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Sriram Srinivasan

CHENNAI, April 2

LESS than a week after the Star group of channels went off SCV in Chennai, a battle for the city's cable distribution turf is being fought between the two multi-service operators (MSOs) - the Sun group-controlled SCV and Hathway Cable, in which the Star group has a stake.

SCV's General Manager-Operations, Mr Vittal Sampath Kumar, while denying reports that the MSO is poaching into its competitor's territory, claimed that a large number of cable operators are ready to shift to its fold. According to him, the cable operators are approaching SCV, and not vice-versa, because of the "huge" demand for the Sun bouquet of pay channels, including KTV, whose absence from the Hathway platform has apparently prompted operators to consider shifting to SCV.

The issue of KTV and associated channels not being available on the Hathway network has triggered another round of blame game between the two sides. According to Hathway's Deputy General Manager, Mr Suresh Kumar, the Sun group has not made available the decoder for its bouquet of channels - an allegation that the latter has denied. Sun's contention is that its competitor hasn't approached it for the decoder.

Hathway also claimed that it has received "favourable enquiries" from cable operators (especially from upmarket areas where the demand for Star channels is high) wanting to join its network. Hathway's Mr Suresh Kumar said the MSO would have no option but to accept the willing operators into its fold.

SCV, which on Tuesday communicated its willingness to offer conditional access system for Star channels, today said it is ready to provide set-top boxes directly to the consumers. The basic version of these boxes would be available at Rs 3,000, said SCV's Mr Sampath Kumar. The MSO said it would reduce its subscription charges to cable operators by Rs 45, starting April. It is also in the process of initiating legal proceedings against the Star group for "defamation", said Mr Sampath Kumar.

Meanwhile, cable operators alleged that the standoff between the two groups is affecting the consumer, in addition to hurting their businesses. The plan to stop transmission for a day (from Thursday 6 a.m. to Friday 6 a.m.) was a move to force the warring parties to settle the issue amicably, said sources. But, at the time this article went to the press, the Chennai District Cable TV Operators Integrated Committee, which gave the call to stop transmission, said it could also reconsider the plan.

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