MUMBAI: The Chinese influx continues.
At the annual three-day SCaT (Satellite and Cable TV) 2003 trade show that began at the World Trade Center, Mumbai, on Wednesday, the number of stalls taken up by Chinese hardware manufacturers has gone up from eight last year to 12 this time.
Last year was the first time the trade show, that sees a variety of Western and domestic cable and allied hardware 
suppliers displaying their latest wares, saw an entry of the Chinese. 
With the USP of low prices and average quality, Chinese goods have long been swamping the Indian retail market - now it seems to have extended to the fibre optic market as well.
At the trade show, buyers seem to have taken to the Chinese goods, which are available at nearly 30 per cent of the cost of their Western counterparts.
"They are offering value for money at the prices they offer - a potent combination," says Dinyar Contractor, organiser of the show.
It is the Chinese goods which are triggering massive growth in the sector in India, enabling fibre optic penetration to the smallest of towns - as an entire fibre optic network, complete with transmitters et al can be set up at just Rs 100,000 with Chinese brands, Contractor says. Fibre optic cable available at Rs eight per metre has been instrumental in helping revolutionise the cable scenario in the country in the last couple of years, says Contractor.
Overall, the show in its second day today, has been attracting a fair number of visitors from all over the country - the major attractions being the fibre optics and the digital receivers on display.
Also present at the show are regular broadcasters Sahara, Deutsche Welle and Sanskar TV. 
CAS (conditional access system) that turned out to be a non-starter does not seem to have dampened the spirits at the show. Addressability hardware makers too were in full force, with the hope and prayer that conditional access will make its appearance in India sooner than later.