The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Arasu zeroes in on a foreign firm

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Friday, Apr 25, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Arasu zeroes in on a foreign firm

N. Anand

CHENNAI: Arasu Cable TV Corporation Ltd, the Multi-System Operator (MOS) in Chennai and cable TV operator in other parts of the State, has zeroed in on an international firm for setting up control rooms in Coimbatore, Thanjavur, Tirunelveli and Tiruvannamalai.

“When we opened the bids on Tuesday, only two global players were found qualified for setting up control rooms in various parts of the State. They are Thomson Grass Valley of France and Tandberg of Norway. Evaluations are on to select the L1 [lowest bidder]. We will place the order for digital headends soon, and the successful bidder has to deliver them within 75 days,” corporation chairman and managing director Brijeshwar Singh told The Hindu.

As per the recent notification, the corporation will launch cable TV services in three phases.

In the first phase, the services will be launched by July 15 in the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Erode, Namakkal, Karur, Salem, Dindigul, Tiruchi, Pudukottai, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Villupuram, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam. The second phase will cover Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, Madurai, Thoothukudi, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Theni, Tiruvannamalai, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Vellore, Cuddalore, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur by August 15.

Chennai, which is under the Conditional Access System, will be covered by September 15.

Mr. Singh said the corporation had finalised the site for opening control rooms in Coimbatore and Thanjavur, while two sites had been identified for Tiruvannamalai. It was yet to find a place at Tirunelveli. “Each centre will have one digital headend. We are negotiating with them to acquire equipments and signals from the broadcasters at a lower cost.”

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