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Tag: local cable TV operators

  • MIB simplifies process of registration for India’s cable TV operators

    MIB simplifies process of registration for India’s cable TV operators

    UMBAI:  India’s ministry of Information and broadcasting has issued an advisory on 17 January outlining significant changes to the registration process for local cable operators (LCOs) and multi-system operators (MSOs) under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995.

    The advisory highlights that, as per Section 3 of the Act, operating a cable television network without registration is prohibited. Applicants are now required to register or renew their registration online through the newly established Broadcast Seva Portal. This modernised approach addresses long-standing concerns regarding the cumbersome manual registration processes previously employed.

    Pursuant to the above, the central government has now introduced key amendments to the Rule vide Notification S. 0. No. 65(E) dated 17  January2025. Further, in exercise of powers conferred under clause (h) of Section 2 of the CTN Act, 1995, a notification vide S.O. No.315(E) dated 17  January , 2025 notifying the section Officer and additional  joint secretary to be the registering authorities for LCOs and MSOs respectively, has been issued.

    Key amendments outlined in the advisory include:

    Online Registration: LCO registration will be facilitated online via the Broadcast Seva Portal.
    Validity Extension: The registration will now be valid for five years, increased from one year.
    Processing Fee:  The registration fee has been set at Rs 5,000.
    National Registration Number: Registered LCOs will receive a unique National Registration Number valid throughout India.

    The new registering authority for LCOs will be designated section officers handling digital addressable systems (DAS) in the ministry. Additionally, applicants will need to verify their identity online using PAN, Aadhaar, and other required documents, with Aadhaar sharing being voluntary.

    Current LCOs are urged to apply for their registration renewal at least 90 days before expiration. Those with applications pending at local head post offices must withdraw and reapply through the Broadcast Seva Portal.

    The Ministry encourages all interested parties to take immediate action and offers support via a dedicated helpline (011-23381707) and toll-free number (18002127307), which are also available on the portal.

    These changes aim to streamline the registration process and enhance the operational framework for cable television networks in India.

    The advisory can be downloaded from this link b clicking on the word advisory
    The notification of the process of registration can be downloaded by clicking on the word notification
    The notification empowering the section officer for LCOs and the additional joint secretary in the case of MSOs can downloaded by clicking on the word notification.

  • MIB to initiate online registration process for LCOs — Economic Times report

    MIB to initiate online registration process for LCOs — Economic Times report

    MUMBAI: Is cable TV about to get even more organised and given the respect that is due to it? 

    If a report appearing in The Economic Times on on 16 January  is to be believed it looks like it is. The newspaper reported that the ministry of information & broadcasting (MIB) is set to launch a centralised online registration system for local cable operators (LCOs), extending registration validity from one year to five. This initiative aims to enhance the ease of business in the cable TV sector.

    Sources indicated to The Economic Times  that the MIB plans to amend the Cable Television Networks (CTN) Rules, 1994 and the regulations act  making registration through the Broadcast Seva portal mandatory for LCOs. This is something that every broadcaster has to do. 

     Once implemented, the MIB will serve as the primary registering authority for LCOs, replacing the current requirement to register at local head post offices. As of January 2022, there were 81,706 LCOs operating nationwide.

    A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity to The Economic Times  noted, “The ministry is likely to notify the new online registration system this week. It has been a long-standing demand of the industry.”

    The current offline registration process hinders the MIB from maintaining a centralised database, limiting its ability to address violations effectively. LCOs currently pay a one-time processing fee of Rs 500 for registration or renewal.

    Under Rule 5 of the CTN Rules, LCOs are responsible for providing last-mile connectivity by retransmitting signals from multi-system operators (MSOs) to subscribers through their own infrastructure. 

    The All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF), which represents national MSOs, informed the parliamentary committee on communications & information technology that around 300,000 employees have lost their jobs over the past four years, with another 300,000 at risk, attributed to a significant decline in the cable TV subscriber base.

    According to a FICCI-EY report, the number of cable TV subscribers has dropped from 72 million in 2020 to 62 million in 2023. Yhe latest report which comes out later in 2025 is likely to reveal that this number has dropped by an additional five million in the least. 

    Traditional linear pay TV has been under tremendous pressure with the arrival of streaming services, cheap data plans being provided by telecom players, ISPs, MSOs and even the LCOs,  and the flooding of cheap connected TV sets in the country. India is also a mobile first country where a  majority  of the youth is consuming content on their handsets. 

    Recognising this, and to acquire customers quickly, global streaming service have been offering their streaming services at very low  subscription rates to Indian customers. There has been an explosion in the amount  of consumption of video on YouTube too which in many cases has become the secondary entertainment medium, after DD FreeDish, the free direct to home service provided by pubcaster Doordarshan. 

    Additionally, many of the second generation family members of the local cable TV operators have simply not followed in their fathers profession and have chosen other fields or they have transitioned to providing broadband internet service that has higher  average revenue per customer and hence is more profitable. Video delivery has become a secondary business which is being continued as it is without any goal to expand individual cable TV networks. 

  • JAINHITS DPs successfully hosts LCO meet for AP

    JAINHITS DPs successfully hosts LCO meet for AP

    VIJAYWADA:  JAINHITS, India’s only HITS Platform based service in an effort to digitize all analogue cable networks in the country, conducted a massive LCO (Local Cable Operators) meet in association with the state DP (Distribution Partners) for the Andhra Pradesh region. The meet saw close to 650 LCOs from across the state. The objective was to inform the gathering about the immediate cable digitization solutions that JAINHITS can provide across every corner of India.

     

    Present on the occasion, Mr. Pradip Baijal, Ex Chief, TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) said, “JAINHITS has obtained content coupled with all the regulatory approvals to supply cable TV and broadband, and has downloaded its signal. The time has come for the latest technology of HITS to take the signal directly to the LCOs, and then to subscribers, and to also supply broadband to subscribers through the LCOs.”

     

    According to the TRAI’s policy, it is expected that the services of several lakh cable subscribers are likely to be disrupted due to non-receipt of their Digital Addressable System (DAS) license from the Centre. Thus, JAINHITS – India’s first DTN service based on the next generation technology of HITS (Headend-In-The-Sky) can play a crucial role with its triple play service offering: Video, Voice and Data that can help digitize all analogue cable networks.

     

    JAINHITS is not only offering digital cable services, but also providing high speed broadband and multi-screen service which allows the subscribers to view their favorite content on their TV sets, smart phones or tablet PCs – anywhere, anytime; apart from that there are interactive services such as healthcare, education and financial inclusion. HITS is the only platform in the country, offering complete empowerment  and ownership to even the smallest LCO by making him a Leader & Cable Owner and an Independent Service Operator (ISO), by introducing innovative Products, Services, Schemes & Offerings etc. which will make the Digitization Process within the reach of their economic availability.
     

    All the DPs for the state of AP were present at the meet namely; V. Balaji, Master Care Electronics Pvt. Ltd. (Vijayawada), P. Prasada Raju, One Implex Business Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (Hyderabad), Srinivasa Rao, Priyadarshini Communications (Kurnool), Prasada Raju, Priima Infomatics Pvt. Ltd. (Warangal), S. M Reddy, Sm Channel Marketing and B. Suresh, Sri HiSpeed Network (Tirupati). Giving the local flavor, the DPs present there elaborated on the relevance of the services for the AP market. In heavy monsoon period unlike the competition, JAINHITS technology, offers uninterrupted broadcast services for its subscribers in the region.

     

    The key proposition of the HITS platform is its cost-effective investment for cable operators which stands at a minimum of only Rs 25,000 per month. With this, they expect to do business with 400 plus partners and install over 1000 Mini Downlink Headend’s across 640 districts of India by the end of 2014.

     

    About JAINHITS:

    JAINHITS is a satellite communications company with no ground presence & has MSO, ISP and HITS license. Its product portfolio includes Mini Downlink Headend and CMTS for Cable Operators with some add on accessories like Nodes, Amplifiers and Wi-Fi Hot Spots which will help them increase their ARPUs. JAINHITS is offering more than 250 Digital TV Channels through the Standard and High Definition Set Top Boxes (MPEG-4) with the Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) standards, Broadband through Wired and Wireless Modems, Value Added Services like Video On Demand (VoD) and Innovative Products like Cloud Broadband, Gaming Console etc. JAINHITS plans to soon provide online Education and Healthcare to its consumers through its network of ISO’s.

     

    Only JAINHITS delivers signals directly to LCO / MSO Networks across India with a plug and play solution. With an aim to make cable operator businesses independent and growth oriented, it helps LCOs go Digital over night and ensure full compliance across legal, regulatory, and content requirements at the lowest comparative investments.