Anil.HD
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- 27 Jun 2011
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India is one of the world's largest cable TV markets
besides providing entertainment to over 50 million
cable TV homes, cable networks in India had the
option to receive from a choice of over 500
television channels.
Indian Cable networks have been quick to absorb
latest international technology. Large networks in
the country already offer 860 MHz bandwidth, fibre
optic backbone, cable modem service and recently
digital CATV.
Setting up cable TV head end, offering pay services
(CAS) is an expensive option. Professional CATV
digital head end with CAS can easily cost over Rs. 4
crores. Clearly, these large amounts make it
unviable for small cable networks to offer digital CATV to their subscribers.
Digital cable TV services rolled out currently in the metro cities were primarily designed and installed
to provide pay TV. (CAS). With the Govt. having renegaded on CAS, besides Chennai no cable
network in the country offers CAS. The lack of CAS is not because cable networks cannot or do not
want to provide it simple because the customers have rejected CAS.
Despite the CAS confusion, pay channels continue to proliferate. Indian skies already offer more than
150 channels specifically targeting Indian audiences. Clearly all these cannot be carried on analog
networks even though the analog networks are upgraded to the fullest extent provided by technology
i.e. 860 MHz. An 860 MHz analog CATV network can carry a maximum of 106 analog TV channels. In
fact, due to ground realities such as Doordarshan's terrestrial transmission as well as pager
interference and bandwidth required for cable modem services, an 860 MHz analog CATV channel
cannot carry more than 100 channels.
Existing television bouquets such as those from Star, Sony and Zee continue to add channels. In
addition new broadcasters continue to emerge in the Indian market. These broadcasters approach
cable operators for carriage, using every tactic possible - ranging from request and payment of
carriage fee to illegal threats of withdrawing bouquet if new channels are not carried.
besides providing entertainment to over 50 million
cable TV homes, cable networks in India had the
option to receive from a choice of over 500
television channels.
Indian Cable networks have been quick to absorb
latest international technology. Large networks in
the country already offer 860 MHz bandwidth, fibre
optic backbone, cable modem service and recently
digital CATV.
Setting up cable TV head end, offering pay services
(CAS) is an expensive option. Professional CATV
digital head end with CAS can easily cost over Rs. 4
crores. Clearly, these large amounts make it
unviable for small cable networks to offer digital CATV to their subscribers.
Digital cable TV services rolled out currently in the metro cities were primarily designed and installed
to provide pay TV. (CAS). With the Govt. having renegaded on CAS, besides Chennai no cable
network in the country offers CAS. The lack of CAS is not because cable networks cannot or do not
want to provide it simple because the customers have rejected CAS.
Despite the CAS confusion, pay channels continue to proliferate. Indian skies already offer more than
150 channels specifically targeting Indian audiences. Clearly all these cannot be carried on analog
networks even though the analog networks are upgraded to the fullest extent provided by technology
i.e. 860 MHz. An 860 MHz analog CATV network can carry a maximum of 106 analog TV channels. In
fact, due to ground realities such as Doordarshan's terrestrial transmission as well as pager
interference and bandwidth required for cable modem services, an 860 MHz analog CATV channel
cannot carry more than 100 channels.
Existing television bouquets such as those from Star, Sony and Zee continue to add channels. In
addition new broadcasters continue to emerge in the Indian market. These broadcasters approach
cable operators for carriage, using every tactic possible - ranging from request and payment of
carriage fee to illegal threats of withdrawing bouquet if new channels are not carried.
