Cable TV operators anxiously await Court verdict

 The clock is ticking and the Court is yet to pronounce its judgment on the matter pertaining to digitisation of cable TV in Bangalore and Mysore.

The Mysore Cable Television Operators Association is however making all out efforts to ensure that there is no untoward incident, post the court verdict.

The Association will submit representations to the Mysore deputy commissioner and the city police commissioner on Thursday, appealing intervention of the authorities concerned into the matter, said Association president Parthsarathy.

He said that despite the odds, the Association was of the hope that the court might grant an extension for the digitisation process. However, in the event the order went against the Association, then unforeseen problems could crop up, he said.

“An all out black out of cable TV could bring people onto the streets. Only about 30 per cent of Mysore city has shifted from analog to digital. Though people have been aware of the digitisation process, execution of the same has not been possible, as there had been a severe shortage of set top boxes in the City until about a month ago.

“As a result we are appealing to the City police and the district administration to intervene if things were to go out of hand,” he said.

Parthasarathy also said that the government has completely failed to address the infrastructure issue. Cable TV operators are clueless when it comes to resolving the matter of supplying set top boxes to houses with more than one television. “Many houses have more than one TV and the customers are not willing to pay for the additional boxes. Not just houses, the problem is graver when it comes to lodges with 20 odd TVs. This matter has remained unresolved, despite us submitting representations to the government,” he added.

He also said that colonies housing families of the lower income group was another problem area. Over 250 households in Sweeper’s Colony and around 450 houses in Medar Block near Bamboo Bazar are in no position to afford the digitisation process.

“If the Court gives us an extension, then we are ready to introduce flexi payment for houses in these areas,” he said. The cable network operators have decided to avail loans to purchase set top boxes in large numbers.