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Time ticks for CAS, consumer still in the dark
New Delhi, Aug 24: After all the fuss over conditional access system (CAS), its fate remains uncertain just a week before its zone-wise roll out in the four metros with political pressures weighing heavily against it, specially in Delhi.
New Delhi, Aug 24: After all the fuss over conditional access system (CAS), its fate remains uncertain just a week before its zone-wise roll out in the four metros with political pressures weighing heavily against it, specially in Delhi.
A final decision on its implementation is likely next
week at a meeting convened by the Prime Minister.
However, cable operators and multi-system operators are not likely to take a postponement lightly and are threatening to go to court against it if that happens.
"It cannot be deferred on government's whims and fancies. If they do it we will go to court under the provision of Promisory Estoppel. Because of government's policy we invest and then face losses," Vicky Chaudhury of the National Cable and Telecom Association (NCTA) said.
With its implementation in Delhi still under a cloud, the demand for set-top boxes in the whole of the first zone, which includes south Delhi and parts of central Delhi, has been as low as around five per cent. Only 20,000 of the 3.8 lakh cable homes have so far opted for them.
Government top brass is now toying with proposals like dual-feed, under which the consumer would be given the option of moving on to the CAS regime or continuing in the present one, and reducing the size of the first zone to bring it in smaller doses in the city, sources said.
Afraid CAS might do an onion in the capital, which faces assembly elections later this year, a section of the BJP feels the size of the first zone to go under CAS should be reduced by around a tenth on an experimental basis. Bureau Report
However, cable operators and multi-system operators are not likely to take a postponement lightly and are threatening to go to court against it if that happens.
"It cannot be deferred on government's whims and fancies. If they do it we will go to court under the provision of Promisory Estoppel. Because of government's policy we invest and then face losses," Vicky Chaudhury of the National Cable and Telecom Association (NCTA) said.
With its implementation in Delhi still under a cloud, the demand for set-top boxes in the whole of the first zone, which includes south Delhi and parts of central Delhi, has been as low as around five per cent. Only 20,000 of the 3.8 lakh cable homes have so far opted for them.
Government top brass is now toying with proposals like dual-feed, under which the consumer would be given the option of moving on to the CAS regime or continuing in the present one, and reducing the size of the first zone to bring it in smaller doses in the city, sources said.
Afraid CAS might do an onion in the capital, which faces assembly elections later this year, a section of the BJP feels the size of the first zone to go under CAS should be reduced by around a tenth on an experimental basis. Bureau Report