Over one thousand cable operators under the banner of Jharkhand Cable Operators Association (JCOA) stopped their services on Thursday from 7 AM to 10 PM in to protest against a recent order of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
TRAI had decided recently that the DTH and cable consumers will soon have the freedom to choose their channels.
The order will come into effect on February 7 and cable operators are alleging this is a move by broadcasters to damage the business of cable operators.
Speaking on the issue Member JCOA, Alok Kumar said, the operators’ income may decrease by more than 60 per cent if the TRAI order will be implemented. Finally, bouquets from the broadcasters will not be purchased.
While speaking on the problem which will be faced by the operators Kumar said, “The broadcasters should ideally offer only individual channels, but here they are also offering bouquets which are priced in the range of Rs 31 to Rs 60. In this, the broadcasters have ensured that our share will go down substantially and we will be forced to shut shop.”
Kumar said the cable operators who earn Rs 80 to Rs 90 per connection monthly will now have to be content with Rs 30 to 40 monthly.
Speaking on survival of the business Kumar said, “How can we survive with such reduced income when apart from installing equipment have also to maintain the whole line?” He said that the consumers will have to more than present rates as they will be burdened with cable bills of Rs 350 to 500 and more instead of the Rs 200 to 225 they are paying at the present.
It may be mentioned here that TRAI in its order had decided that viewers would be allowed to select and pay for individual television channels from January 31, for which broadcasters would be required to draft a per month retail price (MRP) of that channels.
Also, broadcasters may offer to their customers’ bouquets of channels, which should not be priced below 85 per cent of the sum of MRPs of all the channels in the pack.
Commenting on the effect of the TRAI’s decisions Kumar said, “If the decision come into effect then the competition between cable operators and DTH sellers.
The DTH sellers can provide more offer than cable operators because cable operators have to pay extra for each offer and the customer will not accept it.”
The association had also held protest in front of Governor House on December 21 and under All India Cable Operator Association had gathered at Jantar Mantar in Delhi to protest against the decision on December 29.