The whole Zee network is going pay from May, group corporate affairs head RK Singh confirmed today, adding that the rollout of set top boxes for Zee TV has already begun.

Singh said the entire Zee network, including the four regional language Alpha channels and Nickelodeon, would be included in the package which would cost between Rs 20 and 30.

While Singh would not give an exact figure on the price, a Mumbai-based cable operator revealed that Zee was selling their bouquet at RS 25 and the cost of the set top box for Zee TV was RS 14,000.

Singh wouldn't reveal when the switchover to pay would take place but didn't exclude the possibility of it going through some time in the middle of May.

Cable operators would be offered a la carte as well as network rates, Singh says.

The Zee Network includes, Zee TV, Zee News, Zee Cinema, Zee MGM, Zee English and Zee Music. The Alpha channels are Marathi, Punjabi, Gujarati and Bengali. Zee distributes Nickelodeon in India and hosts two one hour programming slots for the children's channel, mornings and evenings, on Zee TV.