Cable operators throughout India are campaigning against new government regulations that limit their ability to control individual channel costs, a United Press International report said.
The report said the new conditional access system, scheduled to go into effect in January in Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi, has drawn protests from the country's cable distributors for its imposed financial limitations.
Under the new Telecom Regulatory Authority of India regulations, the cost of the country's 22 free-to-air basic cable channels will be set at $15.40, the report said.
Current cable channel costs range from News Corp.'s $13.47 eight-pack of channels to the ESPN-Star Sports channel, which is offered for $1, the report said.