ITV

Tag: Digital Addressable System

  • TRAI imposes financial disincentives and penalties on MSOs

    TRAI imposes financial disincentives and penalties on MSOs

    NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has notified an amendment to the existing Quality of Service Regulations (QoS) for Digital Addressable System (DAS) by imposing financial disincentives on multi-system operators, who are not complying with the provisions regarding billing and issue of receipts for payment made by the subscribers.

     

    A provision for financial disincentive for an amount not exceeding Rs 20 per subscriber has been made in the amended regulation. The Authority is of the view that enabling the imposition of financial disincentives will be an effective deterrent and will incentivise MSOs to issue bills and receipts to subscribers for payments made.

     

    The QoS Regulations also prescribes that the cable TV services shall be offered to the subscribers both on pre-paid and post-paid payment models with the options being given to subscribers.

     

    In the amendment regulation, an explanation clarifies that the pre-paid option offered by MSO shall be implemented through electronic pre-paid mechanisms. In order to ensure that the MSOs honour the pre-paid or post-paid option given by the subscriber in a timely manner, a financial disincentive of not exceeding Rs 100 per subscriber has been made on the MSO for each contravention.

     

    The Standards of Quality of Service (Digital Addressable Cable TV Systems) (Amendment) Regulations 2015 provides MSOs a time of 60 days to align their business processes for compliance with the provisions of the regulations.

     

    TRAI is of the view that the imposition of financial disincentives would effectively curb the non-compliance of the provisions of the regulations and would benefit consumers and the Cable TV sector.

     

    The QoS Regulation for DAS lays down the norms for the issue of bills to subscribers, and the issue of receipts for every payment made by subscribers.

     

    It was observed that the prescribed norms for billing and issue of receipts for every payment made by subscribers were not being complied with by the MSOs. Such non-compliance has resulted in numerous legitimate consumer grievances. In the absence of a bill, a subscriber cannot ascertain whether the amount demanded by the MSO for the cable TV services is correct or not. Similarly, in the absence of a receipt for the payment made, there is no means to get a grievance redressed in case of any billing related dispute with the operators.

     

    For consumers, such bills and receipts are essential; when it is available to consumers in other commercial markets, why not in the cable TV market?

     

    Because of the non delivery of such bills and receipts by the MSOs, information of actual subscription vis-?-vis billing and payment details are not being entered into the Subscriber Management System (SMS). Consequently, commercial deals and financial transactions amongst operators are not being carried in a transparent manner. It is adversely affecting smooth implementation of DAS as mandated by law.

     

    In absence of proper billing and accounting of receipts, there is a very real possibility of a loss of revenues accruable to the Government. It is essential that the Government gets its due tax revenues arising out of the business of the cable TV services sector.

  • Commercial and non-commercial subscribers should have different tariff under DAS: IBF

    Commercial and non-commercial subscribers should have different tariff under DAS: IBF

    NEW DELHI: The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) has said that the Digital Addressable System (DAS) tariff order was violative of Article 14 of the Constitution as it equated ‘equals with unequals.’

     
    Abhishek Malhotra told the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) that the stand taken by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) was also contrary to the stand taken by it over the last 10 years.
    He said that commercial subscribers could not be charged at the same rate as other subscribers who received television signals in their homes.

     
    The bench was hearing the petition by IBF challenging the DAS tariff order issued in July by TRAI relating to commercial subscribers.

     
    In the tariff order, TRAI had said that commercial establishments who do not specifically charge its clients/guests on account of providing/showing television programmes and offer such services as part of amenities are to be treated like ordinary subscribers wherein the charges would be on per television basis.

     
    In cases where commercial subscribers specifically charge its clients/guests on account of providing/showing television programmes the tariff would be as mutually agreed between the broadcaster and the commercial subscriber.

     
    TRAI had also said that the commercial subscriber was to obtain television service only from a distribution platform operator (MSO/DTH Operator/IPTV operator/HITS operator).

     
    The tariff order amendment has been brought out as per the directions of the Supreme Court. It is expected that with the coming into force of these changes in the regulatory framework, the distribution of TV services to the commercial subscribers would be streamlined and the services would be available to them at competitive rates.

     

  • TRAI is working on amending QoS regulation: N Parameswaran

    TRAI is working on amending QoS regulation: N Parameswaran

    MUMBAI: It has been nearly three months since the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) came up with its consultation paper on levying financial disincentives on multi system operators (MSOs) and local cable operators (LCOs) who are delaying the process of billing in the digital addressable system (DAS) areas of the country.

    Although it has been long since the deadlines for commencement of billing in DAS areas got over, there is no clue on how the whip will be cracked on those who haven’t gone beyond installing set top boxes in phase I and II.

    TRAI principal advisor N Parameswaran says, “We are in the process of working on the amendment to the Quality of Service (QoS) regulation. The comments have come and we are yet to take a final decision on the same.”

    Meanwhile, the MSOs that indiantelevision.com spoke to have said that billing has happened only in few areas of New Delhi and Kolkata while the remaining cities in DAS phase III and IV don’t even have proper consumer application forms (CAFs).

    TRAI earlier had said that it is seeking to implement financial penalties on those MSOs and LCOs who defy the law. Comments had been asked from stakeholders on the same. The regulator had also said that for non-compliance of issuing bills, a disincentive of not exceeding Rs 20 per subscriber will be levied on the MSO and/or its linked cable operator and for the second time, penalty would be Rs 50. “For non-compliance of regulations, Rs 100 will be levied on each MSO for each contravention. If the MSO and LCO have entered into an agreement, both of them will be penalised for faults while in the case of no deal being signed, only the MSO is liable to pay,” TRAI had said.

    As per the consultation paper, the amendment, when approved, will come into effect 30 days from the date of publication.

     

  • 131 MSOs get ten year licences under DAS for specified areas

    131 MSOs get ten year licences under DAS for specified areas

    NEW DELHI: A total of 131 multi-system operators (MSO) all over the country have been granted permanent registration for ten years to operate the digital addressable system (DAS).

     

    The MSOs had been given provisional permission earlier. The latest list is as on 7 November.

     

    The MSOs who have received permission after the last list released as on 21 August include Skynet Digital Services for the state of Uttar Pradesh except the cities of Agra, Ghaziabad, Kanpur, Lucknow, Meerut and Varanasi; Crystal Transmission for Chennai Metropolitan area, Sanghvi Digital Network for Bokaro district in Jharkhand; Vortex Digital Network for Delhi; Yerraguntla Cable Network for Kadapa District Andhra Pradesh under Phase III and IV; and Royal Services Diginet Vision for Hamirpur District, Mandi District and Kangra District of Himachal Pradesh.

     

    Others include Silverline Entertainment the state of Uttar Pradesh except Agra, Ghaziabad, Kanpur, Lucknow, Meerut and Varanasi; Hathway New Concept Cable and Datacom for Delhi; ACN Digital for the state of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra under under Phase III and IV; Koduri Satyanarayana, Sri Sai Star for Khammam District of Telengana; Abhilash Communications for  Notified Areas of Phase  II and Phase  III cities pan India; JPR Channel Mumbai (Phase I) and Phase II areas in Maharashtra and Gujarat; Operator Digital Tamil Nadu for all the cities, towns and villages of Phase II,III and  IV in Tamil Nadu; V K Digital Network for Cities/Towns/Areas occurring against Phase I, Phase II, Phase III, Phase IV; Saga Entertainment Network In Tamil Nadu; Talacher TV Home Cable Network for  Angul District and Dhenkanal District, Odissa; Voice and Vision Club for Phase III and  IV of Madhya Pradesh and Sonebhadra Districts of Uttar Pradesh; Den Satellite Network in Maharashtra; and Venkata Sai Media for district of Srikakulam, Vijayanagaram, Visakhapatanam, East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam and Nellore in the state of Andhra Pradesh and in the district of Greater Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Medak, Nizamabad, Mehaboob Nagar, Warangal, Sangareddy and Khammam in the state of Telangana.

     

    The list of MSOs who have been refused permission has gone up from 16 to 22.

     

    MSO sources, however, said that the approved list was in addition to the 140 whose names had been approved earlier in March last year.

     

    The Ministry website mib.nic.in has listed the areas and the date from which the MSOs have been given permission.

  • Centre asks States to ensure Right of Way to cable ops for implementing DAS

    Centre asks States to ensure Right of Way to cable ops for implementing DAS

    NEW DELHI: In a move that will give a sigh of relief to cable operators all over the country, the Centre has written to state governments to give ‘right of way’ to cable operators who want to lay cables or erect posts to complete the work of digital addressable system (DAS).

    In a letter, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry said that Section 48 of the Cable television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 is clear in this regard.

    The letter notes that Phase I and II of DAS have been successfully completed and efforts are on to implement the next two phases which have been modified to 31 March 2015 for all other urban areas (Municipal Corporations/Municipalities) and rest of India by 31 December 2015.

    Additional secretary Jitendra Shankar Mathur has in his letter asked the chief secretaries in all states to issue instructions to field officers to extend the facility of ‘right of way’ to the cable operators.

    He has also suggested that copy of his letter may be appended to the instructions to be sent to field officers, and said he was prepared to answer any queries in this regard.

    Sec 48 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Amendment Act 2011 regarding Right of Way (RoW)

     

    (1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, any cable operator entitled for providing cable seNices may from time to time lay and establish cables and erect posts under, over, along, across, in or upon any  immovable  property  vested  in or  under  the  control  or  management  of a public authority.

    (2) Any public authority under whose control or management any immovable property is vested may, on receipt of a request from a cable operator,  permit the cable operator  to do all or any of the following acts, namely:-

    a)   to place and maintain underground cables or posts; and

    b)   to enter on the property, from time to time, in order to place, examine, repair, after or remove such cables or posts.

    (3)   The facility of right of way under this section for laying underground cables, and erecting posts, shall be available to all cable operators subject to the obligation of reinstatement or restoration of the property or payment of reinstatement or restoration charges in respect thereof at the option of the public authority.

    (4) When the public authority, in public interest considers it necessary and expedient that the underground cable or post placed by any cable operator under the provisions of this section, should be removed or shifted or its position altered, it may require the cable operator to remove it or shift it or alter its position, as the case may be, at its own cost in the time frame indicated by public authority.

    (5)  The  Central  Government  may  lay  down  appropriate  guidelines  to enable  the  State Governments to put in place an appropriate mechanism for speedy clearance of requests from cable operators for laying cables or erecting posts on any property vested in, or under the control or management of, any public authority and for settlement of disputes, including refusal of permission by the public authority.

    (6) Any permission granted by a public authority under this section may be given subject to such reasonable conditions as that  public  authority thinks fit to impose as to the payment of any expenses, or time or mode of execution of any work, or as to any other matter connected with or related to any work undertaken by the cable operator in exercise of those rights.

    (7)  Nothing in this section shall confer any right upon any cable operator other than that of user for the purpose only of laying underground cable or erecting posts or maintaining them.

     

  • The year the industry entered the ICU

    The year the industry entered the ICU

    Perhaps that best expresses what Television News underwent in 2013. Simply because it spells out to say: What (the) Hell Ever Happened!

    A pause would have been a positive sentiment; in a year that felt like the roller coaster was going to crash. Yes, flat revenues, would have been a positive. Flat viewership would have been a positive.

    If the TV News industry was a human body, it would have woken up at the end of the year, from a long and deep coma only to discover, multiple organ attacks and multiple surgeries on its meager body had thrashed whatever hope it started the year of 2013 with.

    There was a name change, a year that saw a new expression (and that’s the biggest positive outcome of 2013) – ‘TVT’ replace ‘TRP’ to aid acknowledgement of the growth of TV viewers, was the silver lining on an otherwise dark cloud. But still to gain currency and translate into value. So, at this stage for TV News, just a name change.

    Then came hope, with the promise of new infusion of body muscle with a change in thinking around foreign investment in TV News. But on the day the good Doctor did not show up and the patient will limber on trying to find investment funds. The strong may survive, but many will perish, without new hope of quality investment.

    Tossed from one operating theatre to another, the patient remains in ICU. Not knowing if the doctor will pull the plug or resuscitate.

    A series of cardiac attacks followed, with circulation of blood (advertising income) threatening to be restricted, cutting away supply of oxygen and threatening the very survival of the TV News industry and the consequent ill effects on democracy. Tossed from one operating theatre to another, the patient remains in ICU. Not knowing if the doctor will pull the plug or resuscitate. The patient though is showing visible signs of fighting strong.

    Finally, the cost of medication went up, with Digital Addressable System (DAS) 2 – carriage fees, which were expected and promised to go down (as was experienced with DAS1) headed northwards. The daily dose of vitamins just got more expensive.

    In this mayhem and bodily torture, what kept the soul and the body together, you may ask? The kindred of the TV News industry survives on the very one thing it does best – delivering quality news, round the clock, with commitment.

    There was lots of news. It became more social and digital and TV News leveraged that growth engine.

    It has built a sound set of principles and a robust mechanism to work together as an industry, in unison. This antibody resisted all those attacks and kept intact body and soul. Nourishing it for another day, another year.  One that the TV News industry, knows will not be easy. But it has got smarter and knows how to work together.

    For 2014, the TV news industry must make a Bang – big audacious news and glory. With a major election in sigh, the industry must learn to stick together even more, grow its value and turn away the woes and the Whew to bold steps of business collaboration, to drive down costs and bring profitability into the industry.

    Be it carriage, ad price, inventory, news standards, governance – the TV News business can evolve the industry’s future by creating its own self-regulation on best business practices and best shareholder practices to bring the shine back into it.

    2014 brings hope, renewed faith and will be full of News! Good News! BANG!

    (Sunil Lulla is MD and CEO of Times Television Network. The views expressed in the above article are the author’s personal views)