Cable operators in a fix in Tiruchi

TIRUCHI: While the Arasu Cable Television Corporation has achieved full coverage in Tiruchi city, several cable TV operators continue to relay the feeds from Sumangali Cable Vision (SCV) even after obtaining the Arasu connections.

The absence of the Sun TV and Star TV group packages in the Arasu feed is cited as the reason for the operators’ hesitation to go the whole hog. Many cable operators who switched over to Arasu feed, reverted back to SCV within a couple of days citing complaints from residents. Several operators in the city now hold connections of SCV and the Arasu Corporation and are paying for both, even though it entails a substantial loss for them.

Sources in the Arasu Cable Corporation said about 110 cable TV operators in the city have been provided individual links and Tiruchi has topped in collections (by way of fee from the operators) among the cities where it has launched operations so far.

But a large number of operators in the city seem to be wary of severing the SCV links as of now. “Many operators continue to relay SCV feeds, even after getting the Arasu connection, owing to popular demand for a few channels. We have been assured that the Corporation would get the two packages by the end of this month and hope to make the switch over soon,” says an office-bearer of the Tamizhaga Cable TV Operators Association.

Cable operators say that they had to face a flurry of complaints from city residents when they switched over to the Arasu Cable. “We drew flak as residents were unable to view their favourite soaps and had to revert to the SCV feed,” says an operator who has paid the fee to both SCV and Arasu Corporation. Operators pay Rs.35 per connection to the Arasu Cable TV Corporation. Arasu Corporation sources said that some operators in places such as Mela Chinthamani, Ponmalaipatti, K.K.Nagar and Somarasampettai were beaming only the Arasu feed.

The Corporation, which opened an office here on July 18, received applications for connections from over 400 operators in the district.