Tag: Gross Billing

MSOs in Kolkata request viewers to act as per guidelines

KOLKATA: It was early this year that the multi-system operators (MSOs) in Kolkata introduced the gross billing system. And since, through numerous advertisements and hoardings, they have informed cable television viewers in the Kolkata Municipal (KM) area about this.

However, seems like the viewers have still not come to terms with the fact that they have to pay as per the gross billing and not at their own will.

Cable TV sources point out that there is no difference at the ground level. “Customers don’t want bills and that is the reason why local cable operators (LCOs)are not handing out receipts,” says a city-based MSO who adds that the LCOs get the bills without delay.

However, with LCOs demand of a fee of Rs 5 from customers is hampering the process as well. The LCOs say that it requires money and manpower to distribute the bills and hence, the extra charge. “The LCOs are asking the customers if they need a bill and if so then the customers would have to pay Rs 5 extra,” says a MSO. “So they are not distributing bills using this as a reason,” he adds.

Kolkata has around 30 lakh cable homes and since mid-January the MSOs have started issuing ad-hoc bills.

“The MSOs are billing the full amount of package but in reality are getting much lesser in return. This problem needs to be solved at the earliest,” says another MSO.

Advertisements like ‘Collect your monthly bill from cable operator’, ‘Enjoy Your Selected Package’ have been doing the rounds for some time now.

The industry believes that to implement the gross (consumer) billing and bring transparency in the process, the MSOs will have to meet regularly. “Billing is a mess as LCOs are not willing to collect it and consumers are not willing to pay,” says a city-based cable analyst.

September 5, 2014
Bengaluru MSOs to start gross billing, packaging from April

MUMBAI: The multi-system operators (MSOs) in Bengaluru are determined to do all that is needed to be in the good books of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The latest is that 12 MSOs met today in Bengaluru to discuss the status of consumer application forms (CAFs), gross billing, local cable operators (LCO) agreements and packaging to ensure compliance with TRAI regulations on digitisation.

“This was a coordination meeting where we discussed about gross billing and also packaging,” informs a highly placed MSO who was present at the meeting.

The group of 12 MSO will soon come out with a joint advertisement that will be published in Bengaluru newspapers and will inform the consumers about gross billing and packaging.

The same was done in Delhi when the MSO Alliance jointly came out with an advertisement in local newspapers on the issue of gross billing.

“We are looking at forming a joint committee in order to ensure that the guidelines set by TRAI can be followed,” informs the source.

The timeline to start gross billing was also discussed in the meeting. “Gross billing in Bengaluru will start not later than April 2014,” informs Hathway Cable & Datacom MD & CEO Jagdish Kumar Pillai. Another important issue raised was that of the LCO-MSO agreement. “There were discussions on the revenue share for LCOs, the package rates etc,” adds Pillai.

A Bengaluru-based MSO on the condition of anonymity informs, “The MSOs discussed on getting into a truce so that none of the MSOs infringe on each other’s subscribers. No decision has been taken on this though. The MSOs have asked for a couple of days to come to a final decision.”

Another point discussed was that each LCO has to pay Rs 90 per subscriber per month to the MSO for using its services. “Discussions on packaging took place, which should be in place by April,” adds the Bengaluru based MSO.

Earlier this week, Hathway, which has around eight lakh subscribers in the city, had switched off set top boxes of close to two lakh subscribers as they had not filled CAFs. “We had switched off 2.5 lakh STBs. This was to ensure that we comply with the TRAI guidelines,” concludes Pillai.

February 4, 2014
Kolkata MSOs anticipate cooperation from LCOs in two months

KOLKATA: The multi-system operators (MSOs) have started gross billing for the month of December from 7 January in Kolkata and are hopeful that the local cable operators (LCOs) who at present are showing some resistance will eventually fall in line in the next two months.

The MSOs in the meanwhile are educating consumers about gross billing by publishing advertisements in newspapers. The ads request consumers to make the payment against a bill only.

“We have started the billing process. Customers are happy, but the operators do not want the billing to be in place. There might be some resistance but eventually things will fall in line,” said Siticable Kolkata director Suresh Sethia.

While another MSO said that the company is having meetings with operators and trying to convince them of the benefits of digitisation.

“We are talking to the LCOs and asking them to hike the bill which will include amusement tax and service tax. Even consumers have to understand that they have to pay taxes now,” said the MSO.

When the MSOs were asked about the disbursement of the bills, some said they have given the bills to LCOs in compact disk (CD), while others like SitiCable said that they have uploaded the bills on their system and the LCOs can easily take the printouts.

However, the LCOs in Kolkata have made it clear that they will not distribute the bills unless the revenue sharing model and other details are discussed.

Cable Operators Digitalisation Committee of the Association of Cable Operators convener Swapan Chowdhury said, “The MSOs who are giving the bills on CDs to LCOs need to give a hard copy of the bills as printing will also involve cost.”

It seems the LCOs are serious about every single penny and are not in a mood to give up easily!

January 11, 2014