Nearly 5 lakh cable TV subscribers across the state still using analog TV and subscribing to cable TV are being fleeced by the cable operators under the garb of upgrading their set top boxes (STB) to digital mode. While the multi service operators (MSOs) are charging Rs 300 per STB the cable operators are charging the customers upto Rs 1500 per box.
In some cases the digital viewing quality promised by the cable operators are missing as the picture quality is very poor compared to the DTH services.
MSOs who are a bridge between the TV channels and local cable TV operators say that the STBs cost them about Rs 2000 which they are providing to the customer at a heavily subsided rate of Rs 300 per connection. They are not aware about what the local cable operator is charging from the customer.
Digi Net is providing STBs charging Rs 1500 from the subscribers in the Shalimar Township area while the same operator is charging about Rs 2000 per customer in other parts of the city.
Iqbal Singh Chhabra, president, MP MSO and cable operators association, said that earlier the STBs, which are being provided by Hathway, were priced at Rs 500 which has now been hiked to Rs 750 per unit. Hence, we have asked cable operators to provide it to the subscribers at Rs 1000. If some of cable operators are charging more than that then I am not aware of it", he said.
Dharmesh Goyal, CEO, Hathway Bhaskar which is an MSO in Indore, said that they get STBs at a cost of Rs 2000 per set and provide it to the subscribers at a subsidised cost of Rs 300. "But, the problem is that even we are not aware at what cost the STBs are being made available to the subscribers by the cable operators", he added.
The tantrums by the cable operators and poor viewing quality have already forced a majority of cable TV subscribers in the state to switch over to DTH service.
Cable TV operators who wished anonymity said they are not charging for STBs but are offering it free to customers who are subscribing to six months service for Rs 1500.
TOI
In some cases the digital viewing quality promised by the cable operators are missing as the picture quality is very poor compared to the DTH services.
MSOs who are a bridge between the TV channels and local cable TV operators say that the STBs cost them about Rs 2000 which they are providing to the customer at a heavily subsided rate of Rs 300 per connection. They are not aware about what the local cable operator is charging from the customer.
Digi Net is providing STBs charging Rs 1500 from the subscribers in the Shalimar Township area while the same operator is charging about Rs 2000 per customer in other parts of the city.
Iqbal Singh Chhabra, president, MP MSO and cable operators association, said that earlier the STBs, which are being provided by Hathway, were priced at Rs 500 which has now been hiked to Rs 750 per unit. Hence, we have asked cable operators to provide it to the subscribers at Rs 1000. If some of cable operators are charging more than that then I am not aware of it", he said.
Dharmesh Goyal, CEO, Hathway Bhaskar which is an MSO in Indore, said that they get STBs at a cost of Rs 2000 per set and provide it to the subscribers at a subsidised cost of Rs 300. "But, the problem is that even we are not aware at what cost the STBs are being made available to the subscribers by the cable operators", he added.
The tantrums by the cable operators and poor viewing quality have already forced a majority of cable TV subscribers in the state to switch over to DTH service.
Cable TV operators who wished anonymity said they are not charging for STBs but are offering it free to customers who are subscribing to six months service for Rs 1500.
TOI