CAS rollout to be in phases

NEW DELHI: Conditional Access System (CAS) should be rolled out in phases between 2008 and 2010 across 55 cities and towns, according to an expert committee with members from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), broadcasting fraternity, cable industry, consumer organisations and the government.

The committee’s report has been submitted to the Trai chairman, Nripendra Misra, and would be put up in the public domain for views/inputs on the issue. CAS is all about accessing the TV channels of your choice by installing set top boxes, and paying only for them.

Interestingly, the report has said that CAS should be mandatory in the year of introduction, and then made voluntary once the rollout reaches a certain penetration level. Currently, CAS is mandatory in Chennai and some parts of Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata.

While the information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry is separately looking at the issue of introducing CAS in the remaining parts of Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, the expert committee report has covered other big cities and towns including the satellite towns around Delhi and Mumbai.

The first phase of rollout will cover 19 cities/towns, and will begin in 2008; the second phase would see introduction of CAS in 18 cities/towns from 2009; and the third phase would begin in 2010 and cover 18 cities/towns.