CTMA looks at cable operator-government osmosis for digital transi

Kolkata, Jan 22 (UNI) The Cable TV Equipment Traders and Manufacturers Association (CTMA) today put forward a host of suggestions including demands for relevant tax exemption and waiver of customs duty for smooth implementation of digitization leading to installation of conditional access.

The CTMA, while announcing the Cable TV Show 2008 from January 28 to 30, vouched its support to Centre's regulatory and CAS rollout initiatives since it would bring Cable TV industry under proper regulatory regime and structure.

However, the CTMA expected support from the government at it would require huge investment from the cable operators' end in set top boxes, head-ends, software management systems, encryption technology and others, Mr Binod Sancheti, Managing director Sancheti ElectronicsLtd and president CTMA said.

Among other things the CTM wanted the industry as Infrastructure thereby enabling relevant tax exemption, priorities and rebates as applicable under Income Tax Act, waiver of Customs duty for all import relating to digitalization in the next five years, consider single tax system, recognize the industry for obtaining of finance against acquisition of capital goods and creating underground gateways for transporting of signals and services to long haul venues and cable dark areas.

K K Binanni, secretary CTMA, said, "Digitalisation, growth of broadband services and convergence are the three major areas which is set to affect the future of Indian Cable TV sector in the big way. Government's decision to complete digitalization of cable TV broadcast by 2010 would help the cable tv operators to offer more choice and services to the customers. But the government should grant industry status to the cable sector just as it did for the film industry." "Digitalisation would further have a spin-off effect on television software as the operators will be able to provide more channels.

This would trigger a huge demand for skilled personnel and engineers to manage the networked operations and provide for domestic and global market. A year-on-year growth of 10 to 12 per cent is expected for the next few years," he added.

The Cable TV Show 2008 will showcase 45 products and services of international vendors representing USA, Europe, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Dubai, Korea and the Saarc countries.

- Show quoted text - UNI BA PC/src2231