"Australia Network" replacement suspended

Dialog have suspended their plans to replace the Australia Network channel with a "New local channel" at the moment. The suspension comes in the midst of criticism and protests raised by subscribers over the news reported by us a couple of days ago.

We are not sure of what channel would have appeared instead of "Australia Network" but rumors flying around suggest that it would have been "Sirasa TV". Yes, one of the Maharaja channels that poked fun at cable networks saying that they have no chance in Sri Lanka & according to unconfirmed reports also tried to apply for a license to launch DTH services since others were operating pay television networks successfully & failed miserably in their bid to secure a license. Not to mention the same network that carried advertisements in the local newspapers informing pay television networks not to carry any of their channels are now desperate to come aboard existing pay television companies in Sri Lanka. Sirasa is not a suitable channel replacement for "Australia Network" in fact, adding Sirasa to Dialog TV is a waste of transponder space. Sirasa can be added at the expense of any of the other local channels. Dialog should take note not to fill their channel lineup with local channels and waste transponder space.

It's a good decision by Dialog TV by suspending the replacement of "Australia Network" & we thank them for it. Sadly Dialog TV have the habit of following up every good decision with a bad one. So we can only wait and see what Dialog TV will do next.

To be clear, Dialog should convert to MPEG4 since transponder space problems has reached critical levels now. Dialog considering to remove an English language channel for a local one means that they are desperate to add new channels and are willing to do it at the expense of any channel on their platform.

Dialog TV should categorically halt all planned channel replacements & potential time sharing plans. There is a free slot on Dialog TV named "Dialog Test Channel" which could be allocated for one more channel. If a new channel cannot be added to it, then instead of wasting transponder space Dialog should allocate it to one of the time shared channels on their platform and eliminate time sharing once and for all.

Please keep us updated on the latest on Dialog TV as the days progress.

Australia Network to be replaced by "LOCAL" channel

In a move that can be classed as well below stupid, Dialog TV have decided to replace "Australia Network" with a "new LOCAL channel" from 26th August onwards, according to a scroll presently running on Dialog TV. It's bad enough that Dialog TV have to replace channels but to replace Australia Network with a "LOCAL" channel is insane. Why would anyone want to watch a local channel over Australia Network. In addition if this so called "LOCAL" channel is a Sinhala language channel then it will be a double blow since an English language channel is being replaced by a Sinhala language one.

This shows that Dialog TV are now desperate to add new channels without improving existing transponder capacity. Channel replacements are bad and replacing any channel with a new channel or time sharing it with another is not an option Dialog TV should even consider, even though sadly they are carrying out those unethical practices. If Dialog TV are to introduce a new "LOCAL" channel then they should replace it with an existing local channel, International Channels should never be replaced to make room for "LOCAL" channels.

We urge the management of Dialog TV management to reconsider and replace the "New Local Channel" with another existing local channel or refrain from replacing until transponder capacity to increased. Converting to MPEG4 from MPEG2 is now very urgent. No one wants Dialog TV to have more local channels that International channels. Subscribers don't pay for watching local channels. Dialog TV should get their business plan in order and decide if they are going to be a pay television network that carries International channels or a facilitator of local channels.

It's time for subscribers to take to their phones and call Dialog TV and urge them to stop channel replacements and time sharing of channels. The agreement that subscribers sign with Dialog TV may contain the provision to change channels anytime but such a practice is highly unethical and is a violation of subscriber rights.

In other news it should be noted that "Swarnvahini" has been added to the list of PVR enabled channels. Please keep us updated on the latest on Dialog TV as the days progress.