ITV

Tag: Siticable

  • Stockmarket reacts to buzz on FDI raise to 100 per cent in DTH, cable TV firms

    Stockmarket reacts to buzz on FDI raise to 100 per cent in DTH, cable TV firms

    MUMBAI: Is the government going ahead with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s August 2013 recommendation of allowing a hike in foreign direct investment (FDI) in content carriage companies to 100 per cent from the current 74 per cent? And in news channels from 26 per cent to 49 per cent?

     

    No formal announcement has come as yet, but the buzz is that  the Narendra Modi-led government is indeed looking at TRAI’s recommendations which have been gathering dust on the ministry of information and broadcasting’s shelves at Shastri Bhavan in Delhi.  A while ago finance and MIB minister Arun Jaitley had stated that technology had made FDI limits on news channels redundant.

     

    Apparently, an inter-ministerial committee is examining that proposal (which was part of TRAI’s consultation paper released in 2013)   along with those relating to hiking the foreign investment limits in cable TV direct-to-home (DTH), internet TV, mobile TV, HITS (headend-in-the sky) and teleports from 74 per cent to 100 per cent.

     

    But the buzz generated by a Press Trust of India report was enough to lead to  a rise in the share prices of at least two listed content carriage firms  – the Essel group owned Dish TV and the Sameer Manchanda promoted DEN Network on 21 September. DEN, along with the Rajan Raheja promoted Hathway Cable have been enabling themselves to be in  a position to hike the foreign investment limits in their firms  to 74 per cent.

     

    Dish TV shares closed at Rs 116.45, 6.59 per cent higher than its previous close. To be fair to Dish TV, the share is being tipped by almost every investment advisory firm as a stock to be bought as it has been showing an improvement in its financial performance.

     

    At an early stage of the day (Monday) Den Network’s share were up by 1.53 per cent priced at Rs 129. The day, however,  ended with  its shares at Rs 126 down by 0.35 per cent compared to the previous close. Other listed MSOs such as  Siticable, Hathway and Ortel Communications, also saw similar downward movement in their stocks after climbing earlier in the day.

  • LCOs can jointly file petitions to air grievances: TDSAT

    LCOs can jointly file petitions to air grievances: TDSAT

    NEW DELHI: In a preliminary observation that may have far-reaching consequences, the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Arbitration Tribunal (TDSAT) has found no legal impediment in local cable operators (LCOs) coming together in an association to raise their grievances.
     
     
    TDSAT rejected the preliminary objection by Siti Cable Networks counsel Tejveer Bhatia that under Section 14 of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, the Tribunal has the jurisdiction to adjudicate any dispute between (i) a licensor and licensee; (ii) two or more service providers; and (iii) a service provider and a group of consumers. 
     
     
    According to Bhatia, the Jabalpur Cable Operators Welfare Association does not come under any of these three categories. 
     
     
    TDSAT chairman Justice Aftab Alam, member Kuldip Singh, and B B Srivastava said, “We are unable to accept the objection. The petitioner is a registered association of cable operators. It is representing 90 cable
    operators, who are in dispute with the respondent, a multi system operator.”
     
     
    The Tribunal said, “The nature of the dispute between the cable operators and the MSO is the same. Each of the cable operator is a service provider and each of them can approach this Tribunal in respect of its disputes with the respondent. But being small operators they may not have the necessary wherewithall and the resources to agitate its grievances before the Tribunal sited in Delhi. If, therefore, for financial and logistical reasons, the cable operators pool their resources and authorise the association to represent them before the Tribunal, we see no legal impediment in their maintaining this petition. More so, as each of the cable operator by virtue of the
    authorisation given to the association, will be bound by the orders passed in this petition.”
     
     
    Noting that the issues raised in the petition are substantial and need consideration by the Tribunal, it directed the parties to maintain status quo until further orders. In case any payment falls due before the next date in this case, the cable operators (90 in number) will make payment to Siticable at the rate at which each of them made the last payment. Subject to this direction, Siticable will not discontinue supply of its signals to the cable operators.
     
     
    The Tribunal directed Bhatia to file the reply within a week. But it said Bhatia will be free to reagitate the issue of maintainability of the petition, and the point, if so required may be considered in greater detail. 
     
     
    Listing the matter for 6 October, the Tribunal said rejoinder, if any, may be filed within a week from the date of receipt of copy of the reply.
  • Siticable resumes inadvertently disconnected signals to Bhopal LCOs

    Siticable resumes inadvertently disconnected signals to Bhopal LCOs

    NEW DELHI: Siticable Networks has apprised the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Arbitration Tribunal (TDSAT) that it had resumed signals, which were inadvertently disconnected, to 119 local cable operators (LCOs) from Bhopal.

     

    Siticable Networks counsel Tejveer Singh Bhatia assured the Tribunal that the supply had been resumed.

     

    The Tribunal had two days earlier directed Siticable Networks not to disconnect the supply of signals to 119 cable operators represented by the Bhopal Cable Operators’ Association.

     

    TDSAT chairman Aftab Alam and members Kuldip Singh and BB Srivastava had passed the order after a statement made by the LCO association’s counsel Nittin Bhatia that all due payments had been made.

     

    Bhatia had said the LCOs have made up-to-date payments as per the invoices issued by Siticable and continue to make payment at the rate at which invoices of June 2015 was issued.

     

    Bhatia told the Tribunal that he had the authorisation from 67 cable operators but would get these from the remaining 52 operators within a week.

     

    The Tribunal had said the status of any cable operator who is in dues will be determined on the basis of reconciliation of accounts and dues if any would be cleared within two weeks from the ascertainment of the said amount.

     

    The Tribunal had also said that the parties would be well advised to resolve their disputes through the process of mediation and directed both sides to appear before the Mediation Centre on 7 September.

     

    As was previously reported by Indiantelevision.com, the primary grievance of the Association was that the respondent was unilaterally and steadily increasing the monthly subscription fees payable by them. According to Bhatia, the cable operators paid the monthly subscription at the rate of Rs 30 per STB up to March 2013 and thereafter at Rs 60 per STB. Now the invoices being raised by the respondent are at the rate of Rs 83.11 (excluding taxes) for the package of channels supplied by it.

  • Regional Units set up to implement DAS; broadcasters ask MSOs for analogue rates till Dec

    Regional Units set up to implement DAS; broadcasters ask MSOs for analogue rates till Dec

    NEW DELHI: Twelve Regional Units (RUs) are being set up for implementation of Digital Addressable System (DAS) in Phase Ill areas.

     

    At the ninth meeting of the DAS Task Force earlier this month, Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry joint secretary (broadcasting) R Jaya said these RUs will hold workshops on digitisation where all issues shall be discussed with the District Nodal officers nominated by State Governments.

     

    The remark came when a representative of local cable operators (LCO) from Assam said multi-system operators (MSO) are stopping signals to LCOs without any reason and the local authorised officers do not take cognisance of any violation of the provisions of the Cable TV Act. He added that there is no redressal mechanism for violations of Cable Act at State level and the cable operators do not have the means to file cases in Telecom Disputes Settlement and Arbitration Tribunal (TDSAT).

     

    Additional secretary J S Mathur, who chaired the meeting on 7 July, said time was fast running out and impressed on all stakeholders to ensure progress and timely completion of digitisation by the cutoff date.

     

    The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) GS Kesarwani was given the task to ask broadcasters to get details of MSOs who were intending to wait till September 2015 before sending requests to broadcasters for agreements in Phase III areas.

     

    On the other hand, Mathur said that the endeavour on the MSOs’ part should be to start using indigenously manufactured set-top-boxes (STBs) in their network.

     

    Kesarwani informed of a review meeting that was held by TRAI on the progress of signing inter-connect agreements for Phase Ill areas with broadcasters and MSOs. He said that three broadcasters namely Star India, Multi Screen Media (MSM) and TV18 – informed TRAI that they had received 55 requests from MSOs so far out of which they have signed commercial deals with two MSOs, whereas deals with 11 MSOs were in advance stages of negotiation.

     

    Kesarwani also urged MSOs who had not received any response to their requests from broadcasters, to inform TRAI.

     

    Saying that the Headend-in-the-Sky (HITS) operations were also covered under DAS regulations, Kesarwani asked HITS operators to apprise TRAI if no response was received from broadcasters to their requests for interconnect agreements.

     

    Apprehending that there may be some gap areas or MSO deficient areas, Jaya asked Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) representatives to get details of these areas from broadcasters and intimate the same to the Ministry.

     

    Meanwhile even as they admitted some progress, representatives of national MSOs said  that broadcasters were asking for seeding plans and other data. However, MSOs were not in a position to provide this at this stage. They said channel pricing in Phase III areas was the main hurdle in signing of interconnect agreements. Some of them said that a few broadcasters had proposed agreements on analogue rates till December 2015 and others on reference inter-connect order rates.

     

    Even according to the TRAI, pricing can be different for different markets, they said.

     

    A representative of Siticable Networks said, “According to an analysis of urban areas carried out by us, it may not be feasible for any operator to carry out digitisation in urban areas having only a few hundred TV households. Even broadcasters are insisting on analogue agreements at present.”

     

    According to an IBF representative, broadcasters had entered into agreements with five regional MSOs. He said, “Broadcasters have filed an appeal in the Supreme Court challenging the TDSAT judgment on the tariff orders issued by TRAI.”

     

    On the issue of STBs, a representative of Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association (CEAMA ) said that no major orders were received by the industry so far from MSOs. On the other hand, while Siticable and Hathway officials said they were in talks with indigenous STB manufacturers, officials of direct-to-home (DTH) companies said that they had procured about three million STBs from Videocon.

     

    The meeting was attended by around 35 persons including some senior Ministry officials and some representatives from state governments.

  • IBF, NBA, MSO Alliance get more representation in DAS Task Force

    IBF, NBA, MSO Alliance get more representation in DAS Task Force

    NEW DELHI: New members have been taken on board of the Task Force for Digital Addressable System (DAS) Phases III and IV headed by the Additional Secretary in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

     

    These include one additional member each from Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), and News Broadcasters Association (NBA).

     

    In addition, the new members include Noida Technology Software Park as members representing HITS operator; Ortel Communications; and a representative each from four national MSOs – Den, Siticable, Hathway and IMCL – who were also members of the MSO Alliance; and the All India Digital Cable Federation.

     

    The Government on 12 September last year had reconstituted the Task Force. This followed a revision of deadlines for the two final phases of DAS.

     

    The other members of the Task Force are Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) principal advisor for broadcast and cable satellite, I&B Ministry joint secretary (Broadcasting), one other representative from the MSO Alliance, five independent MSOs one each from north, south, east, west and north east regions, five registered LCO associations one each from north, south, east, west and north east regions, representatives from the Indian Broadcasting Foundation, News Broadcasters Association, Association of Regional Television Broadcasters of India, DTH Association, FICCI, CII, ASSOCHAM, CEAMA, Department of Telecommunications, Department of Electronics and Information Technology, DG: Doordarshan, DG: All India Radio, BECIL, BIS, five prominent consumer organisations one each from north, south, east, west and north east regions and 33 state level nodal officers one each from the states/union territories governments.

     

    The task force is aimed to act as an interface between the government and the industry in matters related to implementation of DAS in the cable TV sector and monitor the implementation of DAS. It also will have to analyze the roadblocks that may come in the way of digitization and suggest measures. 

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Reliance Jio Media applies for pan-India license, over 200 others in queue for phase III of DAS

    Reliance Jio Media applies for pan-India license, over 200 others in queue for phase III of DAS

    NEW DELHI: Reliance Jio Media, a subsidiary of Reliance Jio Infocomm, has applied for a pan India cable television multi system operator (MSO) license as part of its step to enter the broadcast distribution sector.
     

    Confirming this to indiantelevision.com, an Information and Broadcasting Ministry official said that around 200 MSOs are in the queue for phase III of digital addressable system (DAS) license at present. Following the recent extension in date for registration of MSOs for phase III, the official said it was expected that this number may go up by another 70-80 MSO applicants.
     

    At least 50 per cent of these applicants including Reliance Jio are expected to get clearances by March 2015.
     

    Reliance Jio, the telecom arm of Mukesh Ambani led Reliance Industries, is the only company to have pan-India Broadband Wireless Access spectrum that can be used for 4G services. Reliance Jio has plans to start 4G services across most of the telecom circles by March 2015.
     

    Reliance Industries has already announced that it will launch commercial 4G telecom service of Reliance Jio in 2015 entailing investment of Rs 70,000 crore. It will initially cover about 5,000 towns and cities accounting for over 90 per cent of urban India, as well as over 215,000 villages in India.
     

    The company is focusing on convergence space and has bagged Broadband Wireless Access spectrum in 2010 and Internet Service Provider license was bagged through acquisition of Infotel Broadband Services in 2010.
     

    The company has also showcased a ‘Jio Television’ that can be delivered through 4G network.
     

    All these services will help Reliance Jio to offer broadband services through wireless media, wireline media and cable TV media thereby focusing on all types of broadband services pan-India.
     

    Reliance Jio in February 2014 acquired airwaves in 1800 MHz band across 14 out of 22 service area in the country. The spectrum in this band can also be used for providing 4G services. The company already holds Unified Licence (UL), which allows it to use any technology to provide telecom services.

    Under UL, sources said, Reliance Jio can offer Fiber-To-The-Home services and high speed broadband services to home and enterprise users.

    An MSO license will help Reliance Jio to offer cable TV services through optical fiber thereby providing triple play service as done by large MSOs in the country say Hathway, Siti Cable, IN cable, DEN and others.

  • LCOs in Kolkata to submit interconnection agreement to MSOs soon

    LCOs in Kolkata to submit interconnection agreement to MSOs soon

    KOLKATA: Local cable operators (LCOs), operating in the Kolkata Municipal Area with more than 33 lakh cable television homes, plan to submit a draft of the interconnection agreement to the multi system operators (MSOs) without any further delay. The agreement has been drafted after extensive discussion between both the MSO and the LCO.

     

    Sources said that MSOs like Siticable and Manthan among others have executed the interconnection agreement with their affiliated LCOs, while there are a few who have yet not worked out the details of the agreement.

     

    “The LCOs have decided to submit a draft interconnection agreement to their MSOs, since they do not want to be blamed for non-signing of the agreement by the MSOs,” said Sangram Committee secretary Apurba Bhattacharya.

     

    In a meeting held recently, Sangram Committee addressed issues pertaining to the interconnection agreement; notice of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on the amendment to be introduced shortly; the MIB notice to the MSOs and lastly the local issues of LCOs.

     

    The move comes after TRAI had instructed the MSOs and LCOs to mutually draft an interconnection agreement for better operation. The Authority had also said that if the two parties failed to mutually draft the agreement, it would come up with one, which will then have to be signed by both.   

  • Star and Zee not conspiring to drive Hathway out of business: Star India counsel Rakesh Dwivedi

    Star and Zee not conspiring to drive Hathway out of business: Star India counsel Rakesh Dwivedi

    NEW DELHI: Admitting that Star India and Zee Turner had created MediaPro, Star counsel Rakesh Dwivedi said that the arrangement had been dismantled and “MediaPro is dead in the sense that it is no longer an authorised agent of Star India.”

     

    Arguing before the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal in the cases linked to Taj TV signals for Turner and Zee TV and Star India signals to Hathway and other multi-system operators, Dwivedi said that Star had no stake in Den Networks or Zee and had no problems with Siticable.

     

    Referring to the Regulations which refer to being non-discriminatory and reasonable, he said the petitioners (Hathway and the other MSOs) had not been able to show how Star India was discriminatory.

     

    In any case, he said Star India was treating all MSOs at par, adding that there was no challenge to the reasonableness of the Reference Interconnect Offer agreement. He said it was also incorrect to say that the RIO was not in consonance with market rates.

     

    He also pointed out that on the one hand Star India had been accused of only offering packages and not giving the channels on a la carte, the petitioners themselves then bundled some channels into various packages.

     

    He quoted both the Regulations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and the Competition Commission of India to show that MSOs hold a more dominant position in the cable industry.  

     

    Dwivedi also said that the previous agreement with MediaPro cannot form the basis of the agreement with Hathway or other MSOs as “they proceed on different methodologies.”

     

    He again denied the charge that Star and Zee were conspiring with other MSOs to drive the petitioner MSOs out of business.