ITV

Tag: CAF deadline

  • TRAI extends CAF deadline to 15 December

    TRAI extends CAF deadline to 15 December

    MUMBAI: The multi system operators (MSOs) have time till 15 December to submit Consumer Application Forms (CAFs). The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) principal advisor N Parameswaran has shown forbearance and given the MSOs another 15 days to submit 100 per cent CAFs. The earlier deadline to submit CAFs was today, 20 November.

     

    The extension comes after Parameswaran’s meeting with the national MSOs held today in New Delhi. Though the MSOs had their concerns to address, in the meeting that lasted for one and a half hours, TRAI concentrated on two key issues — one, meeting the deadline for submitting CAFs for phase II by 15 December, and another, implementing gross billing from December for phase I.

     

    The meeting was attended by Hathway Cable and Datacom, Siti Cable, InCable, DEN Network, Digicable and GTPL.

     

    “We spoke at length on the issues that each MSO faces in order to comply with the deadline,” says a MSO on request of anonymity. “With LCOs not cooperating with us for submitting duly filled CAFs, and also the ongoing court cases that LCOs have filed to ensure the consumer stays under them, achieving the deadline is difficult,” he says.

     

    “The regulator will show leniency in states like Hyderabad, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat that face problems, but in others it will not act as a Santa Claus if the deadline is not met,” says IndusInd Media and Communications Limited MD Ravi Mansukhani.

    According to Mansukhani, the bills are being generated by the MSOs, but the LCOs are not delivering them to the subscribers. “The TRAI has asked us to ensure that the bills should reach the subscribers by December. The regulator has asked us to either convince the LCO to deliver the bills to subscribers or to send them directly to each subscriber,” says Mansukhani.

     

    About 30 to 90 per cent CAFs have been collected so far. “The regulator has taken an average of this figure, which is around 50 per cent, and has said it is not enough. We have been asked to comply with this final deadline,” he mentions.

     

    The MSOs spoke at length on improving their relations with LCOs. “We want each party to realise and reap the benefits of digitisation,” states a MSO.

     

    The MSOs also raised logistic issues they were facing for collecting CAFs. “Unlike phase I which involved the big five players, phase II has several small players involved as well. And this is creating hindrance,” opines Mansukhani.

     

    The MSOs only have a few days to convince the LCOs to get ahead with both CAFs and billing. “It is a tough task, but we will have to give our best,” concludes Mansukhani.

     

    Seems like a difficult Christmas for the MSOs if they fail to meet deadlines.

  • MSOs miss 15 November CAF deadline

    MSOs miss 15 November CAF deadline

    MUMBAI: Multi system operators (MSOs) have bought themselves some more time to collect duly filled consumer application forms (CAF) from cable subscribers across 38 cities falling under DAS phase II.

     

    The earlier deadline for CAF collection was today, that is, 15 November, and consumers failing to comply would have had their transmission cut off, even after possessing set top boxes. However, as learnt from several sources in the industry, MSOs failed to meet the timeline and are now seeking further extension.  

     

    While a few MSOs including Hathway Cable & Datacom have extended the deadline to 20 November, smaller Kolkata-based MSOs say the procedure will be complete by 23 November.

     

    It was the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) that had previously extended the original deadline from 20 September to 15 November. When contacted, TRAI principal advisor N Parameswaran said considering it was a national holiday today, “any decision on the final date would be taken only on 18 November.”

     

    “The MSOs have voluntarily decided to extend the date to 20 November,” informed Maharashtra Cable Operators Federation (MCOF) president Arvind Prabhoo, adding that the regulator had asked the MSOs to send a review of DAS phase I, covering points like billing and CAF, in the interim.

     

    Kolkata-based Manthan and Siti Cable confirmed that they have achieved 100 per cent CAF collection whereas the Cable Operators Digitalisation Committee of the Association of Cable Operators convener Swapan Chowdhury said a 100 per cent CAF was impossible to achieve in the City of Joy with so many festivities. “We have increased the deadline for duly filled CAF to 23 November,” he said.

     

    Cable Operators Federation of India president Roop Sharma opined that CAF collection is a difficult task at hand for operators.

     

    “Considering that the broadcasters have not yet declared the rates for the channels, it is difficult for the consumer to decide which ones they want to subscribe,” she said.
    Clearly, we have not heard of the last of CAFs, phase II – as yet.