Uncertainty Over Set-Top Boxes Continues

Uncertainty over installation of set-top boxes (STBs) continues in the capital even as two-week grace period granted by the A.P. High Court comes to an end on Sunday. The court, while dealing with a PIL challenging the Centre’s notification fixing March 31 as deadline for digitalisation of cable TV transmission, directed the government not to suspend airing of analogue cable signals.

Shortage of STBs coupled with power cuts has been making the issue worse. Andhra Pradesh Cable Operators’ Welfare Association president K. Prabhakar Reddy said operators were facing shortage of STBs owing to the delay in importing them from Taiwan, Germany and other foreign countries.

Power cuts were also affecting the installation process. Operators were able to cover just 10 apartments a day due to power outage. The inflated rates collected by multi-system operators (MSOs) and local cable operators (LCOs) was another factor forcing the subscribers to think twice before installing STBs, Mr. Reddy explained.

Many were hoping that the government would come out with some steps to bring down the rates as 40 per cent of the total subscribers were below middle class families, he said. “Confusion still continues over the timeframe for installation of STBs. We will wait for the court orders,” maintained Mr. Reddy. He said only 25 per cent of the total customers have so far installed set-top boxes.

The PIL challenging the Centre’s notification fixing March 31 deadline was filed in the court after several operators resorted to blacking out transmission from that day. Operators resumed cable services after the court granted two-week time from March 31.

According to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting order, cable broadcasting in 38 cities, including Hyderabad, was to be digitalised from March 31. The regulation was applicable to everyone – broadcasters, MSOs and LCOs, who distribute the signals to subscribers.

Source: http://cablequest.org/news/digitization-news/item/2120-uncertainty-over-set-top-boxes-continues.htmlSource: http://cablequest.org/news/digitization-news/item/2120-uncertainty-over-set-top-boxes-continues.html