The Karnataka State Cable Operators Association (KSCOA) switched off signals of multi-system operator (MSO) Hathway Cable & Datacom across Bengaluru on 3 July for failing to keep its promises. Television screens in nearly 40 per cent of the households went blank as signals were switched off from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. by cable operators. The move affected television viewing in 10 lakh households, the customer base of Hathway.
“The Association also lodged a complaint with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) against Hathway” said TV operators Association representatives in Bangalore Mr. Sibichen Mathew/President Patrick Raju
Hathway officials had called police force to stop operators enter their office. Association president V.S. Patrick Raju said they met the Hathway officials and were given a draft of the Interconnect Agreement between the MSO and LMOs, but it was one-sided. According to Mr. Raju, the final draft will be finalised after consultations. However, he was quick to add that all their grievances were not satisfactorily addressed.
The KSCOA had organized a meeting of all Hathway LCOs in Bengaluru on July 1 to discuss the implications of digital addressable system (DAS) for LCOs/ LMOs and their subscribers.
During the meeting, the LCOs had poured their pent-up grievances against Hathway. LCOs demanded that the DAS regulations be implemented in full, otherwise, the whole purpose of digitisation will be rendered futile.
The KSCOA alleged that after digitising the whole of Bengaluru, Hathway was not forthcoming with the implementation of packaging, the interconnect agreement with the LMOs and taxes to be paid to the government.
The KSCOA also rued the fact that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had hiked non-addressable tariff by 27.5 per cent in two instalments. It said the hike was against the interest of the subscribers.
“The KSCOA also decided to approach Hathway officials with a memorandum of their demands on 3 July and that same day decided to switch off all Hathway signals across the city as a mark of protest,” KSCOA president Patrick Raju said in a statement.
LCOs have nine key demands from Hathway:
Interconnect agreement between MSO and LMO
Packaging to enable subscribers to pick and choose channels of their choice based on their pocket size
To switch on sports channels till packaging is implemented
Subscription increase of 27 per cent to be recalled by TRAI
To issue Form 52 against Entertainment Tax
Service tax issue
Non-issuance of payment receipts made by LMOs
Service of STBs to be provided
Availability of STBs on demand of subscribers.
LMOs have demand cancellation of Hathway DAS license for using unethical means to do business. They have
Source: http://cablequest.org/news/cable-news/item/5701-cable-operators-switch-off-hathway-signals.html
No comments:
Post a Comment