The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Cable TV charges likely to go up

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 28, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Cable TV charges likely to go up

Staff Reporter

C-Channel, operators hold meet. Temporary end to row

HYDERABAD: A storm that threatened to take the fizz out of television viewing in the city has blown over, albeit for the time being.

The discord between the Twin Cities Cable TV Operators' Association and Hathway's Multi-System Operator (MSO), C-Channel over the hike in connection rates by the latter, has been temporarily put in the cold storage after a meeting between the two here on Wednesday

However, the brass-tacks of the short-term compromise smack of an imminent loss for the consumer with subscription rates all set for a substantial hike, most likely from May or June. The association members, who reportedly discussed the issue with the C-Channel management here, are already gearing up for the hike, sources said.

C-Channel, which hiked the per connection rates from Rs. 125 to Rs. 200 with effect from April, is said to have struck a balance with the operators by agreeing to continue with the pre-hike rate till the end of this month on the condition that there would be some sort of hike from May or June. Interestingly, Hathway officials remained incommunicado without clarifying their actual intentions by raising the connection charges.

Threat by operators

The channel, sources said, had agreed to come to the discussion table after the association, which boasts of over 750 cable TV operators, threatened on Tuesday to switch loyalties to another MSO in a couple of days, even while risking the loss of around 25 popular channels.

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