Joining the growing ranks of breakaway cable operator groups turning multi-system operators (MSO), Behala-based Srishti Cable TV Network plans to start MSO operations by early March.

Srishti, which services over a lakh households across Behala, Thakurpukur, Taratala and areas up to Falta, approached broadcasters seeking decoder boxes for the channels on Wednesday.

Kolkata Cable & Broadband and Metro Broadband in north and central Calcutta are also firming up MSO plans.

?We will have nearly 100 operators with us and around 69 shareholders among them,? said Raj Narayan Roy Chowdhury, a spokesperson for Srishti, currently functioning under the MSO Manthan.

The challenge from direct-to-home (DTH), according to Srishti, was one of the reasons for the solo sojourn. ?Several big players have major DTH plans and we have to ensure that the cable business doesn?t face extinction,? Roy Chowdhury said. ?Only our own set-up will allow us to do that.?

The proposed MSO will provide 200 channels and try to check subscriber rate hikes ?for as long as possible?. ?We have also noticed that very few people are interested in set-top boxes if they have to pay for them.? Srishti plans to subsidise the boxes and provide them for free within a year of starting operations.

The company was in talks with Mumbai-based Hathway Datacom, one of the largest MSOs in India, for a joint-venture partnership. ?But we are not keen, as we would like to have the network control with us,? Roy Chowdhury added.