Mandatory submission of PAN number by a cable operator, disclosure of exact cable susbcribers in a area and an area-wise mandatory licence for the large cable distribution companies are some of the key suggestions made by various the cable and broadcasting industry.
These suggestions are in response to a consultation paper issued by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), that is also the broadcast regulator, on the restructuring of cable services.
If accepted, the entire structure of cable services in the country will undergo a major overhaul as currently the cable services have least regulations. According to the Trai paper, currently any citizen can become a cable operator by depositing Rs 500 in the head Post office. Also, there are no guidelines on the minimum qualifications for becoming a cable operator.
However, the apex body of cable operators--Cable Operators Federation of India (COFI)--has opposed any changes in the current registeration process.
But various others stakeholders like Digital Entertainment Network (DEN), ESPN, Big TV, Tata Sky, and Zee Network have suggested certain mandatory changes in the minimum guidelines for becoming a cable operator or distributor.
In its response, the new direct-to-home (DTH) company Big TV said: \" The local cable operators should be treated as a franchise of Multi System Operators(MSOs). Onus of regulatory compliance should be put on MSOs as this will lead better administrative and regulatory control over cable services.\"
Backing a licence-based MSO system in the country, the newly formed cable distribution company DEN said that the Government may consider issuing licenses to MSOs on circle basis, similar to radio/telecom, and imposing new and more detailed registration formalities.
Even the leading sports broadcaster ESPN Software India said that Trai should adopt auctioning of cable licences for different cities and towns. \"While doing so the Authority should categorize all the existing cities and towns etc. and then should fix a minimum number of licences for said categories,\" ESPN said in its response.
On its part Zee Network and WWIL (the cable arm of Zee Group) suggested a mandatory use of registeration number for each of the cable operators, MSOs and the customers. \"Each operator registered should be given a serial number under the category. For example HITS-001 or MSO-001, LCO- 00001 etc. Each operator should also be bound to allot a registration number to its own customer. This will make it possible to identify each customer uniquely in India such as HITS-001/LCO-8976 as well as keep track of the manner in which the customer being served,\" Zee said.
However ORTEL Communications, a regional MSO suggested that there was no need for a separate registration of MSOs and local cable operators as both are providing cable TV services either directly or through smaller operators or a combination of both.
Strict norms on the anvil for cable operators
These suggestions are in response to a consultation paper issued by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), that is also the broadcast regulator, on the restructuring of cable services.
If accepted, the entire structure of cable services in the country will undergo a major overhaul as currently the cable services have least regulations. According to the Trai paper, currently any citizen can become a cable operator by depositing Rs 500 in the head Post office. Also, there are no guidelines on the minimum qualifications for becoming a cable operator.
However, the apex body of cable operators--Cable Operators Federation of India (COFI)--has opposed any changes in the current registeration process.
But various others stakeholders like Digital Entertainment Network (DEN), ESPN, Big TV, Tata Sky, and Zee Network have suggested certain mandatory changes in the minimum guidelines for becoming a cable operator or distributor.
In its response, the new direct-to-home (DTH) company Big TV said: \" The local cable operators should be treated as a franchise of Multi System Operators(MSOs). Onus of regulatory compliance should be put on MSOs as this will lead better administrative and regulatory control over cable services.\"
Backing a licence-based MSO system in the country, the newly formed cable distribution company DEN said that the Government may consider issuing licenses to MSOs on circle basis, similar to radio/telecom, and imposing new and more detailed registration formalities.
Even the leading sports broadcaster ESPN Software India said that Trai should adopt auctioning of cable licences for different cities and towns. \"While doing so the Authority should categorize all the existing cities and towns etc. and then should fix a minimum number of licences for said categories,\" ESPN said in its response.
On its part Zee Network and WWIL (the cable arm of Zee Group) suggested a mandatory use of registeration number for each of the cable operators, MSOs and the customers. \"Each operator registered should be given a serial number under the category. For example HITS-001 or MSO-001, LCO- 00001 etc. Each operator should also be bound to allot a registration number to its own customer. This will make it possible to identify each customer uniquely in India such as HITS-001/LCO-8976 as well as keep track of the manner in which the customer being served,\" Zee said.
However ORTEL Communications, a regional MSO suggested that there was no need for a separate registration of MSOs and local cable operators as both are providing cable TV services either directly or through smaller operators or a combination of both.
Strict norms on the anvil for cable operators
