There are, reportedly, more than 60 lakh users for regular locally-operated TV service in the state.
Bengaluru: Television screens across Karnataka using a conventional local cable connection as opposed to satellite Direct to Home services is likely to go blank on January 24 from 6 am to 10 pm.
The Karnataka State Cable Television Operators Association has announced that they will go on strike protesting the new tariff policy made by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) which will come into effect on February 1.
Reports have stated that there are more than 60 lakh users for regular locally-operated TV service in the state.
VS Patrick Raju, president of the cable association, said that the new tariff fixed by the TRAI does not benefit customers or cable operators. The president also alleged that these rules are made in favour of the big players in the market.
According to media reports, the president of the association said that the TRAI had made the changes without considering cable operators. The operators provide 450 channels for Rs 300. With the new rules that will come in to effect, the customer will have to pay Rs 1,500 for the same number of channels as the channel rate ranges from Rs 1 to 19.
After the meeting held with local cable operators, Raju said that the association would demand a different tariff structure which includes GST rate cut, before the new one comes into force.
Nevertheless, TRAI has reportedly claimed that the consumers will now have a chance to choose their channels and pay for those particular channels.
Read Exclusive COVID-19 Coronavirus News updates, at MyNation.