Arasu Cable seeks stay on digitisation

Telecom regulator in its Dec 10 press release conveyed that in Chennai Metro Area transmission of analog signals is illegal

State-run Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation Limited has filed a petition with the Madras High Court seeking to restrain the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) from taking any action against it.

The move come against the backdrop of Trai’s announcement on Dec 10 that transmission of analog signals in Chennai metro was illegal and digitisation had to implemented immediately.

The petition stated the corporation was providing 90-100 channels, , including free-to-air channels, pay channels and local channels,  to subscribers through local cable operators (LCOs).

“The cable TV sector was totally unorganised and few multi-system operators had created monopoly in Tamil Nadu leaving local cable TV operators and the public to pay exorbitant amount towards cable TV services. The services now provided by the corporation was a welfare step taken by the Government of Tamil Nadu in the interest of the public and cable TV operators,” said the corporation.

Arasu subscriber base as on November 30, 2013, stood at around 6.47 million in 31 districts across Tamil Nadu, excluding Chennai metro.