Officials from Delhi government and union ministry of information and broadcasting met on Tuesday to discuss compulsory implementation of the Digital Addressable System (DAS) in country’s four main metros.
Delhi chief secretary P K Tripathi and divisional commissioner Vijay Dev were at the meeting held ahead of the fast approaching July 1 deadline when digital transmission of tv signals must begin.
Digital Addressable System (DAS) is the digital transmission of TV signals with the help of a set top box. It is being implemented in four metros.
As per the Centre’s Cable Television Bill, 1995, the DAS has to be compulsorily implemented in Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai and Kolkata from July 1 and anyone who does not switch over to DAS by then will face a blackout of TV signals.
Highlighting the various advanatages of the DAS over the widely prevalent analog system, which works through cable, Rajiv Takru, additional secretary (ministry of I&B) said not only will the consumer have more choice of channels to watch, but will also be free to make his own bouquet of channels whose rates will be fixed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India very shortly.
Takru also dispelled fears that Delhi will face a shortage of the set top boxes since the government has already placed an order of about 28 lakh STBs and about 10 lakh are already available in the market.
Another interesting feature of DAS will be putting an end to the exaggerated TRPs. The government also announced a toll free number — 18001804343 — for any query.
