January 2011

CERTIFYING DIGITAL CATV NETWORKS

The Information & Broadcasting ministry has unfortunately not
yet declared any road map for digitisation, and shut down of
analog TV transmissions.
Recognising the need for such a road map, and based on the
I&B ministry's request, the TRAI has declared its "The
Telecommunication (Broadcasting And Cable Services)
Interconnection (Sixth Amendment) Regulations, 2010 (4 of
2010)
dated
30-07-2010."
(http://www.trai.gov.in/WriteReadData/trai/upload/Regulations
/83/regulation17mar09.pdf)
In this path breaking regulation, the TRAI has not only
declared a detailed roadmap for shift to digital CATV in a
phased manner throughout India, it has also provided for
(atleast) a 65% discount on pay TV channels to digital
platforms (Digital CATV, HITS, DTH & IPTV) compared to the
price of these channels for analog CATV networks.
As a result, the TRAI has provided for a much needed revenue
model, and a financial benefit for Cable TV networks to
migrate rapidly to digital & addressable CATV systems, even
before their compulsory 'Analog Sunset date' in that particular
city or town.
Sadly, the regulation has been challenged in courts and the
TDSAT, after holding hearings for 21 consecutive days, has
'reserved' its judgment, for the past several months ! As a
result, the pay channel tariff concessions are not yet available
for Cable TV networks going digital.
Formats for ICO (Inter Connect Offers) between Broadcasters,
or their accredited agents, have been standardized and
outlined by the TRAI. However Broadcasters do, sometimes,
try to be difficult and impose their own conditions over and
above the TRAI guide lines.
The TRAI's 'Telecommunication (Broadcasting And Cable
Services) Interconnection (Fifth Amendment) Regulations,
2009 No. 4 of 2009' dictates that in such cases, Headend
Service Providers may get their system checked by BECIL for
conformity to minimum requirements in the regulation, and
that such certification by BECIL shall be deemed to be final.
Once certified by the BECIL, broadcasters cannot drag their
feet or deny providing the concessions and obeying the
computerised connectivity figures as obtained from the BECIL

certified digital CAS network.

****************************************Once
Certified By The BECIL, Broadcasters Cannot Deny
Connectivity Figures Of The Digital CAS Network.
****************************************
THE CERTIFICATION
Management of subscribers, on addressable digital multi
channel wireline broadcasting systems, has 3 essential
elements: (a) Robust Network up to the EOL (End of Line) on
HFC or Coaxial Cable, (b) Reliable CAS (Conditional Access
System) integrated with a computerized SMS (Subscriber
Management System) and (c) A digital STB (Set Top Box)
conforming to IS 15245.
COST
The BECIL undertakes such certification of the Headend
Service Provider (HSP) through a technical audit, subject to
the following financial terms & conditions:
i. Payment of a professional fee of Rs. 5.0 lakhs, in advance,
by the HSP.
ii. Free travel expenses (including air travel), local conveyance
at HSP's location, boarding and lodging for 2 persons for every
visit solicited by the HSP.
METHOD
The BECIL adopts the following methodology for the
certification. 1. A roadmap for certification for uniform
procedure is issued to the HSP. 2. In the first visit to the
Headend, its architecture and strand map are discussed for
conformity to IS 13420 Part I (Revised) and good engineering
practices. Voids, if any, are identified for rectification by the
HSP, in a time frame decided by the HSP. 3. Security of CAS
gateway and architecture of SMS are then scrutinized for
conformity to minimum conditions listed TRAI Regulation No 4
of 2009. 4. Logistics management of STBs is studied to ensure
convincing prevention of subscriber base qualifying for
payments for PAY TV content, including re-cycling of field
unserviceable returns. 5. Customer Relationship Management
(CRM) and SMS practices are examined for fulfillment of SLAs
(Service Level Agreements). 6. Once conformity to the TRAI
Regulation No 4/2009 is deemed complied, a certificate is
issued by BECIL, along with an audit report and supporting
inspection reports. 7. The duration of certification process
depends entirely on responses of the HSP in rectification of
voids. This entire process takes between 90 days to 6 months.

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The Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL) is a Govt. of Ind

on 24th March,1995. The BECIL (www.becil.com) is an ISO 9001:2008 certifie
services and turnkey solutions encompassing the entire gamut of radio and te
broadcasting in India and abroad. It also provides associated services like buil
power etc. It also undertakes supply of specialized communication, monitoring
forces.
BECIL has a vast reservoir of experts and integrates the expertise of All India
the largest Radio Network catering to nearly one billion people and the world's
Broadcasting services reaching out to millions of TV homes in India and Overs

Schedule IV
Specifications for Set-Top-Boxes (STBs), Conditional Access System (CAS) & S
REQUIREMENTS:1. All the STBs should have embedded Conditional Access.2
STB should be capable of doing Finger printing. The STB should support both E
fingerprinting.4. The STB should be individually addressable from the Headend
length should be minimal 120 characters.7. There should be provision for the
forced messaging capability.9. The STB must be BIS compliant.10. There shou
11. The STBs should be addressable over the air to facilitate Over The Air (OTA
(B) FINGERPRINTING REQUIREMENTS:1. The finger printing should not b
layer of the video.3. The Finger printing should be such that it can identify the
appear on all the screens of the STB, such as Menu, EPG etc.5. The location of
viewing device.6. The Finger printing should be able to give the numbers of ch
on global as well as on the individual STB basis.8. The Overt finger printing an
MSO/LCO without any alteration with regard to the time, location, duration an
should have a provision that OSD is never disabled.
(C) CAS & SMS REQUIREMENTS:1. The current version of the conditional ac
invalidated by use of any device or software.3. The STB & VC should be paired
deactivation process from SMS to be simultaneously done through both the sy
activations and deactivations.5. The CA company should be known to have cap
be capable of individually addressing subscribers, on a channel by channel and
information and data concerning the subscribers such as: a. Unique Customer
Address f. Landline no g. Mobile No h. Email id i. Service /Package subscrib
and printing historical data in terms of the activations, deactivations etc b. Lo
reporting at any desired time about:
i. The total no subscribers authorized
a particular service at any particular date.
iv. The details of channels opted
package.
vi. The package wise subscriber numbers.
vii. The ageing of t
data for the period of the last 2 years9. The SMS and CAS should be able to ha
should be of reputed organization and should have been currently in use by ot
pay TV market.11. The CAS system provider should be able to provide monthl

be able to generate itemized billing such as content cost, rental of the equipm
to be able to maintain the system on 24x7 basis throughout the year.14. CAS
involved in piracy in the past to ensure that the VC or the STB cannot be re-de