[icernet] Broadcasters, MSOs Team Up In Bid To Ensure Smooth Take-off For CAS

[Arul Selvan]

  Star TV has initiated the formation of an informal group of 
broadcasters and multi-system operators (MSOs) to ensure a glitch-free 
conditional access system when it takes off in July this year. The group 
consists of all the important members of Indian Broadcasting Foundation 
(IBF) and ICBF (Indian Cable Broadcasters Federation) including pay 
channel-bouquets like Star, Zee-Turner, Sony, ESPN-Star Sports and MSOs 
like SitiCable, Hathway, SCV, InCable and RPG Netcom. The main objective 
of the group is to make CAS a success by bringing about a concensus 
among all the stakeholders regarding the various issues related to its 
implementation with a ‘common plan’.

IBF, which is part of the CAS task-force set up by the government, is 
asking for Rs 35 as the basic price for the standard (Tier I) category. 
The cable operators, on the other hand, feel that the pricing should be 
based on the density of population in different parts of the country as 
the length of cable to be used depends on that, according to industry 
sources.

The government is currently evaluating the basic subscription fees to be 
charged and is likely to carry out an independent survey on the density 
of population in various parts of the country to reach an acceptable 
average minimum tariff. The taskforce on the conditional access system 
(CAS) has engaged ORG-MARG for a marketing survey of the cable industry 
in the country, according to government officials.

Source:
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=31142