New Delhi: A day after the agreement at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), a section of cable operators on July 5 rejected the proposal to delay the Conditional Access System (CAS) implementation and demanded Rs 180 per month as the rate for basic tier of free-to-air channels.

In a letter to the PMO, the Cable Operators' United Front threatened that there will be no cable television in the four metros post CAS if the "viability" of the last mile cable television networks being run by small time businessmen is not addressed suitably.

It said any delay in CAS implementation was not acceptable and the Rs 72 for free-to-air channels was "too low".

Alleging that complete representation of cable operators was not done at the July 4 meeting at the PMO, it said in CAS regime the importance of such cable operators has been completely forgotten.

However, Roop Sharma of Cable Operators Federation of India claimed the letter was sent by distributors and not cable operators.

A release sent by two cable associations – COFI and NCTA – welcomed the proposals made at the July 4 meeting and claimed the cable industry will lose Rs 50 per month on the assurance of the government to bring order in the industry for better growth and for consumer interest.

PTI