Did cable operators take customers for a ride??
Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, Oct 28: The efforts to digitalize cable network in Andaman and Nicobar Islands have triggered a fresh controversy. Social network sites and Mobile inboxes are flooding with messages, which say ‘Mass Loot in Andaman by cable operators’. The Messages claim that set top boxes cost hardly Rs. 500 to 600 in Mainland India while in Andamans the Set Top Boxes are being sold at the rate of Rs. 2200.
“I guess they are fooling us, coz the price of set top box all over India is less than 1k and moreover they have customized packs of channels… In Kolkata the price of set top box installation (Cable T.V) with one month rent is only Rs 850… just imagine…,” wrote a Facebook user in a FB group.
There are many others who allege that the Andaman Cable Network is indirectly forcing Islanders to migrate to digital format by cutting down channels from analog service.
“The problem is they have removed many channels from analog system, that seems kind of forcible sale of set-up box..,” added another Facebook user.
However, the Andaman Cable Network has rubbished such allegations saying that Digitalization has become necessary as they hardly have two years to meet the ‘2014’ deadline of Digitalization of local cable network and providing set top boxes for each Television in A & N Islands.
“Per day we are selling hardly 20 boxes and the installation process is time consuming. I am not sure whether with this speed we will be able to meet the deadline before 2014. For this reason, we had to begin Digitalisation of cable network from now,” Mr. G Dinakaran, one of the partners of ANC told Andaman Sheekha.
When Andaman Sheekha questioned ACN about blocking of some channels in analog version Mr. Dinakaran said that ACN had to take out 30 channels from existing 80 because ACN required addition bandwidth of nearly 240 mhz ( 8 mhz for each channel X 30 channels) for providing 300 channels in Digital format.
“But we have later added more 14 channels and five more channels we will add soon in analog service, which will make nearly 70 channels in analog format. We have to do this because we have to run analog version too till 2014,” Mr. Dinakaran added.
When Andaman Sheekha questioned him about rates of Set Top Boxes, Mr. Dinakaran added that ACN is getting only Rs. 100 margin on per set-top boxes while dealers are getting a margin of Rs. 200.
“In that margin we need to buy decoders for all channels and invest in new technology while with the margin of Rs. 200 local vendors/ dealers will have to run their business. Moreover, the dealers won’t be able to sell five to six boxes ever, because those boxes will be required for replacing defected, set-top boxes, if any. It’s inappropriate to say that we are earning Rs. 2200 profit on every set top box. We have to pay the manufacturer in China, the agents, customs, octroi and other taxes,” he added.
He added that ACN preferred to buy and sell only Mpeg4 set top boxes than Mpeg2 Boxes as there was hardly a difference of Rs. 600.
“Moreover, if Mpeg2 boxes are installed people won’t be able to see nearly 20 channels out of present 300, which will be a loss for customers” he added.
Digitalisation will cost Rs. 2200 per television to Islanders, which is not a small amount. In some houses where there are more two to three TV sets people will have to pay Rs. 4400 to 6600. Moreover the monthly subscription will also be as high as Rs. 350/- for one connection and hence it is bound to trigger discomfort among islanders. But the good news is that by next year it is expected that the rates of Set Top boxes will decrease, so those who will be buying Set Top boxes just before 2014 will be able to save some money but will have to live with only 70 odd channels.
THe cost of set top box is one time and we can justify it. But what about Rs.350/- as rent per month for 300 channels. Who has the time to see 300 channels. It would be appropriate if the ACM charges per channel.
Now stbs cost 2800.but our area operator take 3100.so what does it mean?
“Appropriate” we Islanders are always “taken for a ride”. Let it be cable operators, auto rickshaws, veg vendors to name a few.
Truly as said by reporter, in mainland the operators charge per package, viz news, sports, movies etc. like they do for DTH’s. But, here it is full “forced” option. Let them charge differently for regional languages, since majority of consumers does not understand 10-12 languages. It is also funny that since DC (SA) once asked them to provide low cost STB’s, they have provided one costing Rs.1350 (SD-MPEG4) with which one can watch 250 channels against Rs.2800 for (HD) with 350 channels, but the monthly subscription is the same Rs.300 (330 / 350). There is no written material on rates of STB’s / subscription etc. anywhere authorized by govt. agencies like DC Office, IP&T, Consumer Affairs. They charge service tax also but it is not known whether ST Tax dept is aware or received ST returns. It may be other way round that higher ups are getting these network services for free and they are unaware of exorbitant rates prevailing in market as of today. Unfortunately we islanders doesnot come under the umbrella of DTH network of india, otherwise as a true democracy, we had the right of freedom to watch DTH services of major players like Sun n/w, Tata Sky, Reliance BIG, Airtel DTH etc.