DOHA: Even as Qtel plans to combat signal piracy on its Microwave Multipoint Distribution System (MMDS) cable TV network, a large number of Asian expatriates are buying old MMDS antenna and decoders to receive their favourite channels free of cost.
Such decoders bought from former MMDS subscribers were being tampered for pirating channels from Qtel.
Enquiries revealed that an old but working MMDS antenna with its metal boom and stand and a Zenith brand decoder now fetch as high as QR300 in the black market. Qatar Cable Vision (QCV), however, provides this equipment free of cost to genuine subscribers while charging an installation fee of only QR200. In this case, however, the decoder and the antenna remain Qtel property and are taken back once the subscriber opts out of the service.
The old decoders sold in the black market are tampered by those with the required knowledge for a fee of only QR 50- down from the earlier QR100, when fewer technicians knew how to modify the decoder to receive the channels free of cost.
QCV sources estimated that some 25,000 old, Zenith decoders which remain unaccounted for even after their original subscribers had discontinued the service, may be modified and used for signal piracy. The cable TV service provider is looking at options including scapping the MMDS and replacing with a new, tamper proof system to prevent signal piracy while safeguarding the rights of genuine subscribers who pay for the service.
Poor quality
The demand for old decoders had shot up in recent months due to several reasons. These include the large number of low paid Asian expatriates who have converged on Doha to work on construction sites and other jobs. Such expatriates are unable to pay the monthly subscription to QCV for watching channels from Asia and hence choose to pirate the signals.
In some cases, families stung by the rising cost of living in Doha, including the high rents for houses were indulging in this illegal act, it was learnt. Though the quality of the audio and video signals from modified decoders suffers than the subscribed ones, those using it were found willing to compromise. About a couple of years ago, QCV had dedicated the MMDS to Asian expatriates by offering them a variety of channels from their homelands.
The reason for such a high number of unaccounted decoders and antenna are simple: QCV earlier charged nearly QR2,000 for the equipment from subscribers. This amount included the decoder, the antenna and other accessories which became the subscriber's property.
The amount was later more than halved to attract more subscribers who also ended up owning the equipment. However, with the advent of the Direct-To-Home satellite TV, those who could afford discontinued their cable TV service but retained the equipment and were now looking for customers willing to buy them.
News that QCV may scrap its MMDS has encouraged such owners to offer the equipment even more openly than before. Though local communications laws prohibit signal piracy and those detected can face stiff penalties, those using modified decoders are hard to detect.
© The Peninsula 2005
