Kolkatt's response to CAS lacklusture

KOLKATA: Kolkata's 2.25 lakh homes in Zone One of the CAS rollout from January 1, 2007 are still to respond in a significant way to the new regime.

Hardly 5% of the households, if not lower, may have picked up the set-top boxes (STBs) till now. Multi-system operators (MSOs) feel that the demand for the boxes is likely to pick up by the year-end and the beginning of January 2007.

"We have tried to make consumers aware of the arrival of CAS in various ways. Not only have the forms been distributed through our various ground level cable operators, but a slew of pamphlets have been handed out. Besides, the development is being communicated to the cable and satellite homes through banners, hoardings, audio-visual CDs and the FM radio channels. Not to speak of the ads by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) in the print media. But, the public seems to be in a wait and watch mood," Sudip Ghosh, director of MSO Manthan Communications, told ET.

According to him, there could be a few reasons for the slow response to the coming of CAS. Incidentally, Zone One covers areas like Alipore, New Alipore, Chetla, Khidderpore, Garden Reach, Budge Budge, Behala and Maheshtala. By a rough estimate, only about 4,000-odd STBs may have been picked up by consumers till now.

One of the reasons may relate to the deferment of CAS in 2003. It was deferred twice in July and September of that year. So, people may be checking out what happens this time. Also, based on Trai mandate, subscribers are bound to get 30 free-to-air channels at a tariff of Rs 77. This, they feel, may be enough to fulfil their viewing requirements. Thus, they don't need to go for STBs for the pay channels which will be offered for an MRP of Rs 5. They could also be hoping that some pay channels could go free under CAS to attract viewership and boost ad revenues.

As per Trai mandate, again, STBs are can be acquired for a refundable deposit of Rs 999 and a monthly rental of Rs 30 or alternatively for refunable deposit of Rs 250 and a monthly rental of Rs 45. Of course, one has to add VAT to these amounts. MSOs like Manthan are offering individual schemes where STBs can be bought for a down payment of Rs 2,000 or Rs 2,999 with 21 pay channels thrown in for free for a year,

Siticable's vice-president Somen Roychowdhury felt confident that demand for the STBs will rise once the month ends and the new year sets in. "This should happen the moment there is a blackout of the pay channels as CAS is introduced. We have distributed only about 1,000-1,500 STBs till now. At the same time time, the operator has sent out 3,000 forms," Roychowdhury said.

"Consumers invariably react at the last moment. It's like a cricket where the rush for tickets grows as the match nears. From our end, we are doing our duty of publicising the details of CAS to our customers," Dileep Singh Mehta, chairman of MSO Cablecomm said. "Our ambit in Zone One is limited, but we have still handed out 250 boxes till now. The public may be a little confused now. It will fall in place once CAS starts rolling," Mehta said.