Several Cable television companies which operate without the permission of the TRC are being raided by the police over the last several days. The raids are taking place in several parts of the island. Information suggest that the police & TRC are acting on complaints by companies such as LBN, Dialog TV and PEO TV about these unlicensed operators.
At the moment many small scale wireline operators are being raided. Information reaching us suggests that steps may be taken to raid resellers of Indian DTH services such as Dish TV, etc. Even though the TRC can do little to stop Indian DTH operators due to the close proximity of Sri Lanka to India enabling reception of Indian services to Sri Lanka with minimum effort and equipment they may target the vendors of these equipment since some of them do reselling without TRC approval. Even those who have permission, we are made to understand may not have the license to resell equipment of a pay television operator.
This would indeed be a blow to the pay television subscribers who are already being charged heavily by the local companies and who would be burdened further by the new taxes coming into effect from 2011.
At the moment many small scale wireline operators are being raided. Information reaching us suggests that steps may be taken to raid resellers of Indian DTH services such as Dish TV, etc. Even though the TRC can do little to stop Indian DTH operators due to the close proximity of Sri Lanka to India enabling reception of Indian services to Sri Lanka with minimum effort and equipment they may target the vendors of these equipment since some of them do reselling without TRC approval. Even those who have permission, we are made to understand may not have the license to resell equipment of a pay television operator.
This would indeed be a blow to the pay television subscribers who are already being charged heavily by the local companies and who would be burdened further by the new taxes coming into effect from 2011.
