KATHMANDU, Jan 24: Cable television entrepreneurs have warned of protest if the government does not create an environment for regular transmission of cable television services. 

A meeting of cable entrepreneurs from across Nepal held in Kathmandu on Monday warned of closing their businesses and handing over the keys of their offices to the government if their demands are not met.

The agitating cable operators have demanded that the report of the committee formed to make recommendations regarding the use of electric poles and the payment of the rent for the same should be immediately implemented and the rent rate of Shrawan 2075 BS (mid July to mid August) should be maintained.  

The meeting also demanded an immediate end to the “illegal activities” of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) such as cutting the cables, confiscating the cable equipment and stopping the power supply in various places of the country over the issue of pole rents.

The entrepreneurs have mentioned that broadcasting of programs illegally through OTT/Mobile/App/YouTube/Facebook in the name of Internet and IPTV contrary to the National Broadcasting Act, 2049 BS, National Broadcasting Regulations, 2052 BS, Advertising (Regulating) Act, 2076BS and Advertising (Regulating) Regulations, 2077BS should be stopped immediately.  

The Internet Service Providers (ISPs) should immediately stop selling and distributing Internet services by creating a bundling package of free IPTV in the name of the Internet, IPTV providers should be allowed to broadcast downlinking permitted liner content and domestically licensed channels only with the strictness of the law.

They have also demanded that in the name of free IPTV, the broadcasting done through Internet Service Providers (ISPs) who have been broadcasting television programs illegally for years in violation of the National Broadcasting Act, 2049 should be stopped immediately and the broadcasting and distribution fees and fines should be collected from such ISPs.

Speaking during the discussion, Dhruva Sharma, the president of the Federation of Nepal Cable Television Entrepreneurs, said that the cable entrepreneurs had to face problems due to the lack of uniformity. He complained that the government bodies concerned did not try to address their problems even when he informed the government about their problems. 

The cable entrepreneurs have asked for an immediate solution to the problems seen in the field of cable and create an environment in which the cable television service, which has been recognized by Nepal as an essential service, and the illegal broadcasts in the field of broadcasting should be stopped immediately.

 
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