Trai clears subscription rebate

PUNE: Thanks to the recent directives of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), cable TV subscribers affected by the Star channel blackout will be able to deduct money for channels not shown, from the monthly subscription.
It may be noted that the entire Star channel bouquet and several other channels like CVO, Hallmark, NDTV, Cartoon Network and Ten sports have been discontinued in Sahakarnagar, Swargate, Bibvewadi, Katraj, Yerwada and Padmavati areas for the past week.These areas are controlled by the newly-formed Generation Next Cable Communication Network (GNCCN), an association of cable operators who were part of the erstwhile PAC network. The new network has taken over areas controlled by the ICC network.
While Star channel authorities have claimed that they have blocked signals due to default in payment, the controversy took a turn for the worse when GNCCN partner Baba Shaikh was picked up by the local police for allegedly threatening Star TV officials through members of the Chhota Rajan gang. Even as subscribers continue to suffer due to the conflict, the latest Trai directive has offered some succour to them. Trai has clarified that if the cable operators start showing less number of channels as compared to December 26, 2003 (Trai has put a freeze on cable subscription rates from this date), the monthly charges should also be reduced on a pro-rata basis.
Sudhakar Velankar, president of Grahak Hitvardhini, an organisation of cable subscribers pointed out that if some free-to-air channels were not being shown, subscribers could deduct money for them too. Trai has also clarified that it will not entertain individual subscribers complaints and that they should approach the district consumer courts for the purpose.