Cable TV To Get Dearer From 1 January: Operators In Karnataka Up In Arms Against Channel Rate Hike By TRAI 

The Karnataka Cable TV Operators Association has organised a protest across the state on Friday (21 December) against the latest rates for paid channels released by Telecom Regulation Authority of India, reports The Hindu. Members of KCTVO say that the new price will result in huge hikes in consumer bills.

On Tuesday (18 December), it was reported that TRAI’s new rates would be effective from 1 January 2019. The president of the association, Patrick Raju says, there are around 70 lakh cable connections in Karnataka.

“The new rates are going to be a huge burden on customers. In Bengaluru, customers get over 400 channels at ₹250 to ₹300 a month. With the new TRAI rules, we will be forced to give only 100 channels for ₹130-plus tax, of which 33 are Doordarshan channels," added Raju. He says the rest have to choose ala-carte which adds another ₹250 to ₹300, with the total 400 channels costing around ₹2,000.

Seventeen thousand cable operators and their employees will also be affected. The operators who used to earn Rs 60 from each house will now be in dire straits as the monthly charges will be much lower at around Rs150, thus affecting salaries of their employees too.

Raju also stated that the TRAI had not given cable operators time to shift to the new system and operators will need more time to inform their customers, which will leave them in a lurch when broadcasters switch.