The State-run Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation Ltd. (TACTV) has complained to the Chennai Police Commissioner, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) about four multi-system operators (MSOs) running their networks on analog signals. It has submitted DVDs in support of its complaint.
The cable corporation has increased its pressure on the Union Ministry, seeking action against the private MSOs violating the guidelines by not switching over to digital signal, in Chennai.
Second letter
The second letter, sent on February 13 to the Chennai Commissioner of Police A.K. Viswanathan, the Ministry and TRAI, has sought action against the MSOs. The letter named four private MSOs in Chennai who are reportedly operating in violation of the Section 4A of the Cable Television Network (Regulation) Act, 1995.
“The private cable TV MSOs in Chennai, who were granted the Digital Addressable System (DAS) licence long back well before TACTV and in spite of the sufficient time available to them, are continuing with their analog cable TV signals in Chennai which is in violation of the Act,” J. Kumaragurubaran, Managing Director of TACTV, said.
Despite writing to the Police Commissioner on February 1 about the violation by private MSOs, “the private MSOs are still continuing analog cable TV services in the Chennai metro area”.
Arasu Cable switched off its analog signals on January 31 and has since given two complaints against private MSOs running their networks on analog signals.
Coimbatore gets time
Meanwhile, Arasu Cable has postponed its plans to switch off its analog signals in Coimbatore as the cable operators had sought more time.
“There is more demand for the set top boxes and the cable operators have requested us to postpone the switch over,” Mr. Kumaragurubaran told The Hindu.
