KOLKATA: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has prolonged the time limit for completing the switchover to the brand new cable TV tariff regime from March 31 to May 31 for the households which can be yet to choose their own applications. While around 85% cable TV subscribers in Kolkata have already switched to the brand new tariff regime and the rest had been supplied a best-fit plan closest to the quantity they earlier paid, it has now not solved the issue of blackouts that customers continue to stand. In Kolkata, around 10% viewers have skilled blackouts.
TRAI driven back the time limit following a request by means of the All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF). “The authority had gained representation from AIDCF soliciting for a two-month extension in view of the enchantment towards the direction pending before the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) and its hearing and/or pronouncement of order may go beyond the point in time of March 31, 2019. Since the matter is under judicial attention, the AIDCF stated that any action on the said direction is not going to handiest be prejudicial to their right and contentions, but also towards the main of natural justice. The authority considered the representation of AIDCF and seen that there is merit within the request under given cases, in addition to within the passion of equity,” a TRAI legit stated.
Local cable operators have blamed multi-system operators (MSOs) for failing to position in place a system of SMS alerts to inform consumers about the expiry of per month cable TV subscription in different thousand households within the city, resulting in the blackouts. “In the earlier system, cable TV was a post-paid carrier. So, if the cable operator arrived an afternoon or two past due to gather the subscription for the earlier month, it didn't matter because the channels didn't go off the TV. But for the reason that new system is pre-paid, with the quantity legitimate for 30 days, the carrier stops robotically once the money within the particular account is exhausted. Thereafter, although the customer needs the carrier to be restored right away, it's tough because cable operators might not be available on the time,” an operator identified.
That the quantity is legitimate for 30 days and now not all the month has further sophisticated issues. For example, since there have been 28 days in February, the quantity that was paid was legitimate until March 2. Once shoppers saw they could nonetheless get right of entry to channels on March 1, they determined to attend and check if channels would really go off the air. Once they did, they right away sought after them restored. That is a big problem,” said every other operator.
Nearly everyone feels MSOs should have devised a way of advance alert like telecom operators and credit card corporations provide to shoppers before the payment due date. “In this point in time when one has to make numerous payments, how does one be mindful when the cable TV connection will expire? There should be a system of SMS alert to stop a repeat. Imagine the relationship shutting down in the course of an exciting film past due at night time or before a crucial Champion’s League tie,” said Sumit Kumar, a client in Bowbazar who had faced the issue at the beginning of this month.
Though some operators have created different WhatsApp teams in which consumers had been added as in step with their connection expiry date, others said they could now not find the money for to avail of bulk SMSs to remind shoppers and that it was the responsibility of MSOs and now not LCOs.
TRAI driven back the time limit following a request by means of the All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF). “The authority had gained representation from AIDCF soliciting for a two-month extension in view of the enchantment towards the direction pending before the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) and its hearing and/or pronouncement of order may go beyond the point in time of March 31, 2019. Since the matter is under judicial attention, the AIDCF stated that any action on the said direction is not going to handiest be prejudicial to their right and contentions, but also towards the main of natural justice. The authority considered the representation of AIDCF and seen that there is merit within the request under given cases, in addition to within the passion of equity,” a TRAI legit stated.
Local cable operators have blamed multi-system operators (MSOs) for failing to position in place a system of SMS alerts to inform consumers about the expiry of per month cable TV subscription in different thousand households within the city, resulting in the blackouts. “In the earlier system, cable TV was a post-paid carrier. So, if the cable operator arrived an afternoon or two past due to gather the subscription for the earlier month, it didn't matter because the channels didn't go off the TV. But for the reason that new system is pre-paid, with the quantity legitimate for 30 days, the carrier stops robotically once the money within the particular account is exhausted. Thereafter, although the customer needs the carrier to be restored right away, it's tough because cable operators might not be available on the time,” an operator identified.
That the quantity is legitimate for 30 days and now not all the month has further sophisticated issues. For example, since there have been 28 days in February, the quantity that was paid was legitimate until March 2. Once shoppers saw they could nonetheless get right of entry to channels on March 1, they determined to attend and check if channels would really go off the air. Once they did, they right away sought after them restored. That is a big problem,” said every other operator.
Nearly everyone feels MSOs should have devised a way of advance alert like telecom operators and credit card corporations provide to shoppers before the payment due date. “In this point in time when one has to make numerous payments, how does one be mindful when the cable TV connection will expire? There should be a system of SMS alert to stop a repeat. Imagine the relationship shutting down in the course of an exciting film past due at night time or before a crucial Champion’s League tie,” said Sumit Kumar, a client in Bowbazar who had faced the issue at the beginning of this month.
Though some operators have created different WhatsApp teams in which consumers had been added as in step with their connection expiry date, others said they could now not find the money for to avail of bulk SMSs to remind shoppers and that it was the responsibility of MSOs and now not LCOs.
Kolkata: Switchover deadline extended to May 31
![Kolkata: Switchover deadline extended to May 31]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
March 31, 2019
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