ITV

Tag: Namit Dave

  • SitiCable East eyes 2 lakh broadband connections by FY16

    SitiCable East eyes 2 lakh broadband connections by FY16

    KOLKATA: SitiCable East, a cable TV multisystem operator (MSO), which launched ‘SitiBroadband’ two years ago, aims to reach two lakh homes in the eastern region including West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and Assam by the end of current fiscal 2015-16. It should be noted that the MSO, at present, provides broadband services to more than 60,000 homes.

     

    Additionally the company will also be looking at creating awareness about its broadband services via a campaign. “We shall inform prospective customers through various activities. We will organize BTL activities and let people know through our distribution network and we shall put up hoardings sooner,” said Siticable Kolkata director Suresh Sethiya.

     

    “We have already invested in broadband. In a digital addressable era, broadband and VAS will become an important differentiated offering. We are upbeat about our penetration and growth in eastern region as our combo pack will be a value addition,” he added.

     

    Last year, when it was launched, the MSO had a cable customer base of around 12.5 lakh in West Bengal. SitiCable was eyeing 10 per cent of the cable connection for SitiBroadband by providing a combo pack and value addition to the customers in the first year.

     

    Sethiya expressed interest in developing it as a second major revenue source as it has more direct control over customers and the company can explain about the service as well.

     

    An Ethernet cable carries the broadband signals between modem, router, computer, and other wired Internet-capable devices. 

     

    Namit Dave a cable analyst said that broadband and value-added services, which suppressed revenue streams so far will get a major boost as the country advances towards the complete era of digitisation of cable TV. The MSOs are rolling out packages on a major scale.

     

    While another analyst said that broadband is a very good business now with less investment and promising higher revenue, SitiCable will thread a new path in a big way.

  • Kolkata may bill cable TV consumers from 10 December

    Kolkata may bill cable TV consumers from 10 December

    KOLKATA: On 29 November,  indiantelevision.com  had reported that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) pushed the deadline for MSOs to submit duly-filled CAFs (Consumer Application Forms) to 15 December, also asking them to implement gross/direct billing by December.

    The latest development is that Kolkata is likely to start the billing process from 10 December.
    Said Siticable Kolkata director Suresh Sethia: “We have been prepared for a long time but since some MSO’s were not ready, we had to wait.  Now, everyone has agreed to bill as per package from 10 November. We will put the bills on the system. The operators will distribute the same to subscribers. The bills will mention amusement tax and service tax components separately.”

    If all goes well, Kolkata will end up leading the pack as players in other metros are targeting January, in some cases even the last quarter of the current fiscal to start direct billing.
    Popular perception is that direct billing will bring transparency and order into an otherwise largely unorganised business.

    Director Manthan Broadband Sudip Ghosh said: “Billing is the first step to inform consumers of the changed ecosystem in a digitised environment.”

    However, several MSOs are opposing the process. Sources reveal that though Kolkata has some 30 lakh cable homes, MSOs like DEN and Digicable haven’t even started the package, let alone starting direct billing.

    Swapan Chowdhury, convener of the Cable Operators Digitalisation Committee of the Association of Cable Operators, too felt that with DAS not implemented properly in the city, packages not available and technical problems in the software and system used for direct billing, it could be said the government was simply putting pressure on the MSOs to collect taxes easily. “No one is concerned about the operators,” he said.

    Apurba Bhattacharya, general secretary, Cable Operators Sangram Committee too opined that everything was a hodge podge in DAS I.

    Cable TV analyst Mrinal Chatterjee pointed out that many customers weren’t paying the rentals. “Bill should be introduced. As the central and state government too is losing tax unless the bill is introduced. Some MSOs claim that they are ready with the bill and the backend system needed for it but they are not!” she said.

    Media analyst Namit Dave posed a very real question: “At a time when some CAFs are not filled in and customers are unable to see their favourite channels even after opting for the preferred bouquet as offered in the channel package, is the city ready to take on direct billing?”