[icernet] CAS - A step to protect TV consumers

[Arul Selvan]

Come July 14, 2003 and the TV viewing would undergo a revolutionary 
change in the four Metros - Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. The 
Conditional Access System (CAS) to view the Pay Channels through the Set 
Top Box would come into operation. With the implementation of this 
scheme, the consumer would get protection against the arbitrary and very 
frequent hike in the cable subscription and also the forced payment for 
even the channels he does not want to view by bunching the channels with 
bouquets by the broadcasters. The CAS scheme provides that the consumer 
would get only the channels he wants and pay for only those he actually 
wishes to view. The broadcasters would have to notify the cost of every 
pay channel, the list of which would have to be displayed by the cable 
operators.

The CAS brought in by amending the Cable TV Act of 1995 during the 
Winter Session of Parliament makes it mandatory in the areas notified by 
the Government that all pay channels would be transmitted through an 
addressable system. This would be possible by installing a small box 
called Set Top Box (STB) at the consumer’s place. However, for viewing 
only the Free to Air (FTA) channels the box will not be required.

The Government would prescribe from time to time the maximum amount to 
be paid by the subscriber for the basic service tier of FTA and the 
number of free channels. The Government would also determine the cost 
for the FTA brought for different States, cities and areas of the 
country. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has constituted a 
Task Force to determine the above criteria and the cost. The Task Force 
has representatives of consumers, NGOs, cable operators, multi system 
operators, STB manufacturers and broadcasters. The Bureau of Indian 
Standards has already notifed the standards for the STBs.

There are about four crore cable TV homes in the country. Over 280 
channels have footprints over India. Out of about 80 channels delivered 
to the viewers, 31 are pay channels and 49 free-to-air channels. MSOs 
control about 60 per cent of total cable homes. Average subscription 
paid by the viewer is about Rs. 150 to 300 in big cities.

With the implementation of the Conditional Access System the entire 
transmission system of TV signals through the cable would become 
transparent. It would not only protect the consumers against frequent 
and arbitrary hikes in cable rates and undesirable transmission of 
channels but also make the advertisement rates realistic and plug the 
loopholes in the collection of entertainment tax. The consumer would be 
able to block the reach of unwanted channels, which he felt embarrassing 
to view in a family.

Though there are demands from various State governments and consumer 
associations asking for extension of CAS to more cities other than the 
four metros, the Government would wait for the successful implementation 
in the first phase before extending it further. (PIB Features).

Source:
http://pib.nic.in/feature/feyr2003/fmar2003/f200320031.html