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MSO Alliance urges Trai to rollout Cas within 18 months
NEW DELHI: A section of the cable industry has said that the cable and broadcast regulator should be “empowered” to have a say in the final policy making, even while exhorting the regulator to suggest that an early rollout of mandatory addressability in the three metros of Mumbai, Calcutta and Delhi would be beneficial for the industry.
According to the MSO Alliance, an apex body of some of the
big multi-system operators in the country, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) should formulate an overall staggered timetable for the mandatory rollout of CAS for all 50 million cable homes over the next 18 months.
Making a presentation at a recent seminar in Mumbai, the MSO Alliance told the audience, comprising representatives of some bodies involved in settling industry disputes, that the broadcast and cable regulator must mandate a “must provide” clause to ensure that no dominant broadcaster or content rights holder refuses content to a rival technology platform.
The Trai must ensure that broadcasters compulsorily provide a la carte choice of channels to customers vis-a- vis full bouquet, which “should not be forced on unwilling customers.”
It was also pointed out that the Trai Act should be amended to provide for compulsory registration of all electronic media service providers like broadcasters, MSOs and cable ops.
Interestingly, the MSO Alliance has suggested to Trai that if it is assumed that a phased rollout of conditional access system (CAS) over the next 18 months would happen, a regulator-mandated tariff freeze should continued in non-CAS areas till addressability is uniformly introduced.
This, the Alliance contended, would allow MSOs/cable operators to charge for new pay channels launched after 15 January, 2004.
Other measures in consumer interest suggested by MSO
Alliance include:
* Consumer friendly set-top boxes (STBs) schemes as formulated by MSOs be reported to Trai and be made available in public domain to enable customers to exercise genuine choice. Service levels for maintenance/refund of STBs be fixed in consultation with service providers.
* Commercial interoperability for STBs be mandated to help customers shifting residences.
* Government should reintroduce the concessional rates of customs duty for STBs and give duty/tax exemption for digitalisation of the industry to widen consumer choice for at least three years.
* A specific bar under Section 14 of the Trai Act, wherein complaints of individual consumers can only be maintainable before consumer disputes redressal forums or the National Consumer Redressal Commission, be liberalised as urgent action is required immediately to provide a credible recourse for customer redressal along with reintroduction of Cas.
* The government needs to set up an Independent Electronic Media Regulatory Authority as mandated by the Supreme Court in 1995 in the Cricket Association of Bengal case.
* Alternately, enlarge the powers of Trai/TDSAT (a telecom, cable and broadcast disputes tribunal) on the lines of the Convergence Commission proposed in the Communication Convergence Bill 2001.
In conclusion the MSO Alliance has said that ministries of information and broadcasting and communications would be confined to a policy making role if a convergence happens and that may be a small price to pay for bringing order and sanity to an industry, which is indeed a public utility today and as important as roti, kapda, makaan (bread, clothing
and housing).
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
