DTH signal jammers detected in Mumbai

DTH Operators Association describes the use of jammers as a threat to the national spectrum

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Mumbai | July 23, 2014

Malice between cable operators and DTH companies has once again come to the fore with growing instances of DTH jammers being used in parts of Mumbai to distort DTH signals. DTH firms like Tata Sky, Dish TV, Reliance Big TV, Videocon D2H and Airtel Digital TV have detected fresh cases of DTH jammers causing disruption of services in some parts of Mumbai.

The DTH Operators Association of India (DOAOI), which represents all DTH companies, has described the use of jammers as a threat to the national spectrum. In a strong worded letter sent to Telecom Regulatory Association of India (TRAI), Sanchar Bhavan, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, the department of telecommunications (DoT) and other security agencies, the DOAOI said, “These Jammers are being used to disrupt DTH signals and are also a threat to National security as the same are capable of being used to interfere with other signals besides DTH.”

The DOAOI has also written an official letter about this issue to the Prime Minister's Office,

Ministry of Home Affairs and Commissioner of Police, Mumbai.

Incidents:

• The illegal use of Jammers came to the notice of DTH players with the numerous subscriber complaints from the Versova, Yari road and Lokhandwala of Andheri, in Mumbai regarding loss of DTH signals during the FIFA World Cup matches.
• It was found that the jammer signals were disrupting the DTH signals of all DTH Operators including the National DTH Operator DD Direct Plus.
• DOAOI has cited five specific instances when DTH jammers caused problems to the DTH signals in Mumbai between July 4 and July 13 this year. These instances happened during the telecast of key FIFA matches and higher on weekends.
• The disruptive signals were found to be strong in Mhada colony. While trying to detect the location of the signals the technical team also came across destroyed DTH antennas on the terrace of some buildings.

Similar cases took place in Noida in 2011 and in Mumbai in 2008 and 2012. While the culprits were put behind bars in Noida, the signal disruption stopped in Mumbai after a written complaint was sent to the police and the press reported the issue in print too.

Harit Nagpal (MD& CEO Tata Sky and DOAOI president) pointed out that they've received numerous complaints from subscribers about poor quality and freezing of pictures on television screens in a systematic manner, which gave rise to the suspicion of malpractice being involved. We have already zeroed-in on particular locations and details of the same have been furnished to the police to take appropriate action. Dates pertaining the telecast and subsequent complaints have also been furnished to concerned authorities in the complaint.

 “We understand that post the digitisation drive, more consumers are willingly enquiring about DTH companies. The move is being adopted to give a bad name to DTH services, which has taken over cable connections from affluent parts of Mumbai and other metros”, said Omar Paloba, a resident of Shastri Nagar society in near Lokhandwala. (using Tata Sky)

“Government has made it a fair playing field for MSO's and DTH with digitalization, this has put pressure on some operators to provide quality in their offering viz HD channels, interactive service etc. Just because someone can't cope up with DTH's offering they shouldn't get into such low acts.” said a senior executive of a leading DTH brand.

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