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Cable TV digitization in the city seems to be happening at a brisk pace, but the importance of gathering subscriber details is being overlooked by both service providers and subscribers, which is essential for availing the benefits of digitization like selective services, officials said.
Hyderabad and 37 other cities fall under phase II for which the deadline for digitization by installing set-top boxes was April 1. But the deadline was not enforced. In Hyderabad, 90% digitization has been achieved, officials claim. "Multi-system operators (MSOs) have informed the Union ministry of information and broadcasting that 90% of Hyderabad has been digitized," E Sreedhar, joint collector of Hyderabad district, who is also the nodal officer overseeing the implementation, said.
While local cable operators agree that digitization is continuing briskly, they admit that consumer applications forms (CAFs), which are to be filed by consumers when a subscriber buys a set-top box (STB), are nowhere in the picture. "Sometimes we submit consumer application forms with address proof to the MSOs. Though we run a scroll on channels asking digital subscribers to submit their forms, many consumers do not," said Narender Goud, a cable operator from Habsiguda. While local cable operators blame subscribers, MSOs say they are the ones responsible for collecting details.
"Local cable operators, who are supposed to collect basic info like name, address and STB details, take their own time in submitting them to us," said Imitiaz Ahmed of Digi Cable, a city MSO.
What could pose a bigger problem are STBs brought from the grey market. Those in the know say that subscribers pay and take the box without filling up the required forms. These could be impossible to track later.
For phase II areas, there is no deadline specified yet by Trai for submission of consumer details but it eventually has to be done. In the NCR region, which was digitized under phase I, Trai set July 10 as deadline for submission with a warning that consumers, who fail to submit forms , will lose the connection.
Digitization: Norms given a go by - The Times of India
.
Hyderabad and 37 other cities fall under phase II for which the deadline for digitization by installing set-top boxes was April 1. But the deadline was not enforced. In Hyderabad, 90% digitization has been achieved, officials claim. "Multi-system operators (MSOs) have informed the Union ministry of information and broadcasting that 90% of Hyderabad has been digitized," E Sreedhar, joint collector of Hyderabad district, who is also the nodal officer overseeing the implementation, said.
While local cable operators agree that digitization is continuing briskly, they admit that consumer applications forms (CAFs), which are to be filed by consumers when a subscriber buys a set-top box (STB), are nowhere in the picture. "Sometimes we submit consumer application forms with address proof to the MSOs. Though we run a scroll on channels asking digital subscribers to submit their forms, many consumers do not," said Narender Goud, a cable operator from Habsiguda. While local cable operators blame subscribers, MSOs say they are the ones responsible for collecting details.
"Local cable operators, who are supposed to collect basic info like name, address and STB details, take their own time in submitting them to us," said Imitiaz Ahmed of Digi Cable, a city MSO.
What could pose a bigger problem are STBs brought from the grey market. Those in the know say that subscribers pay and take the box without filling up the required forms. These could be impossible to track later.
For phase II areas, there is no deadline specified yet by Trai for submission of consumer details but it eventually has to be done. In the NCR region, which was digitized under phase I, Trai set July 10 as deadline for submission with a warning that consumers, who fail to submit forms , will lose the connection.
Digitization: Norms given a go by - The Times of India
.
