Jump to content

CBNsat

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Jolly Lucifer (talk | contribs) at 08:37, 22 June 2006. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

File:CBNsat logo.gif

CBNsat is a digital televsision provider based in Sri Lanka. This company is owned by Communiq Broadband Network (Pvt) Ltd. and was opened in July 2005. Its other competitiors are SATnet, LBN and Comet Cable (Ruhuna Multivision 2001).


Services

CBNsat currently provides 28 international tv channels and 6 local tv channels, plus 8 local radio channels. Channels are provided within 3 packages, each having 16 channels, 24 channels and 26 channels respectively. The first package costs RS.500, the second package costs RS.850, and the third package costs RS.1375.

CBNsat provides a 24 hour hotline service for customers.

CBNsat also provides an online billing service named "MyCBNsat". MyCBNsat allows customers to pay bills online, view bills and customize the channels they want to watch. MyCBNsat requires a simple quick registration.

Channels

Television

Radio

TNL FM , Light FM, Asura FM, Sun FM, Gold FM, Hiru FM, Sha FM & Suriyan FM

Infrastructure

CBNsat broadcasts using the DVB-S System through the EuroStar Satellite positioned at 45° East. KuBand Signals are received using a 60" diameter Alluminium Mini-Dish and a Sharp LNB. The LNB is connected to a COSHIP CDVB5110D SetTop Box. Irdeto Epsilon Cards are used to unlock encrypted signal.

Competition and Coverage

CBNsat is currently on a strong battle against the already existing Comet Cable (Ruhuna Multivision 2001) and LBN Cable TV.

CBNsat has coverage over the entire of Sri Lanka and even upto Nepal and neighbouring countries. CBNsat is available in Sri Lanka from any islandwide Singer showrooms.

Development and Expanditure

CBNsat expresses its hopes to soon expand their digital network to other neighbouring countries.

CBNSat signed an agreement with ESPN on 7 March 2006, and launched Star Sports and ESPN on 24 March 2006. Meanwhile CBNsat may also add Ten Sports and SunTV on to the network within the next few month which may be delayed due to the current investigation and closure (see below)

The CID Raid

Transmission of CBNsat ceased on the evening of the 6th of June 2006 at approximately 9:30PM under orders of the CIE (Sri Lanka Criminal Investigation Department). The following message was sent out to all subscribers via the satellite receiver: "We regret to inform you that due to unavoidable circumstances beyond the control of CBNsat our services will not be available temporarily. We are taking every possible measure to restore the services as soon as possible. Please bear with us."

This message preceded the following official statement from CBNsat which appeared in several Sri Lankan newspapers and is now visible on the CBNsat website: "Dear valued customer, as you may already know, CBNSat transmission has been halted by the CID and forces unknown to us. We have taken up this issue in courts and their verdict is currently pending. The events which took place on 6th June, 2006 had done immense injustice to us, our staff and to our valued customers. We apologies for the inconvenience caused by this circumstance which is beyond our control. We are trying our level best to overcome this hurdle and are confident you will be understanding and patient. Yours digitally, CBNSat."

The CID Investigation and Court Case

On the 9th of June 2006 The Daily News reported that: "The sealing of the private satellite television station, CBN SAT by the CID was a sequel to a two month long investigation where several details had surfaced pointing to the operation of an illegal transmission service by CBN SAT."

The report goes on to state that while CBNsat was in possession of a valid vendor license (to sell and maintain satellite equipment) it did not have a license "to operate Satellite Video Up-Linking services to transmit Direct to Home (DTH) TV programmes.", thus violating section 17 (1) of the (Sri Lankan) Telecommunication Act No. 25 of 1991. The report states that CBNsat used a "licence issued to a sister company Sonic Network (Pvt). Ltd. for the specific purpose of operating an External Gateway for International Telecommunication (EGO) to operate a Satellite Video Up-linking service."

The EGO license was issued to Sonic Network (Pvt). Ltd. was limited to telecommunications operations and does not allow Video/Satellite transmission. The CID alleges that the agreement and joint operation between CBNsat and Sonic Network constitutes a telecommunications service, which was being carried out without a license, hence the investigation.

CBNsat and the CID have both appeared in court to state their cases. A restraining order on operations was placed on CBNsat stopping transmissions till the 12th of June, 2006. This was further extended till the 19th of June pending further hearing. On the 19th the judge ordered the Media Ministry Additional Secretary to hand over a valid license on the 21st of June during the final hearing. At this hearing the Media Ministry has informed the court that the application for license (made in open court) is incomplete and further documents are required before a license may be granted. The time period stated by the Media Ministry was four weeks from application and was deemed too long by the presiding judge. At present the Media Ministry has been ordered to state their position on the licensing of CBNsat by the 28th of June 2006 or charges against the cable provider will be dropped.

Meanwhile CBNsat is hoping to sue each CID member who raided the premises on the 6th of June, as the CID team did not possess the necessary warrant to stop their transmission.

Several other broadcasters have also come under investigation with LBN service being forced off-air almost two weeks after CBNsat's suspension.

Conspiracy Theories

Speculation on the Internet and other media points to links between CBNsat and the LTTE organisation's NTT(National Television of Tamil Eelam) satellite television station as being the reason behind the initial CID investigation. However no proof of any colusion has been brought to publich attention and the NTT transmissions have continued uninterrupted in spite of the CBNsat closure. Their is further speculation that the investigation was instigated by rival cable/satellite television operators in a bid to boost their own sales. However, this investigation has caused all other cable/satellite television to come under investigation.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=CBNsat&oldid=59966269"