS) was dismissed, the Delhi High Court today directed that it would hear the other cases on 7 December 2016.

The division bench comprising the chief justice G Rohini and justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal said it would pass orders in some of the matters on that date and would complete hearing in others.

The division bench is taking cognizance only of cases relating to the DAS Phase III which challenge constitutional provision, while other matters are pending before a single bench.

The cases that came up yesterday included those by Om Systems of Mumbai, Digiana Projects Pvt. Ltd., Ortel Communications Ltd., Moon I.T. Service Pvt Ltd, Allahabad Cable T.V. Operator Welfare Society, Agile Broadband Private Ltd., Ganpati Digital Network Association, and Sree Devi Digital Systems.

Earlier, on 26 September 2016, the diision bench of the chief justice G Rohini and justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal held that two matters filed by IndusInd Media & Communication Ltd and Bhima Riddhi Digital Services were challenging the challenge to the constitutional validity of certain provisions of the Maharashtra Entertainment Duty Act, 1923, as amended by the Maharashtra Entertainment Duty (Amendment and Continuance) Act, 2014 and not the validity of the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable Services) Interconnection (Digital Addressable Cable Television Systems) Regulations 2012.

The Central Government counsel said appropriate steps would be taken before the Supreme Court to get these matters re-transferred to the respective high courts and so the cases were adjourned sine die.

The Supreme Court had, on 1 April, this year accepted the plea of the Central Government that “it would be just and proper for this court to transfer to Delhi High Court all the cases pending in different high courts, many of which had given injunction orders.”

A total of 62 cases had been filed by multi-system operators (MSOs) in various courts in the country for extension in the deadline of Phase lll. Of these 62 cases, 12 cases had been disposed of by respective courts and three had been withdrawn.

(The Bombay High Court had earlier this year made a reference to the Kusum Ingots case which had said that, if one high court gives an order, others can give similar orders if similar circumstances exist. indiantelevision.com had reported in January this year that the MIB had told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that it had “decided not to press the requirement of having a STB as for now till the decision of the cases which are pending before various other high courts”).

December 2, 2016
Rohtak Cable DAS III extension case dismissed; eight posted for 7 Dec

NEW DELHI: While the case by Rohtak Cable Operators’ Association challenging the deadline set for Phase III of digital addressable systems (DAS) was dismissed, the Delhi High Court today directed that it would hear the other cases on 7 December 2016.

The division bench comprising the chief justice G Rohini and justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal said it would pass orders in some of the matters on that date and would complete hearing in others.

The division bench is taking cognizance only of cases relating to the DAS Phase III which challenge constitutional provision, while other matters are pending before a single bench.

The cases that came up yesterday included those by Om Systems of Mumbai, Digiana Projects Pvt. Ltd., Ortel Communications Ltd., Moon I.T. Service Pvt Ltd, Allahabad Cable T.V. Operator Welfare Society, Agile Broadband Private Ltd., Ganpati Digital Network Association, and Sree Devi Digital Systems.

Earlier, on 26 September 2016, the diision bench of the chief justice G Rohini and justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal held that two matters filed by IndusInd Media & Communication Ltd and Bhima Riddhi Digital Services were challenging the challenge to the constitutional validity of certain provisions of the Maharashtra Entertainment Duty Act, 1923, as amended by the Maharashtra Entertainment Duty (Amendment and Continuance) Act, 2014 and not the validity of the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable Services) Interconnection (Digital Addressable Cable Television Systems) Regulations 2012.

The Central Government counsel said appropriate steps would be taken before the Supreme Court to get these matters re-transferred to the respective high courts and so the cases were adjourned sine die.

The Supreme Court had, on 1 April, this year accepted the plea of the Central Government that “it would be just and proper for this court to transfer to Delhi High Court all the cases pending in different high courts, many of which had given injunction orders.”

A total of 62 cases had been filed by multi-system operators (MSOs) in various courts in the country for extension in the deadline of Phase lll. Of these 62 cases, 12 cases had been disposed of by respective courts and three had been withdrawn.

(The Bombay High Court had earlier this year made a reference to the Kusum Ingots case which had said that, if one high court gives an order, others can give similar orders if similar circumstances exist. indiantelevision.com had reported in January this year that the MIB had told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that it had “decided not to press the requirement of having a STB as for now till the decision of the cases which are pending before various other high courts”).

December 2, 2016
MIB’s digital deadline dilemma: to relax or not

NEW DELHI: India’s ongoing cable digitalisation, plagued by court cases resulting in roll-out delays, may have just got entangled with the short to medium-term inconveniences caused by demonetisation of high-value currency notes signalling likely further delays.

The ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB), grappling with the issue of delays, was served with another likely roadblock when the the Telangana state government requested postponement of the digital deadline of 31 December, 2016, at a stakeholders’ meeting on 29 November 2016.

As per the government mandate, the sunset date for all analog television services in the country is 31 December, 2016, which would have signalled completion of Phase IV of the digital addressable system (DAS) rollout.

While grudgingly admitting that the government is seized of the inconveniences caused due to demonetisation, a government official told indiantelevision.com that in view of the prevailing situation in the country and a major portion of Phase IV areas (about 60 per cent) still to be seeded with digital STBs, the government is unable to take a decision whether to hold on to year-end deadline or relax it.

“The court cases filed by cable operators (relating to DAS Phase III and IV) have been a cause of a major delay and the situation arising out of demonetisation has further added to government’s dilemma,” a senior government official explained.

At the monthly DAS Task Force meeting of stakeholders at MIB, chaired by the ministry’s additional secretary, not only the representative of the state of Telangana voiced his concern on the digital deadline of 31 December, 2016 requesting postponement, but some MSOs and Indian STB manufacturers too expressed their apprehensions.

The Telangana state government’s proposal was opposed by a majority of those present in the meeting. Their concern: any official postponement of the sunset date of 2016 would send wrong signals, and may further derail the digital rollout. MIB is understood to be studying all the feedback before announcing its official position on the deadline.

Though, according to MIB, officially Phase IV of DAS is progressing as per schedule, a section of the cable industry estimates that approximately 10 million homes, part of DAS Phase III, are still to be seeded with STBs.

The court cases relating to DAS in Delhi High Court have had several adjournments on grounds of technicalities.

Information and broadcasting minister of state Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore admitted in the Parliament that DAS may get delayed. “As per Cable TV Rule, the cut-off date for complete digitisation is 31 December 2016. As such, all cable subscribers in the country should take STBs (set-top boxes) before this date to continue avail cable TV services. However, due to court cases the implementation may get delayed,” the Minister said in Lok Sabha or Lower House of Parliament earlier this week.

ALSO READ:

DAS cases put off to Nov 23 as processes incomplete

December 1, 2016
MIB’s digital deadline dilemma: to relax or not

NEW DELHI: India’s ongoing cable digitalisation, plagued by court cases resulting in roll-out delays, may have just got entangled with the short to medium-term inconveniences caused by demonetisation of high-value currency notes signalling likely further delays.

The ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB), grappling with the issue of delays, was served with another likely roadblock when the the Telangana state government requested postponement of the digital deadline of 31 December, 2016, at a stakeholders’ meeting on 29 November 2016.

As per the government mandate, the sunset date for all analog television services in the country is 31 December, 2016, which would have signalled completion of Phase IV of the digital addressable system (DAS) rollout.

While grudgingly admitting that the government is seized of the inconveniences caused due to demonetisation, a government official told indiantelevision.com that in view of the prevailing situation in the country and a major portion of Phase IV areas (about 60 per cent) still to be seeded with digital STBs, the government is unable to take a decision whether to hold on to year-end deadline or relax it.

“The court cases filed by cable operators (relating to DAS Phase III and IV) have been a cause of a major delay and the situation arising out of demonetisation has further added to government’s dilemma,” a senior government official explained.

At the monthly DAS Task Force meeting of stakeholders at MIB, chaired by the ministry’s additional secretary, not only the representative of the state of Telangana voiced his concern on the digital deadline of 31 December, 2016 requesting postponement, but some MSOs and Indian STB manufacturers too expressed their apprehensions.

The Telangana state government’s proposal was opposed by a majority of those present in the meeting. Their concern: any official postponement of the sunset date of 2016 would send wrong signals, and may further derail the digital rollout. MIB is understood to be studying all the feedback before announcing its official position on the deadline.

Though, according to MIB, officially Phase IV of DAS is progressing as per schedule, a section of the cable industry estimates that approximately 10 million homes, part of DAS Phase III, are still to be seeded with STBs.

The court cases relating to DAS in Delhi High Court have had several adjournments on grounds of technicalities.

Information and broadcasting minister of state Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore admitted in the Parliament that DAS may get delayed. “As per Cable TV Rule, the cut-off date for complete digitisation is 31 December 2016. As such, all cable subscribers in the country should take STBs (set-top boxes) before this date to continue avail cable TV services. However, due to court cases the implementation may get delayed,” the Minister said in Lok Sabha or Lower House of Parliament earlier this week.

ALSO READ:

DAS cases put off to Nov 23 as processes incomplete

December 1, 2016
IMCL: Hinduja Ventures divests minority stake

MUMBAI: MSO company IndusInd Media and Communications Limited (IMCL)’s parent Hinduja Ventured Ltd. (HVL) has sold 0.13 equity stake in the company to a non-Hinduja Group company for Rs. 46.6 million (Rs. 4.66 crore).

The buying company bought into the MSO at a price of Rs. 466 per share based on IMCL equity valuation of Rs. 3444.06 crore as per an independent valuation.

The holding of HVL in IMCL after disinvestment will reduce to 446,58,583 equity shares, 60.43 per cent, of the paid up equity share capital of IMCL, according to information provided to the stock exchanges by HVL.

IMCL is an national level MSO that has widespread cable distribution network in the country and has been in the forefront of digitalising its networks to keep pace with changing times and technology.

Meanwhile, apart from divesting a minority stake in IMCL, the Board of Directors of the HVL approved disinvestment of 1,75,00,000 equity shares of Rs. 10 each held by the company in Hinduja Energy (India) Limited as per independent valuation of Rs. 31.58 per share to third party.

December 1, 2016
IMCL: Hinduja Ventures divests minority stake

MUMBAI: MSO company IndusInd Media and Communications Limited (IMCL)’s parent Hinduja Ventured Ltd. (HVL) has sold 0.13 equity stake in the company to a non-Hinduja Group company for Rs. 46.6 million (Rs. 4.66 crore).

The buying company bought into the MSO at a price of Rs. 466 per share based on IMCL equity valuation of Rs. 3444.06 crore as per an independent valuation.

The holding of HVL in IMCL after disinvestment will reduce to 446,58,583 equity shares, 60.43 per cent, of the paid up equity share capital of IMCL, according to information provided to the stock exchanges by HVL.

IMCL is an national level MSO that has widespread cable distribution network in the country and has been in the forefront of digitalising its networks to keep pace with changing times and technology.

Meanwhile, apart from divesting a minority stake in IMCL, the Board of Directors of the HVL approved disinvestment of 1,75,00,000 equity shares of Rs. 10 each held by the company in Hinduja Energy (India) Limited as per independent valuation of Rs. 31.58 per share to third party.

December 1, 2016