DTH will gain from extension of DAS deadline: Jayaraman

[Thakur]

PATNA: The government’s decision to extend cable TV digitisation in Phases III and IV is not good news for the multi-system operators
(MSOs) and direct-to-home (DTH) service providers could gain from this, said Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) president
K Jayaraman.

MSOs will lose as DTH has started giving local packages. With set-top box (STB) price coming down, DTH’s subscriber acquisition cost has
also come down.

“By 1 November 2012 when DAS (digital addressable system) Phase I happened, DTH had already lapped up 40 million active
connections. However, following Phases I and II, cable digitised 22 million connections, while DTH added only 20 per cent of that. Cable managed to trump DTH. But before DAS, DTH.had gained,” Jayaraman said.

Referring to the strategy of MSO Hathway Cable & Datacom where Jayaraman was MD and CEO for a long time, he said that the solution
lies in voluntary digitisation.

“MSOs and local cable operators (LCO) can team up and start providing boxes. Because of
voluntary digitisation in analogue area, your.pay cost will also not increase. Only the fixed-fee model will work. If DTH gives a basic
package for Rs 200, you (MSOs) can give 300 channels at the same price,” he suggested.

http://www.televisionpost.com/cable/dth-will-gain-from-extension-of-das-deadline-jayaraman/

 

[HOUSE-MD]

RE: DTH will gain from extension of
DAS deadline: Jayaraman

Seems like an excellent option for Chennai people as no digitisation nor access to pay channels seems possible in the near future and DTH costs seem to becoming more viable.

 

[Digital Mastermind]

RE: DTH will gain from extension of
DAS deadline: Jayaraman

Well I emailed TRAI and the reply they gave me was Govt has not officially extended the digitization dates for phase 3 and 4

The dates as for now are
Phase 3: September 30 2014
Phase 4: December 31 2014

If incase digitization doesn't complete by this year end, Govt may decide to extend, but as of now its same