Jayalalithaa seeks DAS license for Arasu Cable TV

States it is the single largest ulti System Operator (MSO) in India with a subscriber base of 65 lakh

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has sought the central government to review the matter related to issuance of Digital Addressable System (DAS) license to the State-run Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation (TACTV). She also alleged that the previous UPA government did not issue the license "only to facilitate particular private business interests, as other licenses were issued at the same time".

In a letter to Prakash Javadekar, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting (Independent Charge), through the AIADMK Members of Parliament, Jayalalithaa said, "I would be grateful if you could kindly have this matter reviewed at the earliest and arrange to issue the 'Digital Addressable System' license to the TACTV without any further loss of time so that the people of Tamil Nadu, particularly the poor and the middle class, continue to avail of inexpensive and quality Cable TV services."

She said that TACTV, which is popularly known as Arasu Cable, is now the single largest ulti System Operator (MSO) in India. It has commenced its Cable TV services in all the 31 Districts of Tamil Nadu on 02.09.2011 barring Chennai, which was a Conditional Access System area at that point of time and offered 100 channels to subscribers at a cost of Rs 70 per month.

"There has been an overwhelming response from the public and nearly 24,000 Local Cable TV Operators with a subscriber base of 65 lakhs avail of the services of TACTV," she said.It is offering its services at the lowest rate in the entire country and

the people of Tamil Nadu have been freed from the clutches of the erstwhile MSO who used to fleece them by charging Rs 150 - 250 per month for relaying 30 - 70 Channels.

With the DAS system implemented in Chennai, the company has taken all necessary steps to commence operations in the Digital Mode in Chennai City and has placed orders for the supply of Set Top Boxes, Conditional Access System and Subscriber Management System and erection of Head End at a cost of about Rs 50 Crore.

However, while it has applied with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for the DAS license on July 5, 2012 for operating in the Chennai Metro Area and on November 23, 2012 for operating in the rest of Tamil Nadu, it is still pending, though it is learnt that the ministry has issued licenses to nine other MSOs in Tamil Nadu, including those who applied after TACTV.

She also elaborated an earlier dispute on this in the Madras High Court. As per the provisions of the Cable TV Network (Regulations) Act, 1995, and Rules thereof, a person or an association of individuals or a company registered under the Companies Act is entitled to get the DAS license and TACTV is fully qualified under the Act to be issued the license, she added.

"I strongly suspect that the non-issuance of the DAS license to TACTV by the previous UPA Government was only to facilitate particular private business interests, as other licenses were issued at the same time," she added.