ITV

Tag: KCBPL-GTPL

  • Cisco Video Technologies India bullish on growth in phase III & IV of cable TV digitisation

    Cisco Video Technologies India bullish on growth in phase III & IV of cable TV digitisation

    KOLKATA: Cisco Video Technologies India, an information technology (IT) company, which had garnered a market share of around 51 per cent in the first two phases where more than 40 million cable TV homes were digitised in India, is looking at achieving the same market share in the remaining phases of digitisation, i.e. phase III and IV, which is mandated to be completed by end of December 2016.

     

    The company is bullish on growth from the Indian cable TV digitisation market, said a company official in Kolkata.

     

    Talking about the trends of digitisation taking place in phase III and IV, which includes rural places and non-metro locations, an official from the US-based technology major said that there are certain pockets in the country, which are looking for high end services and are not just eager to install set top boxes (STBs).

     

    Speaking on the sidelines of the Cable TV Show 2015 in Kolkata, Cisco senior product manager Aunindo Ghosh said, “In the next two phases there is a requirement of 75 million homes to be digitised and if not more, we will aim to maintain the same market share of around 51 per cent.”

     

    Also, with the demand of digitisation coming from municipal and rural areas in the phase III and IV across the country, the headend market is redefining itself in India. Cisco, in order to cater to these two phases, has done several innovations to enhance the consumer experience.

     

    Cisco Videoscape transforms the video technologies around the world by providing high-impact video experiences. “With Cisco Videoscape customers can not only compete, but have the potential to lead the market as it will help them to grow their business by attracting more revenue per user with spectacular video experiences. Cisco recognises that each market and subscriber base calls for different subscriber experiences and therefore, includes a range of end-to-end solutions,” said Ghosh.

     

    Highlighting the challenges in phase III and IV, Ghosh said that it would be a bit difficult for the company to spread awareness, while stressing on the fact that these phases are low ARPU markets.

     

    Talking about the phase I and II of digitisation of cable TV, he said those two phases were implemented in the right frame of mind. “The players adhered to the MIB rules. Phase I and II were well coordinated,” Ghosh said.

     

    Some of the clients of Cisco are Siticable, Hathway, Den, KCBPL-GTPL, and Patna-based Darsh among others. Cisco is also looking at offering its “Videoscape Express” – integrated services to cable TV operators by upgrading its existing networks.

  • Orange TV goes on air

    Orange TV goes on air

    KOLKATA: Viewers in West Bengal will get to see one more Bengali satellite entertainment channel starting today.

     

    Named Orange TV, the new channel will be launched today at 7pm by Kolkata-based production house, T Sarkar Productions. With tie-ups with distributors like SitiCable, KCBPL-GTPL, Manthan, Digicable, AMBC and DEN Networks already in place, Orange TV aims to have a national presence soon and a team of nearly 70 to 75 professionals in the next one year.

     

    “People in West Bengal can see Orange TV from today. We plan to have a national presence sooner,” Orange TV channel coordinator Subhajit Manna told indiantelevision.com. “We started the test signal from 4 March,” he added.

     

    While T Sarkar Productions operates out of Lenin Sarani, the Orange TV studio is located at Tollygunge, better known as Kolkata’s entertainment hub. The channel will cater to the youth by airing a mix of Bengali movies and music and shows related to the Bengali and Hindi film industry. For the next few months, it will air shows at different time slots between 7pm and 10pm.

     

    An anchor-hosted music show titled ‘Orange Ishq’ will be aired at 7pm, followed by ‘Orange Retro’ featuring retro music. For ‘Orange Studio’, the channel has already started getting feeds about the whereabouts of Bollywood from Mumbai-based sources. “The shows will be anchored in Bengali but the music will be in the respective languages,” said Manna. Also in the pipeline are ‘Orange Dhaba’ (cookery show), ‘Orange Blockbuster’ and ‘Orange World Premiere’. The company has produced shows for leading networks including ‘Ei Ghar Ei Sansar’ and ‘Spandan’ for Zee Bangla, ‘Joto Haasi Toto Ranna’ for STAR Jalsha, the ‘Feluda’ series and ‘Arjun’ among others.

     

    According to Manna, Orange TV would be a reflection of contemporary lifestyle and entertainment choices and enjoy a universal appeal among the audience. “The identity of Orange itself is entertainment. Like any other channel that dabbles with fiction, non-fiction, movies and reality shows, we will do that too, with the difference being that we are youth-skewed and more ‘filmi’,” he concluded.

  • Business digitisation is yet to start in phases I and II: Cisco

    Business digitisation is yet to start in phases I and II: Cisco

    KOLKATA: The phases I and II of cable TV digitisation may have been complete technically but a lot needs to be done as far as the back end is concerned, that is the business digitization is yet to start, thinks Cisco India & SAARC regional manager and service provider Sandeep Arora.

     

    Arora thinks that with digitisation in municipal and rural areas also being in demand in phases III and IV across the country, the headend market is redefining itself in India. Fulfilling that would be Cisco, which is planning several innovations to enhance the consumer experience.

     

    “Business and technical digitisation go hand in hand. Revenues for MSOs (multi-system operator) have started flowing in. Profitability and consumer experience are expected to go up in coming days,” remarked Arora while talking to indiantelevision.com.

     

    According to Arora, phases I and II of digitisation of cable TV were implemented in the right frame of mind. “The players adhered to the MIB rules and the phases were well coordinated,” he said.

     

    The US based tech giant set up the hosted headend facility which could be leased by MSOs and local cable operators (LCOs). This will help the company garner revenues from the small LCOs and MSOs that cannot earmark huge investments for installing headends. “We initiated this in phases I and II and its deployment will substantially reduce the capital expenditure of the MSOs and the LCOs,” said Arora.

     

    Interestingly, Cisco garnered a market share of 53-55 per cent in the first two phases where more than 25 million cable TV homes were digitised. “In the next two phases, there is a requirement of 75 million homes to be digitised and if not more we will aim to maintain the same market share of around 55 per cent,” he added.

     

    Some of the clients of Cisco include Hathway, Den, KCBPL-GTPL among others.

     

    Cisco is eager to offer cable TV operators broadband services by upgrading their existing networks. “Broadband is a key priority for us now and it will drive growth,” he said.

     

    The company is offering a technology that will enable cable TV players to start two-way communications required for Internet services.

  • Kolkata MSOs to blackout TV tonight

    Kolkata MSOs to blackout TV tonight

    KOLKATA: Looks like cable TV consumers in Howrah will have to sacrifice on their favourite shows with few multiple system operators (MSOs) deciding to switch off signals if they do not receive duly filled customer application forms (CAFs) till end of the day today. The decision comes in view of the deadline set by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for submission of CAFs by 15 November.

     

    Around 40 per cent cable TV viewers in the city are subscribed to SitiCable. The MSO has not requested the regulator for any extension for CAF submission. SitiCable Kolkata director Suresh Sethia says, “We have already collected 90 per cent of CAFS. We expect the rest to be submitted today, if not, we will switch off signals from tonight.”

     

    Resonating the same is Manthan, which has installed 20-25 per cent STBs of the total five lakh STBs installed in the region.  “While a few have submitted CAFs, others will send it soon,” informs Manthan director Sudip Ghosh.

     

    The announcement is a shocker for many, as confusion over the city being a part of DAS phase II still remains. It is learnt that MSOs like KCBPL-GTPL among others are running analogue signals in DAS II areas.

     

    Industry insiders blame lack of an organisation for irregularities. “There is no such designated organisation that can regulate the system here,” says a source.

     

    The cause of ineffectiveness could also be because a few local cable operators (LCOs) have assured customers that they do not fall under DAS phase II and thus customers have not invested in the set top boxes (STBs).

     

    Talking about the prevailing confusion over DAS in Howrah, Sethia says, “Though most areas were covered during phase I, TRAI has to define whether the border of Howrah falls under phase II or not? There needs to be a clarification.”

     

    The city faces another issue. If Cable Operators Sangram Committee general secretary Apurba Bhattacharya is to be believed, subscribers who have submitted the duly filled CAFs are yet to see the change on their TV screens. “Even after filling the CAF and opting for preferred bouquet of channels, nothing has changed for viewers in Howrah,” he informs.

     

    Bhattacharya however believes that the MSOs will not switch off signals. “I foresee an extension in the cutoff date,” he says.

     

    Earlier a few LCOs had blamed festivities for slow down of work. “Since festivities are over now, both customers and LCOs should take the initiative and submit their details to MSOs,” opine city-based analysts.