Go4b Cable TV - Lowering its own standards.

Worldcall Karachi has been providing broadband services in the city since 2003 under the name of Go4B. The company now in its fourth year of successful operations, was the pioneer of Broadband Internet Service, VoIp and Digital Cable Tv services in Karachi.

The company has a customer base which is in multiples when compared with other local operators. This indirectly means that Go4B has the largest customer base in the most populated and ever expanding financial capital of Pakistan. (now that is something to boast about) BUT when these achievements are weighed in comparison, it is a shame to notice how the cable tv quality of this company is terribly detoriating with time. Termed as one of the best Cable Television Operators of Pakistan this company has become extremely stingy in its channel listings.

Having been a customer of Go4b since June 2003 (the year it started its operations) and i am no longer proud to include myself in the list of satisfied customers. Although, the company should be given due credit for having genuinely worked hard in improving the internet downtimes, inefficient helpline and implemented better billing methods, But i can only notice detoriating standards when it comes to their Analog Cable Television service. If pondered a little more on this point, one is also bound to notice the digital cable channel listings, it clearly shows that with the introduction of VOD and digital cable by Go4B, it now seems as if they are taking down all the channels from their analog service and putting them on the digital one, indirectly forcing the customers to switch.

I do sympathize with the cable operators and us(the viewers) and also do agree that Pemra might have placed many restrictions on the cable operators forcing them not to show several channels, but the recent trend of Go4B(knowingly or not) that can be noticed is of gradually reducing the number of English channels shown on their network. This act of unbalancing the ratio between English, Indian and Pakistani channels is not fair to a large number of customers.

The explanation provided by the helpline of channel listings per public demand from the helpline stands unsatisfactory to me. I fail to understand how the demand for some unheard off channels is more than the demand for some of the famous English channels such as Show Series (a Show time Arabia channel), super movies and several other good and reputable channels.

If the cable network has taken such a step in order to encourage our growing and developing media, i appreciate this effort, but such an act at the cost of their customer's dissatisfaction is not a very wise idea. According to the website Go4b (http://www.go4b.net.pk/services/channel_list_analog.php) has a channel listing of 80+ channels and according to my count not more than 10 of them are English out of which hardly 5 are English entertainment channels.

To conclude, I have given up on the phone calls and my only hope remains is that the company soon takes into consideration my (and others) several requests for English channels and takes necessary action in order to improve its channel listings.