Tag: Siti Cable

TRAI gets tough on MSOs on DAS customer forms

MUMBAI: That TRAI boss Rahul Khullar means business; that he does not mince any words; that he can make you squirm when he wants to is something all – who have been at the receiving end at one time or the other – know. But the heads of India‘s leading MSOs got another taste of that just yesterday, if sources are to be believed.

Khullar had summoned the heads of Siti Cable, Incable, Hathway, DEN and Digicable to the TRAI headquarter in Delhi. Four of them landed up; Digicable‘s Jagjit Singh Kohli requested to be excused. Hathway‘s Jagdeesh Kumar; Incable‘s Ravi Mansukhani; Siticable‘s Wadhwa and Anil Malhotra, and DEN‘s SN Sharma Sameer and Manchanda landed up in his chamber. They had earlier been pulled up similarly in end-March and had been warned that strict action against them would be taken under the TRAI act.

But this time it seemed as if Khullar had apparently reached the end of his patience. He did not let them get a word in – even edgewise.

“I have only 10-15 minutes to talk to you,” he thundered. “Where is the cable TV customer data that I have been demanding from you? It‘s been months since I should have got it; your deadline has long past. Now let me make it very clear to you: I will prosecute each one of you if I don‘t get it.”

Khullar went on to blast the MSOs further and set the deadline for collection of the DAS Phase I customer forms for Mumbai and Delhi. “You have till 30 June to submit those forms; failing which you can be sure you will be prosecuted under the required laws. DAS and SMS billing have to move ahead,” he urged.

Khullar apparently has also permitted the MSOs to disconnect local cable TV operators and subscribers who are continuing to play truant in the submission of the KYC (know your customer) forms.

The government mandated phase I of cable TV digitisation – with the switch-off of analogue TV signals and installation of set top boxes – which covered the cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata was to be completed by 31 October. As part of that process MSOs and cable TV operators were instructed to collect information from their customers and submit the forms to the authorities.

However, sources indicate that MSOs have been rather tardy in the submission of these forms as local cable TV operators have not been complying with their continuous and repeated requests.

June 7, 2013
Indian pay TV operators making their mark globally: researcher SNL Kagan

MUMBAI:India‘s pay TV operators are coming of age. And they are bursting on to the global pay TV scene, if one goes by data released by researcher SN L Kagan for 2012. Almost four of them feature in the top 10 list for Asia Pacific. Amongst these figure: Dish TV, DEN Networks, Siti Cable and Tata Sky.

According to the SNL Kagan report, DishTV with 14.7 milllion subscribers is the largest pay TV operator (fourth placed in the Asia-Pac rankings), Den Networks wih 11.2 million subs, Siti Cable with 10.5 million subs and Tata Sky with 10.2 million subs are at the No 8, 9, and 10 positions. Chinese operator Jiangsu Broadcasting with 20.9 million subs leads the Asia Pac table, while China Telecom with 19.9 million subs is at No 2.

The numbers can only go up for Indian pay TV ops, says an industry observer, as the government mandated digitisation spreads further into smaller and smaller towns forcing consolidation on the industry. Some MSOs are likely to expand even as DTH will attempt to garner new subscribers.

The researcher says that Videocon d2H leads the Indian pay TV operator pecking order if one looks at net subscriber additions with its number of 2.3 million. Dish TV is also doing well with 2.2 million net new subscriber adds. While Tata Sky follows with 1.98 million new additions.

India‘s BSNL with 9.9 million broadband subsribers and Bharati Airtel with 1.38 million are the only Indian firms featuring in the broadband table.

On the whole, SNL Kagan has crowned US cable TV service provider Comcast, as the world‘s largest pay-TV provider last year with nearly 22 million subscribers. However the next two are not far behind. China‘s Jiangsu Broadcasting has 20.9 million and DirecTV has 20.1 million.

China Telecom was the top fixed broadband provider, reaching 90.1 million high-speed Internet customers. India, China and the US accounted for 50 or nearly half of the 106 top pay-TV operators, with 27 companies based in China and 12 in India. The US is third with 11 operators, followed by France, Germany, South Korea, Brazil and Mexico, each with five.

In Asia, of the top 10 platforms by subscriber number, six were in China and the rest are in India led by Dish TV.

Comcast is still the number one broadband provider in the US, with about 19.4 million subscribers ahead of AT&T with 16.4 million and Time Warner Cable with 11.4 million subscribers.

For a list of the Global Top Multichannel Operators by Year-End 2012 Video Subscribers. Click Here

For a list of the Global Top Multichannel Operators by Year-End 2012 Video Net Adds. Click Here

For a list of the Global Top Broadband providers by Year-End 2012 Subscribers. Click Here

For a list of the Global Top Broadband providers by Year-End 2012 Net Adds. Click Here

Also Read:

SNL Kagan‘s global media & entertainment heavyweights

US multi-channel video subscriber universe sees small growth in 2012: SNL Kagan

June 5, 2013
Jai Maharashtra assigns its ad sales to Aidem Ventures

MUMBAI: The team at media and ad sales repping company Aidem Ventures is saying Jai Maharashtra these days. No, no they are not becoming fundamental Maharashtrians; the company has been appointed as the official media and sales rep for the news channel from the Sahana group which was launched on 1 May 2013.

Jai Maharashtra has brought on board a great blend of anchors and the finest talent from the news television industry. With Mandar Phanse as the editor, Tulsidas Bhoiteand and Ravi Ambekar as the executive editors, the channel has already gained tremendous traction in the Maharashtra market.

Jai Maharashtra plans to establish a strong foothold in the Television industry which is evident from its availability across cable & leading DTH platforms including Videocon D2H, 7 Star, Scod18, Siti Cable and GTPL. Jai Maharashtra boasts of a modern infrastructure to broadcast digital quality signals promising exceptional clarity.

Aidem Ventures Regional and News Broadcast business head Alok Rakshit says: “Regional channels accounted for approximately 27 per cent of total television viewership in 2012, which is proportionate to the advertising market share they commanded during the same period. Advertising interest in regional markets is strong and broadcasters see immense potential for revenues from local advertisers who are willing to pay a premium to reach their targeted audience. From our own experience with regional channels, we have come to realise that a staggering number of advertisers are seeing the benefits of developing localised communications strategies using sponsorships, promotions and integrated branded content around regional TV. It gives us immense pleasure to be associated with Jai Maharashtra and look forward to driving its vision.”

“The Aidem team has a good understanding of the Indian advertising market and we believe they‘ll help us connect better with our advertisers. We look forward to a continued association with them to help us achieve better yield for the channel over the long term” said Sahana group‘s Waahiid Ali Khan.

“Given Aidem‘s proven track record in the News TV advertising trade, this association is a great way to begin the new financial year,” added Sahana Films president Adil Mateen.

May 31, 2013
LCOs on the warpath in Kolkata, allege MSOs not playing fair in DAS

NEW DELHI: Cable TV operators in Kolkata have launched an agitation against the multi-system operators (MSOs) and broadcasters for failing to set proper rates and bouquets for the consumer.

A representative of the operators told indiantelevision.com in Kolkata that the state government had added a further complication by levying a charge of Rs 70 as service tax for every set top box installed which the LCOs feel is illegal.

The LCOs have sought a meeting with the State finance [Click and drag to move] minister in Kolkata in this connection.

Even though the revenue share between the LCOs and MSOs is not clear and the packages being offered to the consumers are vague with no agreements having been signed, the LCOs say that Siti Cable and Indian Cable Network Company Ltd have sought help from the police which has imposed Section 144 for restricting entry of LCOs.

Ratan Jaiswal who represents the Sangram Committee of the LCOs told indiantelevision.com that the number of digital STBs installed at present was less than forty per cent in the eastern metropolis.

May 23, 2013
Subhash Chandra ropes in retail and life style veteran Wadhwa to head Siti Cable

Mumbai: There’s tremendous promise and potential in Indian cable TV. No one knows this better than Essel group and Zee TV
chairman Subhash Chandra who floated cable TV firm Siti Cable more than 19 years ago – in the early stages of cable and satellite TV in India.

And with the Indian cable TV sector now undergoing digitisation under a government mandate, he clearly believes he can take India’s leading MSO to greater heights.

Today Chandra announced the appointment of V D Wadhwa as CEO of Siti Cable Network. The cable TV network has close to 10 million subscribers nationally. Reaching out to over 10 million viewers.

As Siti Cable CEO , Wadhwa will be based out of Noida and will be responsible for taking forward the organisational aspirations of growing the business of Siti Cable multifold through digitisation.

His last assignment was with Timex Group India where he was managing director & CEO for business operations in India and Saarc countries. Wadhwa brings with him over 28 years of general management experience in consumer life style and retail industry and largely credited with the profitable turnaround of Timex operations in India and establishing its retail operations in India and south Asian countries.

Wadhwa is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and a fellow member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India. He has served on various Ficci and Assocham committees besides serving as president of the Horological Federation of India.

Says Chandra: “We are delighted to have Wadhwa at the helm of Siti Cable. With his strong business acumen and strategic inputs, we expect the company to touch new highs with the aggressive growth plan in the digital regime. I am confident that Wadhwa’s association with the group will add immense value to the Company and all its stake holders.”

May 9, 2013
Big Thrill expands into Mumbai and Delhi with new carriage deals

MUMBAI: Big RTL Thrill, the action entertainment channel targeted at male audiences, has launched on digital distribution platforms in Mumbai and Delhi.

In Mumbai and Delhi, the channel has signed deals with In Digital, Hathway, Digicable, 7 Star, JPR Spacevision, ABS, Siti Cable, Home Cable and Star Broadband enabling it to expand its coverage to reach out to over 6.5 million households across both cities.

This move is in line with its business plan of reaching out to audiences across one million+ towns in the Hindi-speaking markets (HSMs) in a phased manner, Reliance Broadcast Network Limited (RBNL) said.

Big RTL Thrill is already available on Reliance Digital TV and other local platforms in Uttar Pradesh including Den, Digicable, Siti Cable, InCable, Siti Cable, Moon Cable and Sea TV.

The joint venture channel between Reliance Broadcast Network and Europe‘s RTL Group that goes with the tag line Action ka Baap showcases the best internationally acquired content dubbed in Hindi.

Targeted at male audiences (15-44 years), Big RTL Thrill promises to offer edge of the seat entertainment with content that ranges reality shows, action series, wrestling, extreme sports, game shows and action movies.

RBNL CEO Tarun Katial said, “Big RTL Thrill has performed excellently in the regional market of Uttar Pradesh, consistently delivering strong numbers. The Channel, with its distinctive international dubbed content has already outperformed other regional male targeted channels and now makes its entry into the metros of Mumbai and Delhi.”

The channel is positioned to create a new genre of entertainment for male audiences across the Hindi speaking markets.

Until now, male skewed entertainment has been sporadically available across channels but there is no channel that caters exclusively and comprehensively to male audiences and their entertainment needs.

March 18, 2013
Siti consolidated Q3 loss widens 47% Q-on-Q to Rs 185.7 million

MUMBAI: Zee Group-promoted multi-system operator (MSO) Siti Cable continues to be in the red with the fiscal third quarter consolidated net loss widening 47 per cent to Rs 185.7 million from Rs 126.5 million a quarter earlier on rise in expenses due to digitisation.

Siti Cable’s consolidated operating profit for the quarter, however, increased 7 per cent to Rs 202.5 million from Rs. 189.3 million a quarter earlier.

The consolidated operating revenues for the third quarter rose 33 per cent to Rs 1.24 billion from Rs 935.3 million a quarter earlier.

Operating revenue is primarily generated from subscriber related income, income from bandwidth charges, income from advertisements and set-top-box (STB) activation.

Total consolidated operating expenses for the quarter stood at Rs 1.04 billion, a 23 per cent increase from Rs 850.6 million a quarter earlier.

The company’s main operating expenses include cost of goods and services, employee costs and selling & distribution expenses.

Major cost item was cost of goods & services recorded as Rs 768 million during the third quarter, representing 62 per cent of the total revenue. It increased 24 per cent from Rs 621.5 million a quarter earlier, when it was 60 per cent of the total revenue then.

Siti Cable COO Anil Malhotra commented, “Siti gained further momentum in the third quarter of fiscal 2013. We were able to maintain our margins through operational efficiency improvements despite increased operating expenses.”

Malhotra said that the company had seeded 1.5 million set top boxes (STBs) during Phase-1 of digitisation in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata and had added approximately 700,000 STBs during the third quarter.

The STB seeding done by the company is under the paid scheme and the payments were realised on upfront basis, Malhotra said.

“We are now in exciting phase of our journey as we strengthen our existing operations and expand our digital subscriber base in phase-2 cities as well. We believe that experiences gathered from Phase 1 will form the basis for phase-2 switch-over to digital, helping to speed up the exercise eventually,” he said.

January 31, 2013
Kolkata to go completely digital from 28 December

MUMBAI: Kolkata‘s cable television will go completely digital from 28 December.

The Information and Broadcasting (I&B) ministry has cracked the whip for switching off of all analogue television signals in the West Bengal state capital by 27 December.

The multi-system operators (MSOs) will begin the process of switching off of analogue signals from 16 December. The second genre-wise switch off will be on 20, followed by 23 and finally 27 December when the Bengali language channels also go dark on analogue cable.

"The I&B ministry has said that from 16 December onwards till 27 December all the analogue channels should go off air and only digital should be activated (from 28 December)," Siti Cable Kolkata director Suresh Sethia told Indiantelevision.com.

Cable television networks in Mumbai and Delhi have already gone totally digital. According to a TAM survey, set-top boxes (STBs) required for digital reception have been deployed in 93 per cent of cable TV homes in Mumbai, 97 per cent in Delhi and 70 per centin Kolkata.

The I&B had mandated compulsory switch to digital delivery of cable television in the four metros of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai from 1 November. The ministry did not push for switching off of analogue signals along with Mumbai and Delhi as a large number of homes in Kolkata were still on analogue then. The situation has now changed. Over 75 per cent of cable TV homes in Kolkata now have STBs installed.

Sethia said almost 85 per cent of Siti Cable‘s subscribers now have STBs installed.

Manthan Broadband services, a regional multi-system operator, is also pushing for digitisation. "We have received a communication from the I&B ministry and will be switching off analogue signals completely by the deadline specified. We have also worked out a lower-priced package for those subscribers who hold a BPL (below poverty line) card as desired by the West Bengal state government," said Manthan business head Samrat Sen.

Chennai is the only city still to go digital as the Madras High Court is hearing a petition filed by associations of cable operators. The court has scheduled a hearing in the last week of this month.

December 15, 2012
Siti Cable gets KU Rao as CEO to drive digital biz

NEW DELHI: Essel Group-promoted Siti Cable has filled up its chief executive position after a year to keep pace with its digital cable TV expansion plans. Kancharan Upendra Rao (K U Rao) has moved from Diligent Media Corporation Limited (DCML) where he was chief executive officer to take charge of the cable company.

After the exit of Sudhir Agarwal, Siti Cable functioned with Anil Malhotra as chief operating officer. The company went on a restructuring exercise and Malhotra was assisted by Sanjay Goyal as chief financial officer and Sanjay Jindal as chief technology officer.

As Siti Cable CEO, Rao will have his hands full with the second phase of digitisation across 38 cities set for a deadline of 31 March 2013. New to the cable TV industry, he will bring fresh thinking to a sector that is moving from analogue to digital systems. Siti Cable has seeded 1.3 million set-top boxes (STBs) in the first phase.

Rao served as the CEO of Diligent Media, the company that runs English daily DNA, for more than six years where he was tasked with the challenge of launching the newspaper in the tough Mumbai market and later taking it to other markets. DMCL started as a joint venture between Zee and Dainik Bhaskar group.

A commerce graduate and MBA from Andhra University, Rao has more than 25 years of experience in the management field. Prior to DMCL, Rao was associated with Royal Dutch / Shell in various senior positions. He is also an Independent Non-Executive Director of Zee News Limited since 2006.

Rao served as International Sales head – Car Care Products of Shell International Petroleum for more than a decade till October 2006. He was the Head of Sales at Onida for more than four years. Prior to that, he was with Philips India as Area Manager.

Siti Cable (erstwhile known as Wire and Wireless India Ltd) has 54 analogue and 13 digital head-ends and a network of more than 12000 Kms of optical fibre and coaxial cable. It provides its cable services in India‘s 58 key cities and the adjoining areas, reaching out to over 10 million viewers.

December 4, 2012
CAS: MSOs at odds over carriage, basic tier fee sharing

NEW DELHI: MSOs are divided on the issue whether carriage fee is retained by them and the basic tier fee of cable channels by local cable operators.

While the Hinduja-owned IndusInd Media and Communications and Siti Cable (now renamed WWIL) opposed MSOs retaining carriage fee and LCOs keeping the basic tier fee, Rajan Raheja-controlled Hathway Datacom has supported such a model.

In their submission to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), both Siti Cable and IndusInd have said MSOs should also get a share of the basic tier fee, which is collected by LCOs.
Adding spice to the whole affair, the Cable Operators’ Federation of India (COFI) has suggested all round sharing of basic tier fee and carriage fee between MSOs and LCOs.

All the three MSOs, responding to Trai’s call for feedback on interconnect regulations, have said that distribution of signals to subscribers should only be through digital set-top boxes as analogue boxes lack credentials.

Trai had invited feedback from industry stakeholders on the proposed standard forms of interconnect agreements for CAS areas, draft regulation to mandate these standard forms and revenue sharing arrangements.

The specific issues that were raised were the following:

Should there be a uniform revenue share percentage between all broadcasters and MSOs and between MSOs and LCOs.
Should the revenue share percentages for different broadcasters prevailing in Chennai be adopted in other CAS notified areas?
Is there any other alternative method of arriving at the revenue share percentages amongst industry stakeholders.
Upholding the rights of cable operators that it represents, COFI has suggested that franchisees of MSOs could be given a commission ranging between 5-10 per cent for selling set-top-boxes and other equipment to subscribers.

The complete gist of comments of Hathway, Siti Cable, IndusInd and COFI on interconnect agreement is available on the regulator’s website at ww.trai.gov.in.

July 25, 2006