Front Page   

CAS is here, but no set-top boxes, no popular channels

Staff Reporter

New system becomes operational in South Delhi areas

NEW DELHI: Some popular television channels in several South Delhi homes went blank after the Conditional Access System (CAS) became operational on Sunday.

Apart from about two-dozen free-to-air channels, mainly news channels and Doordarshan, residents who failed to install set-top boxes (STB) were not able to watch any major entertainment channels including Star, Sony and Zee networks.

"My screen went blank on Saturday night itself. When I inquired from my cable operator, he asked me to get STB fixed to get uninterrupted relay of paid channels. However, on Sunday I started getting channels that are free-to-air. Besides some news and a couple of movie channels, most of the others I am receiving are useless," said Pranav Kumar, a resident of Kalkaji.

Similarly, Sanjay Anand, who resides in the upmarket Panchsheel Park area, blamed his cable operator for failing to install a STB at his home despite placing an order about a week ago.

"STBs are in short supply. Despite repeated reminders, my cable operator kept assuring me that a STB would be installed at my house before December 31. But now he tells me that it will take a few more days as he has run out of STBs," said Mr. Anand, who was keen to watch the New Year Eve programmes on television.

Confusion over the areas covered under CAS and lack of awareness among residents was one of the main reasons for the failure of the smooth rollout of the new system.

"Only two days ago we came to know that our colony also comes under CAS. Interestingly, even our cable operator was not sure about it. By the time we asked him for a STB, it was too late as all his boxes had been installed. He has now asked us to wait for at least a couple of days," said Jasleen Kaur, a resident of a government colony at Mahipalpur.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Saddam buried in his village
They are scared of America: Basu
America murdered Saddam, says Russia
Noida: more bones exhumed
Two `Lashkar' conduits held
Explosives seized in Assam
Cinema ticket fares revised
Highest amount of water realised from Kandaleru
India can clinch the decider: Chappell
`Link the Nilgiris by air'
`No change in strategy on Maoists'
Antony promises a better deal for defence personnel
Laboratory to be set up at sewage treatment plant
Lalu Prasad to resist move for creamy layer
Yediyurappa refuses to head panel
CAS is here, but no set-top boxes, no popular channels
3 Maoists killed in encounter
Ban likely on sale of arrack
Greeting 2007 in style
CRPF jawan shot dead by militants
Six killed as lorry rams into autorickshaw
LoC crossing deferred
Undergoes surgery
CAS from today

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu