View of A Study on Customer Satisfaction of Cable Television Service During Covid Pandemic with respect to Kerala

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Turkish Journal of Computer and Mathematics Education Vol.12 No.12 (2021), 3893-3896

Research Article

3893

A Study on Customer Satisfaction of Cable Television Service During Covid Pandemic

with respect to Kerala

Dr. A.S. Ambily

Assistant Professor (SG), Department of Commerce and Management, Amrita School of Arts and Sciences, Kochi, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham.

Article History: Received: 11 January 2021; Revised: 12 February 2021; Accepted: 27 March 2021; Published

online: 23 May 2021

Abstract: The study mainly aims to understand customer satisfaction with respect to the cable service

provided by cable television operators during the period of Covid pandemic with respect to Kerala.

Key words: Cable, Cable Television, Cable Operator, Fibre -Optic Cables, Coaxial Cables. Introduction

Cable televisions provide television programme to consumers premises through radio frequency signals which is transmitted through coaxial cables and presently through fibre -optic cables. The shortened for used for cable television is CATV. Cable television was used in USA in the late 40s to improve reception of commercial network broadcasts. Since then, there has been a mushrooming of cable television which offers special services.

The first CATV system was set up by Robert J Tarion in Lansford, Pennsylvania in 1950. In the spring of 1979, the 96th congress of the United States and the National Cable Television Association recognized John Walson as the founder of the cable television industry.

Television Network companies broadcast their TV shows through satellite. Cable operators also called multi system operators (MSO) install head-ends (control centres for cable network) for aggregation of TV channels received from different satellites. They may mix this with content from other sources such as broadband connections, local bombs, etc. To form a bouquet of channels and then distribute to homes using coaxial cable (hence, the name cable TV) network installed underground or hung utility poles. For getting cable television, one needs to subscribe to a cable company which will then connect a simple coaxial cable from the wall outlet to the television sets. One has to then program his/her cable ready television sets to receive the cable channels. In case one does not have a cable ready television then one needs to install a device called a converter box. This way the programme reaches the entire customers who are located at different distance. Success of a cable television depends on the service provided by the cable TV operator.

In Kerala the cable television works under five MSO (multiple-system operator) who provide signals to various service providers like AsiaNet, Kerala Vision, Bhoomika, Den etc. MSO will provide service to the distributor, from there to sub distributors located in different districts, from sub distributors to LCO (Local Cable Operators) and from there to the ultimate customers who are located in different localities.

In Kerala the largest cable service provider is AsiaNet Digital service who offers the latest digital technology with 240 television channels. Other major cable service provider includes Kerala Vision, Bhoomika, Den etc.

Methods

The study was conducted among 55 samples who are located in different parts of Kerala. The study was conducted through questionnaire method. Both primary and secondary data was used for the study. Simple frequency is used for deriving the output. The study was conducted during the period of covid 2020-2021.

Analysis and Inerpretations

Table 1: Household Currently Subscribe to Cable TV or Not

Yes 44

No 7

Maybe 4

Other 1

Source: Primary Data

Table 2: Cable Service you are Availing

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A Study on Customer Satisfaction of Cable Television Service During Covid Pandemic with respect

to Kerala

3894 Den 6 Kerala Vision 14 Bhoomika 2 Others 18

Table 3: Level of Cable TV Service you Subscribe

Basic Channels (12 local channels) 3 Standard Channels (70+ channels) 7 Preferred Channels (200+ channels) 28 Premier Package (200+ channels + premium channels) 5

Don’t know 14

Table 4: Cable Services you have in Addition to Television

Internet 28

Telephone 4

None… I only subscribe to cable tv 25

Table 5: Internet Service without any Interruptions

Yes 12

No 14

Sometimes 26

Other 3

Table 6: Subscribed to Cable Television

Less than 6 months 9

More than 6 months, less than 1 year 8

1 to 2 years 9

Longer than 2 years 30

Table 7: Internet usage during Covid Situation

Increased a lot 28

Less Increase 4

No change 20

Table 8: Reliability of the Cable TV Provider

Not very reliable 1 6

Little reliable 2 8

have many problems 3 5

very reliable 4 24

had no problems 5 12

Table 9: Quality of your Television Service

Extremely poor 1

Poor. 0

Average 18

Good 31

Excellent 6

Table 10: Customer Service Quality of your Provider’s

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Dr. A.S. Ambily

3895 Poor. 1 Average 15 Good 34 Excellent 4

Table 11: Cable Signal Lost for a Period

1-2 12

3-5 19

6-10 9

More than 10 15

Table 12: Provider’s Ability to Resolve Service Issues

1 Extremely poor 1

2 Poor 1

3 Good 37

4 Excellent 13

5 No issues 3

While analyzing the subscription to cable television it is being found that 79percent of the customers are having cable television and only 13 percent opined there is no network service. Majority are using others service which includes DTH (Direct to Home). The major reason for the same is that 60 percent of the customers are in rural areas of Kerala. So, the service providers have difficulty in providing service to remote areas. Thus, the customers depend mainly on DTH service. Another reason is because of the recurring power failure may also force the customers to use DTH service and the customers are free to watch the television if it is charged properly without any interruption. At present, cable operators provide service to customers to the maximum through optical cables. 49 percent of clients use preferred channels that include 200 plus channels.

Only one percent of customers are using basic channels. 49 percent of customers are using internet along with cable. During pandemic, the subscription of internet has being increased. But 44 percent subscribe to cable television along. With respect to internet service, 47 percent opinions that sometimes there are internet interruptions. 25 percent opinions that there are no internet interruptions. 22 percent opinions that there are internet interruptions. So, internet interruptions are there with respect to cable service. Regarding cable television subscription, 54 percent of sample subscriptions have over two years.

With respect to the usage of Internet service through cable network during Covid situation 54 percent opinioned that the usage has increased a lot during pandemic situation. 54 percent opined that its good and even though few channels are missing.18 percent opined that the cable operators are providing a broad selection of their favorite program. With respect to the reliability of the cable TV provider 44 percent opined that they are exceptionally reliable. 11 percent opined It is no exceptionally reliable. From the survey, it is being found that 55 percent of the sample opined that signal, sound and quality of service provided are good.

With respect to customer service provided by the cable TV operator it is found that 62 percent opined that the service is good and only two percent indicated that to be very poor or poor. 35 percent of consumers said they had lost entire cable signals 3 to 4 times in a year and 27 percent said the signal was lost more than ten times. Thus, losing of signal is a problem for the customers. With respect to the providers ability to resolve service issues it is found that 67 percent opined o be good and 24 percent to be excellent. Only two percent opined to be very poor and poor. So, from the study, it is clear that the service offered by the cable operator is good.

Conclusions

Cable television is fully committed by providing services to the customer round – the-clock. The role of cable television operators has been increased a lot in the form of providing networks, internets and so on. The study can be concluded by pointing out that customers are satisfied with the service provided by the cable television operators during the pandemic period especially.

References

1. Angho Lee "A Study on the Cable TV Channel Information Transmission for In-Door N-Screen Services" KICS Korea 245-246, November 2013.

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A Study on Customer Satisfaction of Cable Television Service During Covid Pandemic with respect

to Kerala

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3. 3Eisenmann, Thomas R., "Cable TV: From Community Antennas to Wired Cities", Harvard Business School Weekly Newsletter, July 10, 2000

4. Moss, Mitchell L.; Payne, Frances, "Can Cable Keep Its Promise?", New York Affairs, Volume6, Number 4. New York University. 1981