 Indicating
that the cable fraternity would take the fight in the open onto the
streets, Zee Telefilms vice chairman Jawahar Goel told indiantelevision.com,
"We would have to sit down and decide what can be done and how
to counter this political issue."
According to Goel, one of the options before the cable fraternity
is to increase the monthly subscription rates in a bid to convey
to the consumers and the political establishment, that deferring
conditional access system (CAS) in Delhi was not a wise decision.
"We, the cablewallahas, cannot continue to give service at
such a cheap price to the consumers. Especially when the pay broadcasters
are continuing to charge us money," Goel said, pointing out
that if CAS is to be deferred, then the consumer must pay for the
service that comes at a subsidised rate to him at present.
The deferment of CAS in Delhi has put a question mark on its rollout
in other metros too as the government would not be in a moral position
to ask other cities to implement addressability when the capital
city has been spared of it.
Goel said that the now that government has deserted it, the cable
fraternity needs to unite and work together to switch over from
an analogue system to a digital one. "If need be, we’d sell
set-top boxes to the consumer or given him just the free to air
channels," he explained.
Isn’t the cable industry worried about a consumer backlash? At
present no. Because Goel's sentiments were echoed by the likes of
National Cable & Telecom Association president Vickky Chowdhry,
Cable Operators Federation of India chief Roop Sharma.
"Khurana should be taught a lesson and first of all the cable
service to his residence should be snapped. Then he’ll realise our
plight," Chowdhry angrily said, adding that consumers would
have to face the brunt of ire against Khurana.
"If they cannot implement it in Delhi, how will they insist
on its rollout elsewhere? CAS is finished," lamented a cable
operator in Delhi.
What does the government have to say on these likely turn of events?
A seemingly trapped information and broadcasting minister Ravi Shankar
Prasad said, "We would talk to cable operators not to harass
the consumers unnecessarily."
But would an industry on the warpath --- because of financial implication
of the deferment too --- listen to such platitudes from the government,
which has earned the nickname of a `rollback government’ because
of going back on policy decisions on many counts in various sectors?
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