Hyderabad: The tussle between entertainment channels and Tata Sky has left consumers in the city in the lurch. Several Tata Sky customers claim that the service provider has stopped broadcasting some 20 channels without intimating subscribers.
As per Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) rules, platforms and broadcasters should issue a caution or public notice to inform subscribers well in advance regarding any changes in their bouquet offerings. Consumers say they were not given any intimation prior to the disconnection.
Twenty-two channels of Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) bouquet of channels have been dropped from the Tata Sky network owing to disagreement over revenue sharing between the broadcasters and the carrier said Narender Reddy, Tata Sky city dealer.
He said this was a normal practice before both parties reach an amicable solution for mutual benefit.
But consumers who are not getting certain channels as a consequence of the disagreement are the losers.
Ravi Kumar Kanagandla, who has a Tata Sky connection in Kukatpally said, “I have subscribed to south special package for Rs 240 per month. Even though the service provider has been airing more than 100 channels, it has stopped broadcasting entertainment and news channels that are included in the package.”
Mr Kumar said that he will approach the consumer court with a complaint.
Echoing his concern, Praveen Tiwari, Tata Sky consumer in Banjara Hills said that he has subscribed to the Dhamaka Pack and paid around Rs 2,500 annually in advance.
“When I encountered the problem, I felt that the problem was with my DTH. But when it continued for three days, I cross-checked with friends and relatives and was shocked to learn that Tata Sky has stopped airing more than 20 channels without intimating its customers.”
Mr Tiwari said he felt cheated since most of the entertainment channels and news channels, India Today TV in particular, went off the air without intimation.
Narender Reddy, the Tata Sky dealer, said as per TRAI regulations, Tata Sky on its own has identified 11 SPN channels, other than the 22 disbanded, to be beamed so that customers can view these popular channels.
He said that customers need to give a missed call for activation from their registered mobile number for any of these 11 channels.
Mr Reddy said that based on activation of the identified channels, Tata Sky will make payment to the broadcasters.
Tata Sky through its official Twitter handle said, “We understand what this has been like for you. India Today channel has been dropped from the Tata Sky platform from 01-Oct-2018 (00:00 hours). Commercial negotiations with broadcasters broke down because what they were seeking would have forced us to hike our prices. Hence we have had to drop a few channels while keeping the popular ones on. Please bear with us for some time because we are doing this in our subscriber's interest.”
Tata Sky also said that “If people have already subscribed to the 11 channels which include SET, Sony SAB, Sony Six, Sony Ten, Sony Pix and Aaj Tak among others, they just need to add the channel at no extra cost by giving a missed call.”
