Nagpur based Multi-System Operator (MSO) UCN has acquired Atria Convergence technologies cable TV business in Indore ahead of digital addressable system (DAS) phase II implementation. Atria is a Bangalore based MSO.
After implementation of DAS Atria had lost a huge number of its cable TV subscribers as many local cable operators (LCOs) migrated to rival networks. Most of the pay channels were not carried by Atria and a closure become migrated imminent.
Since then, UCN has been building its base in Indore. With cable TV operations in Vidarbha, the MSO also started operations in Bhopal and Jabalpur.
Competing in a market which has five MSOs, UCN has managed to seed an estimated 32,000 STBs. Hathway Cable & Datacom leads the market with 125,000 boxes, followed by Siti Cable with 75,000. While Digicable has deployed 37,000 STBs, GTPL has 35,000.
A total of 304,000 STBs have been seeded by the cable TV operators in Indore, compared to direct-to-home’s (DTH) 141,796 boxes. DTH comprises 46.6 per cent of digital cable TV connections. A total of 445,796 boxes have been seeded in Indore, according to market estimates.
UCN is going all out to increase its subscriber’s base luring LCOs of other networks who are facing problem financially or from Pay Broadcasters.
UCN modus operandi is to offer the higher subscription revenue for one year, but the operators will have to purchase the boxes outright. Negotiations are currently on with many LCOs of Digicable who is facing a financial crunch.
UCN is collecting Rs 50 (plus tax) from its LCOs and is now asking them to increase it to Rs 80 (plus tax). Billing and packaging of channel bundles to consumers is still some distance away.
The LCOs in Indore have been an aggressive lot and have gone to High Court against TRAI and the MSOs for not implementing regulations in favour of consumers.
Source: http://cablequest.org/news/cable-news/item/5193-cq-ucn-acquires-atria%E2%80%99s-cable-tv-business-in-indore.html
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