Cable TV (CTV) card tariff announced | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Cable TV (CTV) card tariff announced

ISLAMABAD- Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) announced its decision on channel subscription rates for decoded channels.

The decision binds the channel card distributors to offer their cards on per channel basis. The PTA has fixed Rs 8 per channel card per subscriber monthly as the upper limit for cable TV operators while for DTH viewer, (non-commercial) this limit would be Rs 20 per channel per month.

A company had arbitrarily fined its own tariff instead of applying for such fixation by the PTA under the rules. PTA has reiterated that pornographic and obscene channels will not be allowed. The cable operators would exhibit due consideration to religious, social, cultural, traditional and moral values in the country in relaying programmes.

The operators have been further directed to show respect to all ethnic, linguistic groups and minorities as provided in the license conditions.

According to the decision, the channel card distributors shall offer card for individual channels. There shall not be any forced bundling by the channel card distributor.

The channel card distributors are, however, allowed to bundle the channel cards as sale incentive in the form and manner that commercially suits them.

The subscription fee of individual channel cards for cable TV (CTV) operators would be Rs 8 per month per subscriber. The ceiling for the subscription fee of individual channel card for DTH (non-commercial) subscribers would be Rs 20 per month.

The channel card distributor shall not refuse to activate decoders, which are procured through any legitimate source if those are compatible for reception with properly subscribed channel cards. Initial subscriber base for the purpose of tariff application would be 20 percent of the maximum number of subscribers of the applicable license category or 300 subscribers, whichever is higher.

The five-percent quarterly growth factor would be applicable on the initial subscriber base. The growth factor would be applied on the initial subscriber base in the beginning of subsequent quarters and would continue till maximum of the base ceiling is reached.

In case of a party claiming that the actual subscriber base and the growth factor on a particular quarter is different than what has been determined on the basis of above formula. The onus of proof would be on the claimant. In the absence of adequate proof, the base as worked out in the fight of the above formula would be applicable. In case of dispute the matter would be referred to the PTA for resolution.

The channel subscription fee shall be paid monthly in advance. The bouquet once subscribed shall not be changed without 45 days prior notice to the cable TV operator or DTH (non-commercial) subscriber. All charges shall be billed and collected in Pak rupees. The CTV operators shall provide at least four paid-channels (decoded) to the end subscribers.

PTA has given its determination by using its powers vested in it under Telecom Act, 1996. The decision has been taken after long deliberations and lengthy consultations with the parties concerned and the central monitoring committee of cable TV.

The dispute was brought to the notice of the PTA that had to step in to resolve it through proper hearing of the case in accordance with Telecommunication Act and cable TV rules.

Source: Business Recorder
Date:2/10/2001