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TRAI meets MCOF’s Prabhoo on LMO issues
MUMBAI: It was at indiantelevision.com & MPA’s (Media Partners Asia) India Digital Operators Summit (IDOS) that Mumbai-based cable TV heavyweight and MCOF (Maharashtra Cable Operators Federation) president Arvind Prabhoo first presented to India’s cable, DTH, regulatory and broadcast leaders the local cable TV operators’ perspective. Everyone was impressed including Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)’s advisor N. Parameswaran, who said the regulatory body would like him to come and present at its headquarters in Delhi.
The wheelchair bound Prabhoo did exactly that three days ago on 6 November when he presented the LMO’s viewpoint once again before the TRAI’s N Parmeshwaran, Wasi Ahmed, S K Singhal and G S Kesarwani.
Prabhoo once again highlighted the issues that are bothering the LMOs and the role they can play in phase III and phase IV of digitisation.
“There is a crisis in DAS I and II areas regarding LMO-MSO relationship,” says Prabhoo, adding that it was important to address the problems. Prabhoo has told TRAI that his major concern was the MSO-LMO-subscriber relationship. Subscribers belong to LMOs who collect money from them and give it to the MSOs who in turn pass it on to broadcasters. However, the MSOs believe that subscribers belong to them and not to the LMOs.
Prabhoo also raised the issue of uneven pricing of packages in cities like Mumbai. He wants all MSOs to have similar packages so that it is convenient for a subscriber to migrate and that will even make money collection easier. At the same time, clarity on a-la-carte channels is missing even today.
He also brought to fore the issue regarding the ownership of set top boxes (STBs). He thinks it is a big bone of contention. “On one hand, customers think they own the STBs, while the MSOs think that STBs are their property,” he remarks. “This disallows customers from migrating from one provider to another using the same STB when he shifts to a new place with a new provider and if he does, the LCO is held responsible for it. Because of this, many subscribers are shifting from cable to DTH, as it seems to be more convenient.”
Since there’s no fixed revenue sharing deal between the MSOs and LMOs, Prabhoo came up with few solutions. He suggested that for an FTA (Free to Air) channel the sharing between MSO and LMO can be 20:80, while for pay channels it can be 75:25.
He also suggested that the price of a STB can be reduced and a free basic broadband service be given to communicate by mail. Another suggestion was to rename the LMOs as Horizontal Connectivity Provider Agency (HCPA).
Prabhoo also brought to TRAI’s notice the issue of entertainment tax. The 42B licenses of LMOs have not been renewed since two to three years and yet the tax is being collected from them. TRAI seemed to be unaware about the issue and has told to get in touch with the chief secretary of Maharashtra soon. They also said that as a regulator they had done everything they could.
“There needs to be more interaction between LMO, MSO, broadcaster and TRAI if we need a proactive solution to address all our concerns,” concludes Prabhoo.
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.
