CBNSat is due to have a press briefing today. Contents of this will be available to the general available on the Daily News Papers tomorrow. If possible if there are journalists reading this blog, I hope they will be able to update us on what was said.
Information is not available on at what time or the location of the press briefing. It will be interesting to hear what they have to say about this allegation of not having a operators license.
Anyway if the issue of the operators license is true how come they were allowed to operate without it in the first place.
How is that Mr. Mangala Samaraweera former Minister of Ports and Aviation, Information was Media was also spoke at the opening ceremony of the now deemed illegal broadcasting station.
So much of advertising was done after that the CID and TRC are alleging that they are illegal. How come the Investigations began after the launch of SATNET.
Information is not available on at what time or the location of the press briefing. It will be interesting to hear what they have to say about this allegation of not having a operators license.
Anyway if the issue of the operators license is true how come they were allowed to operate without it in the first place.
How is that Mr. Mangala Samaraweera former Minister of Ports and Aviation, Information was Media was also spoke at the opening ceremony of the now deemed illegal broadcasting station.
So much of advertising was done after that the CID and TRC are alleging that they are illegal. How come the Investigations began after the launch of SATNET.
11 comments:
Can anyone clarify on the following,or are all theses rumours.
1.Is Mr.Lakshman Hulugalle the Defence Media Advisor to the Government.
2.Isnt it a conflict of interest,if so as the Seizing of transmission of CBNsat took place susequent to a relaunch of SATnet of which Mr.Hulugalle is chairman and no one was buying his connections transmitted from INDIA and at a higher price and most of the Hotels who had their conversions were converting to CBNsat.
Can anyone please elobarate on this as the death senatance should be reactivated on people such as this.
LAKSHMAN Hulugalle has been appointed as the Vice Chairman of the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation by Felix Perera Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, with effect from December 23, 2005.
He is presently Managing Director, STAR TV Lanka Pvt Ltd. Mr Hulugalle who is an old boy of St. Anne's College, Kurunegala is a Graduate in Hotel Management of the Ceylon Hotel School and holds a Diploma in Marketing Education and Advertising.
Before being appointed to this post Managing Director, Star TV Lanka Pvt Ltd (Pay TV Company), Adviser-Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports and Rural Development, Co-ordination Secretary to President Mahinda Rajapakse when he was Minister of Labour and Vocational Training and Co-ordination Secretary to the Minister Ministry of Lands and Land Development and Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Ministry of Plantation.
Daily News Jan 02, 2006
SATnet (earlier Star TV Lanka) is offering a new Direct to Home satellite TV fare covering the whole island 24 hours. It was launched in Colombo last week. Minister of Fisheries Felix Perera launched a website for the product and is seen with Chairman/ Managing Director of SATnet, Lakshman Hulugalle. Minister of Skills Development and Employment, Sripathy Sooriyarachchi, and MPs Nirupama Rajapaksa and Rajitha Senaratne also participated. SATnet brings two leading brand names Star TV of Hong Kong and Dish TV of India. The service offers over 110 channels. SATnet has also come up with a package of easy payment schemes in association with Sampath Bank and Hatton National Bank.
(Too Close contact with the Government)
Link http://www.dailynews.lk/2006/05/05/main_Financial.asp
READ THE HIGHLIGHTED TEXT AT THE BOTTOM
Revolutionary Experience of Satellite Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB-S) Introduced to Sri Lanka by CBN Sat
Communiq Broadband Network (Private) Limited (CBNSat) proudly launched
Sri Lanka’s first Satellite Digital Video Broadcast (DVB-S) Direct-to-Home (DTH) network today. This service will cover the entire Island and the distinct advantage viewers of CBNSat’s Satellite Television Network will experience is the high level of audio-visual quality as yet unknown in Sri Lanka.
Television Channels available will include Discovery, CNN, BBC, Pogo, Cartoon Network, MTV, VH1, Nickolodian, Raj, Raj Digital, Animal Planet, The History Channel, National Geographic Channel, A1, AXN, Animax, FTV, Reality TV, SET, Zoom, Goal TV 1 and Goal TV2.
Apart from the Satellite Television Network, CBNSat is geared to provide many other highly advanced services through the utilization of satellite technology that would benefit the
Sri Lankan public. For example, the Distance Learning facility provided through CBNSat will enable Sri Lankan to access and view course support programmes on TV just as they would watch a normal television programme upon signing up with the relevant distant learning centre. This would provide Sri Lankans with access to a wide range of educational resources, which are not currently available in Sri Lanka.
Through partnering with Singer Sri Lanka, the leading consumer electronics and household appliances retailer, CBNSat has ensured the availability of the complete set of equipment required to connect to the Satellite Television Network including the satellite dish and decoder in over 1000 sales outlets throughout the country, to be purchased at the nominal rate of LKR 14, 695.00 + Vat.
Muhunthan Canagey, the CEO of CBNSat, commenting on the services provided by the satellite network said that their Satellite Television Network will provide Sri Lankans throughout the island with a unique television experience irrespective of geographical parameters, and most importantly subscriptions will be at the very affordable rate of LKR500.00 per month.
Minister of Ports & Aviation and Information & Media, and Deputy Minister of Education, Mangala Samaraweera, addressing the launch ceremony via video clipping stated that he fully endorsed the services provided by CBNSat and wished them every success for a sustainable operation.
Any news of the CBNsat press briefing and has Mr.Hulugalle being invited to and thanks guys for giving a CV of him (But one thing has been omitted due to an oversight - HE WAS THE MAN BEHIND THE INFAMOUS CHANNEL -9 DEAL)
This real undercutter will receive the curse of those 25000 or so subscribers of CBNsat and their children who were watching the wonderful cartoon channels and no one is going to buy their arsole dish or star.
Come on Hulugalle,play this fair and you start uplinking too.
And what i hear Rupavahini has nothing to do with this and have being realy supportive of the CBN cause,But they also would be presurised from higher ups and petty politics this country is famous for.
THE PRESS BRIEFING OF CBNSAT WILL BE HELD AT THE "TRANS ASIA" HOTEL AT 4.30 PM TODAY,ANY SUBSCRIBERS NEARBY PLEASE SHOW YOUR SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT IN THIS ENDEVOUR, BY BEING PRESENT AS THERE IS NO RESTRICTION.
EVEN MR.HULUGALLE IS SUPPOSED TO BE INVITED,BECAUSE CBNSAT FEEL THEY ARE 100% CLEAN AND WITHIN THE LAW
First of all i believe the Courts are not fully corrupted. And i strongly believe justice will be served and CBN will be back on air on Monday.
In case justice is not served, and CBN is banned forever, i for one will NOT move to SAtnet. I will live the rest of my life inside a cardboard box rather than having to watch thelingu and urdu bullcrap Hurugalle's gay service will provide. Mr. HUrugalle you've already lost this battle man, i give you the finger (the "fuck you" sign). In my view banning CBN= end of satellite communication's golden era in SL.
I am boycotting SAtnet and it's indian bullshit. And SAtnet will be a profitable business when some place very hot (hell) freezes over. And for those who switch (not many asi see it) to SATnet to view the world cup, i am disgusted at you. In my view you guys are the roots of encouraging foul tactics. You couldnt wait 2 days till MOnday? Will you eat shit if you are given no food for a while too? Stop being so selfish.
And i saw some ppl (once again, not many) from comet cable laugh at CBNsat customers and their current situation. Great work guys you will make the destruction of SL complete one day.
Many of us are with CBNsat. It is only two more days we have to wait. GO CBN, OWN em all them bitches!
Terminator out.
Press conferance is happening at the moment at the Intercontinental. CBNsat should have announced this and they would have had some customers to support them at this.
I think we have to wait till Monday to see some action to restart transmitting of CBNSat channels. If not I think we have to come forward to safeguard our rights as the customers.
We have spent our hard earned money on CBNSat equipment to get Information, be educated and to entertain our kids. Can a single corrupt person using his political powers to stop all that. Where is BOI to protect the investors and why is TRC so silent over the whole issue. They will also need to come forward and tell what this is all about. They are the ones who should protect customers.
When CBNSat commenced operations it was not secretly done. The Approval have been obtained from BOI for the company and from TRC for their equipment. And SonicNet also have obtained the necessary licences from TRC for their operations. TRC is there to guide the investors and companies and to set guidelines. So if CBNSat or SonicNet is starting an operation they should have issued necessary licences complying with the country’s law.
We all know that the satellite broadcasting equipment is sensitive and it cannot be brought down secretly. Even the ministry of defence have approved the import of Satellite broadcasting equipment for CBNsat & SonicNet Technologies. And these equipment is being Used by the government broadcasting institutions like Rupavahini and ITN. So does that means that government also used illegal transmission.
So the final conclusion should be if CBNSat have violated any law they should be fined and given a proper licence to restart their services immediately. Otherwise if CBNsat operations are legal and they have all the necessary approval and licences the culprits behind this whole scene should be brought out and they’ll have to pay CBNSat for the damage they have caused not only to the Brand name of CBNsat but to the whole country and the prospective investors.
Either way as a peoples government I believe the CBNSat services should be restored ASAP safeguarding the rights of 20,000 customers. TRC is established to safeguard the consumer. And the country’s law is to protect people. And BOI’s duty is to set the guidelines for the investors as per the country’s law to carry out a decent business.
We all can see a result in few hours time.
My only hope is that it should be in favour of the 20,000 households across Sri Lanka.
PRESS STATEMENT OF 09.06.2006 OF COMMUNIQ BROADBAND NETWORK (PRIVATE) LIMITED WHICH CARRIES BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME AND STYLE OF CBNSAT.
1) CBNSat's customers have not since approximately 9 p.m. on Tuesday 6th June 2006 been available to access all channels including BBC, CNN, Discovery etc.
2) To dispel any false rumours or allegations the company wishes to present the facts of what has happened and why customers are not able to access those channels.
3) CBNSat is able to provide its services to its customers primarily through a company called SonicNet Technologies (Pvt.) Ltd.
4) SonicNet Technologies (Pvt.) Ltd. Has a license granted to it by the Minister of Mass Media and Communications in 2003 which authorises it to provide services as set out in the licence.
5) SonicNet Technologies (Private) Limited also has obtained all necessary approvals for all the equipment it uses from the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka.
6) It is the company’s position that CBNSat does not require a licence to carry out the activities which it has been carrying out since 27.05.2005.
7) On a complaint made by a person or persons the Additional Magistrate of Colombo issued a search warrant to the Criminal Investigations Department to search CBNSat’s premises. SonicNet Technology (Pvt.) Ltd’s equipment is situated at the same location.
8) CID officers raided the premises of CBNSat and SonicNet Technologies (Private) Ltd. On 06.06.2006. Both companies cooperated fully with the CID.
9) Although the learned Magistrate granted permission for the search to take place from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. the presence of the CID officers continued till much later in the evening.
10) The Learned Magistrate did not in his order confer any power on the CID to seize or switch off SonicNet’s equipment.
11) Because of the equipment of SonicNet Technologies (Pvt.) Ltd. Being switched off unlawfully and without any reasonable of justifiable ground the customers of CBNSat cannot access the channels mentioned above any longer.
12) A Magistrates’ Court hearing took place on 8th June 2006 at which lawyers appearing for SonicNet Technologies (Pvt.) Ltd. Made extensive submissions. However the proceedings have been adjourned for Monday the 12th of June, 2006.
13) CBNSat is hopeful that the learned Magistrate will make such Orders as are necessary to undo the damage caused by the action taken by the CID in excess of the powers granted to it under the search warrant.
THE STEPS TAKEN SO FAR TO KEEP CUSTOMERS INFORMED
1) Before the equipment of SonicNet Technologies was switched off, CBNSat sent a message to its customers on Tuesday night at approximately 9 p.m. informing them that they would be unable to access the channels due to unavoidable circumstances.
2) CBNSat has instructed its staff to inform its customers that CBNSat has sought legal advice and will be taking appropriate action in Court.
3) CBNSat will issue press releases as often as possible to keep its customers informed of the progress of the legal actions being taken by it and by SonicNet Technologies (Pvt.) Ltd.
As for SonicNet Technologies (Private) Limited, it has also made representations to the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission to hold an inquiry and to restore the service pending such inquiry.
Until the CID action is reversed or reviewed, SonicNet Technologies (Pvt.) Ltd. will, unless it is otherwise advised, be unable to switch its equipment back on.
Until SonicNet Technologies (Pvt.) Ltd.’s equipment is switched back on, approximately 20,000 customers of CBNSat in all parts of Sri Lanka and abroad will be unable to access the above channels.
CBNSat deeply regrets the inconvenience caused to its customers but vows that no effort will be spared to restore services as soon as possible.
Like I said before we should all boycot and not buy products of the company that wells and promotes SatNet. Those people and companies doing business with SatNet should dissassociate them selves with such Goons that use political influence to use and abuse power...
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