KOLKATA: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has extended the deadline for completing the switchover to the new cable TV tariff regime from March 31 to May 31 for the households that are yet to choose their own packages. While around 85% cable TV subscribers in Kolkata have already switched to the new tariff regime and the rest have been provided a best-fit plan closest to the amount they earlier paid, it has not solved the problem of blackouts that consumers continue to face. In Kolkata, around 10% viewers have experienced blackouts.TRAI pushed back the deadline following a request by the All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF). “The authority had received representation from AIDCF requesting a two-month extension in view of the appeal against the direction pending before the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) and its hearing and/or pronouncement of order may go beyond the cut-off date of March 31, 2019. Since the matter is under judicial consideration, the AIDCF stated that any action on the said direction will not only be prejudicial to their right and contentions, but also against the principle of natural justice. The authority considered the representation of AIDCF and observed that there is merit in the request under given circumstances, as well as in the interest of fairness,” a TRAI official stated.Local cable operators have blamed multi-system operators (MSOs) for failing to put in place a system of SMS alerts to inform consumers about the expiry of monthly cable TV subscription in several thousand households in the city, leading to the blackouts. “In the earlier system, cable TV was a post-paid service. So, if the cable operator arrived a day or two late to collect the subscription for the earlier month, it did not matter because the channels did not go off the TV. But since the new system is pre-paid, with the amount valid for 30 days, the service stops automatically once the money in the particular account is exhausted. Thereafter, even if the customer wants the service to be restored immediately, it is difficult because cable operators may not be available at the time,” an operator pointed out.That the amount is valid for 30 days and not the entire month has further complicated matters. For instance, since there were 28 days in February, the amount that was paid was valid till March 2. Once customers saw they could still access channels on March 1, they decided to wait and check if channels would really go off the air. Once they did, they immediately wanted them restored. That is a big challenge,” said another operator.Nearly everyone feels MSOs should have devised a way of advance alert like telecom operators and credit card companies provide to customers before the payment due date. “In this day and age when one has to make numerous payments, how does one remember when the cable TV connection will expire? There should be a system of SMS alert to prevent a repeat. Imagine the connection suddenly shutting down in the midst of a thrilling movie late at night or before a crucial Champion’s League tie,” said Sumit Kumar, a consumer in Bowbazar who had faced the problem at the beginning of this month.Though some operators have created different WhatsApp groups in which consumers have been added as per their connection expiry date, others said they could not afford to avail of bulk SMSs to remind customers and that it was the responsibility of MSOs and not LCOs.

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